DETROIT -- Missing out on an opportunity to gain some ground in the Eastern Conference’s Wild-Card race, the Detroit Red Wings nearly completed a spirited third-period rally but fell short, 4-3, to the Ottawa Senators at Little Caesars Arena on Thursday night.

In their first game back at Little Caesars Arena Thursday after being on the road for four straight, the Wings pushed back in the third period against the Ottawa Senators, turning a three-goal gap into one.

April is the final month of the regular season, which comes as a relief to many. The Detroit Red Wings are hoping for a better month than March, when they scored only eight points in 14 games. Detroit is currently three points back of the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.

The Red Wings are a team that needs victories but it will not be easy earning one Tuesday in St. Louis. The Blues will be entering the game with a nine-game winning streak — the Wings are 4-5-0 over the same stretch — and playing better than anyone in the NHL.

The Detroit Red Wings sit outside the second Wild Card position in the Eastern conference, currently occupied by the Montreal Canadiens. Even if they don’t admit it, they feel pressure to secure their first playoff berth since the 2015-16 season.