The Detroit Red Wings learned a costly lesson in what it takes to succeed this time of year, just in time to take on a potential first-round playoff opponent.

They head into Saturday's matinee against Atlantic Division rival Florida Panthers humbled by a loss to a team chasing the playoff picture. The Wings (33-21-6) have played so well since Jan. 1, including winning in Florida, that they perch among the wild card berths in the Eastern Conference, but that could change if they don't get back to what works.

"I think the difference in this game is the lack of intensity to start the game," coach Derek Lalonde said after Thursday's 5-3 loss to the New York Islanders. "We didn't give them much, but they were winning 50-50s. When their first goal is a turnover, a stick-lift for a goal, we are not engaged or locked in. We were better as the game went on, but that's too good of a team to lose 20 minutes on.

"We're looking at two Stanley Cup contenders, maybe favorites, over the next week. Three of them, probably. That's why opportunities like this, we are going to need every single point through 82 games."

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The loss was only the second in regulation at Little Caesars Arena in 2024, and ended a six-game winning streak. Two nights earlier, the Wings had the answer every time that night's opponent, the Washington Capitals, made it close. Against the Islanders, the Wings twice tied the game in the third period only to fall behind again.

"Even throughout the six-game winning streak, I think there are some games in there that we weren’t fully satisfied," David Perron said. "We want to to add a level to our game, a little bit of consistency of the winning habits that for me will create success in the playoffs. We are definitely looking for that right now.

"I didn’t feel like enough of the winning hockey to have success. We chased the game kind of the whole time. We got goals when we needed to it, but not good enough for me."

The loss overshadowed third-pair defenseman Olli Määttä's two-goal performance.

"This will be a disappointing, missed opportunity," Lalonde said. "To have this game tied up twice in the third, and to not come out with a point.

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"We are simply not good enough to not have intensity in our game for stretches of time. I know in the first period, they maybe only had two chances, and they both end up in the net. One was a puck going 10 feet wide, and it ends up in the net. But, we take two penalties. We couldn't get any rhythm going at all. They were winning races, they were winning 50-50s.

"We weren't ready to play. We have to be ready all the time. There is no doubt in my mind, if we started the first period like we started the second period, we'd play from the lead all night, instead of chasing it all night."

The Panthers are neck-and-neck with the Boston Bruins for the top two spots in the Atlantic Division, and neck-and-neck with the New York Rangers for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. There's still seven weeks of hockey left on the NHL schedule, but the potential is certainly there that the Wings could meet the Panthers in the first round.

"These games are huge," Määttä said. "Every game matters and all we can do is just win, don’t worry about the standings. Just two points every game, try to get that."

Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com. Follow her @helenestjames.

Read more on the Detroit Red Wings and sign up for our Red Wings newsletter. Her latest book, “On the Clock: Behind the Scenes with the Detroit Red Wings at the NHL Draft,” is available from  Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Triumph Books. Personalized copies available via her e-mail.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: What Detroit Red Wings learned Thursday ahead of huge Panthers game