PITTSBURGH -- When Daniel Alfredsson pulled off the stunner of the NHL off-season by leaving the Ottawa Senators as a free agent

PITTSBURGH -- When Daniel Alfredsson pulled off the stunner of the NHL off-season by leaving the Ottawa Senators as a free agent, the rationale he gave was simple: He thought the Detroit Red Wings offered him a better chance to win the Stanley Cup. Jose Berrios Jersey . At the time, skeptics looked at the Senators and questioned if that was true. They had just overcome injuries to Jason Spezza, Erik Karlsson and Craig Anderson to reach the second round of the playoffs, and even Alfredsson saw a bright future ahead. Playing into his 40s, Alfredsson just didnt "have the time to wait for that." As a disappointing season unfolded in Ottawa, it became clear the longtime Senators captain was right, and on Wednesday night the Red Wings validated his decision to sign in Detroit by making the playoffs and giving him another opportunity to chase the Cup. "Thats what you play for: to get into the playoffs," Alfredsson said after the Red Wings clinched with a shootout loss in Pittsburgh. "I played a long time in this league, I played a lot of playoff games but I havent won the Stanley Cup, and thats what you dream about. Thats the only reason Im still playing." The easy move, as Alfredsson acknowledged July 5, wouldve been to re-sign with the Senators and play out a career that would then include his No. 11 being raised to the rafters and maybe a statue being built outside Canadian Tire Centre. Leaving immediately clouded his legacy. In the wake of Alfredssons departure, the Senators couldnt seem to get out of a fog early and were never able to catch up. They missed the playoffs for the third time in six years, but even from afar the former face of that franchise didnt get any satisfaction in watching the Sens struggle. "I was hoping that they would do well, theres no question," Alfredsson said Tuesday in Buffalo. "Other than that, my focus is solely on this team and on the present and finishing out this season strong." Led by Alfredsson and fellow Swede Gustav Nyquist, the Red Wings made a strong push to qualify for the playoffs on the night they played their 80th game of the season. And they did so despite missing stars Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg for almost half the season due to injuries, while Alfredsson, himself, missed 13 games. Thanks to major contributions from young players like Nyquist and Tomas Tatar, Detroit overcame those and many more injuries to make a 23rd consecutive playoff appearance. The Red Wings also leaned heavily veteran defenceman Niklas Kronwall, Alfredsson and coach Mike Babcock to steady the ship. "I think theres a few factors: goaltendings been consistent for us, I think Kronwall has pulled a really heavy load throughout the year on and off the ice for this team," Alfredsson said. "And (the) coaching staff, as well, adjusting to the team we have and giving us a chance and a game plan to win every night. Theyve been pushing us hard. Its been hard-fought to get here, but it feels great." A season full of injuries putting a coach in line for a Jack Adams Award -- sound familiar? Ottawas Paul MacLean won it last year, and Babcock will be a serious candidate given how many Red Wings regulars missed time this season. Of course someone has to score to make that happen. Alfredssons 49 points on 18 goals and 31 assists have him tied with Kronwall for the team lead with two games left. Alfredsson was all smiles in the visiting locker room Wednesday night after helping Detroit pick up the one point it needed to make it. And while clinching a playoff spot was a proud accomplishment, he didnt deny doubts crept in when the Red Wings learned Datsyuk and Zetterberg would be out for a while. "We knew it was going to be tough," Alfredsson said. "We had a similar situation in Ottawa last year where we lost Spezza, Karlsson, (Milan) Michalek and Anderson for longer periods of time. "If you get something going and you get a good feeling within a locker-room, you can accomplish a lot of things, and I think thats what weve done. Were a good group, we have fun and we know how to work for each other. Its kind of contagious when you see everybody going. Everybody kind of drags along and knows that they have to pull their share, as well." Taking a step back from the situations, Alfredsson didnt see much more of a correlation between the triumphs of the 2013 Senators and the 2013-14 Red Wings. In his estimation, this year was worse. "I think in Ottawa it was more right away we knew a few guys were out for longer periods of time," he said. "It wasnt as much guys coming back, guys coming out. Weve been shuffling