Blackhawks lose to Wings but take flight with outside help

They were bailed out for the night, and of the regular-season, when the Minnesota Wild topped the Dallas Stars 5-3.

The defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks needed a big helping hand to reach the play-offs as they lost their final game 4-3 to the Detroit Red Wings.

Jimmy Howard made 33 saves to frustrate the Blackhawks, but they were bailed out in the final game of the night — and of the regular-season — when the Minnesota Wild topped the Dallas Stars 5-3, denying Dallas the final play-off spot in the West and handing it back to Chicago.

Anti Miettinen scored the go-ahead goal early in the third and Pierre-Marc Bouchard made sure with an empty-netter 81 seconds from time.

Jacques Lemaire signed off as New Jersey Devils coach with a win as they beat the Boston Bruins 3-2.

Vladimir Zharkov and Alexander Urbom scored in the final period to lift them to victory.

David Jones scored in overtime to give the Colorado Avalanche a 4-3 win over the Edmonton Oilers, while a four-goal second period powered the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 5-2 win over the Atlanta Thrashers.