The Detroit Red Wings' playoff hopes took a hit Tuesday night in a heartbreaker against the Columbus Blue Jackets, settling for a single point in a 4-3 shootout loss. The defeat tightens the Eastern Conference wild card race, as the Wings now sit three points behind the Ottawa Senators.

In a dramatic finish, Columbus rookie Adam Fantilli scored his 23rd goal of the season with just 17 seconds left in regulation and the goalie pulled, tying the game 3-3. The puck deflected off Detroit defenseman Moritz Seider and past goaltender John Gibson, forcing overtime and, ultimately, a shootout.

It was there that Grosse Pointe native Zach Werenski played the hometown villain, scoring in the fifth round to seal the extra point for Columbus.

The game was a back-and-forth battle from the start. After Danton Heinen opened the scoring for Columbus early in the first, Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin answered with a power-play goal, his 31st of the season. Defenseman Justin Faulk then gave Detroit a 2-1 lead in the second period with a slick move through the Columbus defense.

Werenski tied it for the Blue Jackets on a power-play blast later in the period, setting the stage for the frantic third. Faulk appeared to be the hero, scoring his second of the night and 14th of the season to put Detroit up 3-2 with under five minutes to play, but Fantilli's late heroics sent the game to overtime.

While the single point keeps Detroit in the hunt, every game is critical as the regular season winds down. The Wings will need to find a way to close out these tight contests if they want to extend their season into the playoffs.