lines for most of the year but still found ways to get everybody contributing." Alfredsson was one of 34 skaters to dress for the Red Wings this season, second only to the Penguins (37) among playoff teams. Beyond Nyquist and Tatar, Detroit likely wouldnt have extended its NHL-best playoff streak were it not for minor-league call-ups Riley Sheahan, Luke Glendening and Tomas Jurco. The kids -- a couple of whom werent even alive the last time the Red Wings missed the playoffs -- are all right in Alfredssons eyes. But he also believes Babcock and his staff deserve some credit. "They gave them that chance and didnt make it a big deal," Alfredsson said. "Its just, You can do this. I think that gave them confidence. They definitely made the most of it. I think Coach gave them a chance, and they repaid him with solid play." Anything less than solid play wouldve meant an early summer for the Red Wings and a quicker start to the retirement questions for Alfredsson. Instead, the 41-year-old winger gets to compete in the playoffs for the 15th time in his NHL career. This time is extra special because of how difficult it was. "I think we worked extremely hard to get to this point, and it feels great," Alfredsson said. "This group has overcome a lot of adversity and that makes it even more fun." Jose Berrios Twins Jersey . PAUL, Minn. Jorge Polanco Jersey .com) - There may be a debate in Philadelphia about who should be the starting quarterback of the Eagles. http://www.twinssale.com/twins-eddie-rosario-jersey/ . Clevelands manager had just watched his team lose 5-3 to Kansas City, which completed a 2-6 homestand and dropped the Indians 2 1/2 games behind Detroit in the AL Central.ST. PAUL, -- Kevin Dineen is still looking for his first win as head coach of Canadas womens team, but after nearly completing a comeback victory over the United States on Saturday, he says hes comfortable with the ability of his new squad. Canada rallied with third-period goals from Marie-Philip Poulin and Meghan Agosta-Marciano to tie the game and force overtime before American Hilary Knight scored the winner in a shootout to lift the U.S. over Canada 3-2, and take a third straight victory in their pre-Olympic exhibition series. Dineen, who replaced Dan Church as the womens coach after Church stepped down unexpectedly two weeks ago, was behind the bench for Canadas 4-1 loss to the U.S. in Grand Forks, N.D., last week. "We set a standard today for how we have to play. I thought we had a good tempo to our game, and were just looking for our baseline," Dineen said. "I was not impressed with our game in North Dakota. I think we were totally outworked and outplayed and certainly outcoached. "Tonight we had a lot better symmetry, chemistry, but we had more than that. There was a good intensity that gave us an opportunity to win the game." Kelli Stack and Alex Carpenter scored for the Americans and goaltender Jessie Vetter stopped 37 shots in regulation time and overtime. Agosta-Marciano opened the scoring for Canada off a pass from Hayley Wickenheiser at 8:36 of the third period, and Poulin made it 2-2 less than two minutes later on the power play. Poulin, who scored both of Canadas goals in a 2-0 win over the U.S. in the 2010 Olympic final, made her first appearance of the exhibition series after spraining her ankle in September. Kyle Gibson Jersey. . "It felt pretty good to put that jersey on and go out there with my teammates, but its not the result that we wanted," Poulin said. "It was a good comeback in the third, but a tough loss in the shootout. "The last two games they came at us pretty hard and it was two tough losses. Today we wanted to go out there and play our game as hard as we could and thats what we did in the third." Dineen says he was happy to have Poulin back out on the ice. "She showed the skill set that makes her the special player that she is and with her in the lineup I think were a stronger team," he said. "It was good to get her and Hayley Wickenheiser back." Canadas Charline Labonte stopped 27 shots, including a spectacular save that kept the game tied with under three minutes to go. Labonte robbed Brianna Decker by sliding across the crease to kick the puck away with her right leg. Though Canadas Olympic roster is set, Labonte is fighting for the starting goalie job along with Shannon Szabados and Genevieve Lacasse. "(Labonte) was unbelievable tonight," Dineen said. "Theres still a little dispute in net as to how thats going to all figure out but I think theyre doing a good job of making the statement that they want to be in the mix come February." Canada plays the U.S. in the final game of the exhibition series at Air Canada Centre in Toronto on Monday. ' ' '