Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk’s decision to drop the gloves Thursday night may have changed more than just the momentum of the game against the Detroit Red Wings.

It may have sent a message about what this Senators team stands for the remainder of the season, with Ottawa still trying to clinch a postseason berth.

The Senators forward stepped in immediately after Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson tangled up with Tim Stutzle late in the first period.

Tkachuk squared off with Edvinsson at center ice, exchanging punches and throwing a few late jabs before officials stepped in to separate them, marking Tkachuk’s second heavyweight bout this month.

In the stands at Little Caesars Arena, Tkachuk’s father, two-time NHL All-Star Keith Tkachuk, was caught on camera visibly thrilled by his son’s response.

The elder Tkachuk cheered as Brady fought, watching proudly as the moment helped energize Ottawa, with the Senators already leading Detroit 2-0 approaching the end of the first period.

The Senators went on to a 4-3 win over Detroit, although the Red Wings made it a close game through the final frame, scoring back-to-back goals to pull within one goal with less than five minutes remaining.

Thomas Chabot opened the scoring for the Senators with a clean wrist shot, followed by goals from Stutzle and David Perron to put Ottawa up three.

Linus Ullmark made 31 saves to preserve the lead, while Michael Amadio scored the Senators’ final goal.

The Senators closed out their season series against Detroit with a 2-0-1 record. They have gone 5-1-1 against the Red Wings over the past two seasons.

The win strengthened Ottawa’s grip on the first wild-card spot in the East with just 11 games remaining. They lead the Montreal Canadiens by six points and the New York Islanders and New York Rangers by seven points.