Top Line powers Wings back to top spot in West
Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg - with a big assist from Dominik Hasek - led the Red Wings past the Blackhawks by a score of 4-2. The win put Detroit one point ahead of Nashville for the top spot in the Western Conference. Early on the Blackhawks carried play and went into the first intermission up 1-0.
Chicago threatened to extend that lead when they had several high quality scoring chances in the second period. But Dominik Hasek was excellent, making acrobatic save after acrobatic save to keep the Blackhawk lead at one goal. On the night he stopped 26 of 28 shots for a .928 save percentage. Kris Draper’s shot at the 6:34 mark of the second period from a tough angle was deflected and somehow got past Nikolai Khabibulin to tie the score at one.
The Blackhawks continued to generate several odd man rushes and get excellent scoring opportunities, only to be denied by Hasek. The game would go into the third period tied at one. It looked like the Blackhawks would have an excellent chance to take the lead when Chris Chelios was penalized for a high-stick at the 9:09 mark of the period.
But the top line went to work and took control of the game. Pavel Datsyuk, making a nifty play, poke-checked the puck near the blue line in the defensive zone before getting behind everyone to go in all alone against Khabibulin. He quickly made a small deke before wristing the puck past the Chicago netminder to put Detroit up 2-1 with the short-handed marker. The Hawks would respond 90 seconds later when Bryan Smolinski’s shot ricocheted off Mathieu Schneider and got past Dominik Hasek for the goal.
Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk combined to give Detroit the eventual game-winning goal. Datsyuk made a pass from the right wing near the blue line towards the net. The puck was slightly deflected by two Blackhawks but the puck somehow found the tape on Henrik Zetterberg’s stick. Hank quickly put the puck past Khabibulin and then turned and pointed towards Datsyuk to acknowledge the great pass.
Zetterberg also scored the final goal after the Hawks pulled Khabibulin to gain an extra attacker. Adrian Aucoin fanned on a clearing attempt in the defensive zone and Zetterberg scooped up the puck and calmly tucked the puck into the empty net to close out the scoring.
The Wings moved one point ahead of Nashville for the top spot in the Western Conference and moved within one point of Buffalo for the best record in the league. Henrik Zetterberg was once again awarded the top star in the NHL tonight. But Pavel Datsyuk, on the strength of his short-handed goal and assist on the game-winning goal, was named the top star of the game.
Nick Lidstrom led the team with a +4 rating for the game. Zetterberg was +3 on the night. Kirk Maltby went +2, putting him alongside Danny Markov amongst the leaders in plus/minus ratings.
Dominik Hasek Henrik Zetterberg Kris Draper Pavel Datsyuk Red Wings1 Comment(s)
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