Detroit Red Wings' Patrick Kane on penalty: 'Worst feeling of career'

Patrick Kane described it as "maybe the worst I felt personally in my career." That's how bad it was.

The Detroit Red Wings had just rallied from three goals down to pull even at four-all with five-plus minutes to play in the third period. In fact, Kane had just scored the tying goal.

Then Kane tried to get in front of Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes, landing in the penalty box for tripping. The Wild scored, the Wings lost, 5-4 − and that feeling lingered.

"Obviously, a lapse in judgment for sure," Kane said at Little Caesars Arena on Tuesday, April 7, his first availability with reporters since Sunday's game. "Looking back at the play, I've watched it obviously numerous times - just going for a change, probably trying to get in front of Quinn a little bit and give a little bit of interference and the stick got caught up.

"Obviously, didn't mean to do that or take a penalty at that time of game."

Patrick Kane, after scoring the tying goal in a wild 3 goal comeback, takes one of the most needless, stupid penalties I've ever seen late in the 3rd period, leading to a Minnesota goal & a regulation loss for Detroit with their season on the line.

Can't believe it. #LGRWpic.twitter.com/z9YQirClyp— Ryan Hana (@RyanHanaWWP) April 5, 2026

Kane, 37 and a 19-year-veteran of the NHL, called it "maybe the worst I felt personally in my career," clarifying that he meant, "personally, not like team-wise after a loss. But I mean, maybe that's just because it's so recent."

Coach Todd McLellan said that, "you figure he knows how he should be feeling, but if we're doing our jobs, we still meet with him, and I've met with him, we've dealt with it, we're moving on. We can't turn the clock back now and change it.

"I know he's owned it. We've got to move forward."

It was a bad look, but not as bad as the Wings sleepwalking through the second period and allowed the Wild to score four straight goals. And the fact is, Kane has done far more good to keep the Wings' in the playoff race: Since March 1, he's their second-leading scorer entering Tuesday's game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, his 19 points in 17 games trailing only Alex DeBrincat's 23 points. In the three games the Wings had played just in April, Kane leads the team with five points.

That one bad decision tarnished having just played a huge role in the attempted comeback took some time to get over.

"I have to take responsibility for what happened there," Kane said. "It just sucks at that time and moment - down 4-1, Coach challenges you, you come back and make it 4-4 and then give it away in one stupid play. It's not a good feeling for sure. You feel like you let the teammates down and just after all we were through, all we've been through for that game to come back and maybe get a point or two, it's disappointing to end up with nothing."

Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com. Read more on the Detroit Red Wings and sign up for our Red Wings newsletter. 

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Red Wings' Patrick Kane on penalty: 'Worst feeling of career'