Bad calls, bad luck, bad loss

The least penalized team in the NHL during the regular season was shorthanded for one-third of Sunday night’s Game 2 between the San Jose Sharks and the Detroit Red Wings.

Something is fishy here.

Joe Pavelski scored two more goals and San Jose was awarded a whopping 10 power plays in a 4-3 Game 2 win on Sunday, giving the Sharks a 2-0 series lead.

Joe Thorton scored the winner on a 3-on-2 break in the third period, completing a comeback for the Sharks in a Game where the Red Wings took the most penalties in franchise history since 1997.

Pavel Datsyuk had a goal and an assist for the Red Wings and Jimmy Howard stopped 41 shots for the Red Wings, who surrendered two power play goals for the second straight game.

Thornton netted the winner, his first goal of the playoffs, after Nicklas Lidstrom broke his stick taking a shot at the San Jose blue line at the 12:37 mark of the third period.  The stick-less Lidstrom was able to hustle back to play the ensuing breakaway for the Sharks, but Brian Rafalski was unable to block Thornton’s shot into a wide open net.

But the real story was the Wings’ inability to stay out of the penalty box.

The turning point came three minutes into the third period, when Todd Bertuzzi was called for holding Marc-Edouard Vlasic, a call considered weak even by the Versus announcing crew.  Forty-one seconds later, Niklas Kronwall was called off for hooking Joe Pavelski, giving the Sharks a 5-on-3 advantage for the second straight game.

Pavelski then made the Red Wings pay, knocking in a loose puck out of a mad scramble at the Detroit net.  Datsyuk was able to block the initial shot, but Pavelski found the back of the net on the second effort to tie the game at three.

Datsyuk kicked off the scoring, weaving his way through two defenders and firing a shot off the post and into the net, 6:57 into the first period.

The lead didn’t last long.  Just as in Game 1, the Sharks scored multiple goals quickly. Pavelski ripped a shot off a won faceoff past Howard for his first of the game just over two minutes after the Datsyuk goal.  Justin Abdelkader had been sent off on a questionable goaltender interference call just 31 seconds previously.

A little over a minute and a half later, Pavelski caught the Red Wings defense pinching in and fed a pass to Ryane Clowe on a 2-on-1 break to give the Sharks a 2-1 lead.

Detroit responded shortly thereafter, when Tomas Holmstrom tipped in a shot from Brian Rafalski on the power play, tying the score at two with 6:43 to play in the first.

Then just as a boarding call was expiring to Patrick Marleau, Nicklas Lidstrom fired a slapshot past Nabokov to give the Wings a 3-2 two minutes into the second period.  Marleau had been called off for boarding after the first period buzzer sounded.

Three Stars
1. Joe Pavelski, Sharks– 2 goals, assist
Yeah, four goals in two games is impressive, but when two come on 5-on-3 power plays you can’t give him TOO much praise.

2. Dany Heatley, Sharks— 3 assists
Heatley seems to have woken up in this series.

3. Pavel Datsyuk, Red Wings— goal, assist
I refuse to give all three stars to the Sharks, especially when the Wings were leading for a good portion of the game.

Trainwreck of the Game
Do I even have to say it?

Between the benches: Game 2

The Detroit Red Wings dug themselves into an early hole in Game 1 that they were never quite able to recover from.

Tonight, they’ll try to avoid digging themselves a hole in this series they can’t get out of.

The San Jose Sharks will look to put the Red Wings in a 0-2 deficit before the series shifts to Detroit for Game 3.  The Red Wings will need a much better start than on Thursday, when they allowed three goals in a span of 1:19.  The hot-and-cold penalty kill gave up a pair of goals as well, and will need a much better effort.

The Sharks could possibly have Patrick Marleau back for Game 2, after missing the opener with the flu.  Patrick Eaves could miss today’s game with an arm injury, in which case Jason Williams would take his place.

Players to watch

Johan Franzen— Franzen scored his second goal of the post season on a beautiful shot from the slot in Game 1.

Dan Cleary— Cleary also broke out of his slump, depositing possibly the easiest goal of his career.

Jimmy Howard— Game 1 was the fourth time in eight games this post season Howard has given up four or more goals.  He needs to be better.

Joe Pavelski— The Sharks’ post season points leader put up three more on Thursday.

Dan Boyle— Boyle dished out three assists in Game 1.

Patrick Marleau— If he can go it will add an even more dynamic scoring punch to the lineup.

Wild Wild West: Red Wings knot series with Coyotes

Yes Todd, thats what a goal looks like (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

The last time the Detroit Red Wings scored this many goals in a Stanley Cup Playoff game, they won the top prize.

Henrik Zetterberg recorded a hat trick to help the Wings win a wild shootout with the Phoenix Coyotes 7-4, tying the series between the two teams at a game apiece.

Detroit last scored seven or more goals in a playoff game in 2008, when they routed the Colorado Avalanche 8-2 in the last game of a series sweep.  The Wings went on to win the Stanley Cup.

Valterri Filppula had two goals and an assist for Detroit, which dropped the first game of the series on Wednesday night.  The Red Wings did not lead until Justin Abdelkader’s tally 2:32 into the final frame made it 4-3.

Shane Doan had a goal and an assist for the Coyotes, but the Phoenix captain took a costly penalty at the end of the game that sealed the Coyotes’ fate.  Illya Bryzgalov looked beatable for the second straight night, allowing six goals on 38 shots.

Zetterberg’s goal at the 13:54 mark of the third proved to be the winner, banging home a rebound off a Todd Bertuzzi shot to make it 5-4.  Then with Doan in the box for interference, Filppula beat a screened Bryzgalov to make it 6-4, essentially sealing the game.  Zetterberg completed his hat trick with an empty-netter to cap the scoring.

Phoenix came out with good energy like they did in game one, and took the lead on Keith Yandle’s second goal of the series halfway through the first period.

Zetterberg then started a scoring flurry, taking a pass from Filppula and beautifully redirecting it past Bryzgalov to tie the game.  The Coyotes answered however, as Wotjek Wolski gave Phoenix the lead just 38 seconds later, beating Detroit goalie Jimmy Howard on a rebound.

The Red Wings responded just 1:15 later when Pavel Datsyuk tipped in a pass from Johan Frazen to knot the score. Phoenix again took no time in regaining the lead, as Matthew Lombardi gave the Coyotes a 3-2 lead just 49 seconds after the Datsyuk goal.

Filppula broke in on a breakaway just 1:16 after the Lombardi tally and slipped a backhander under Bryzgalov’s pads to tie the score at three, ending the second period flurry.

Detroit came flying out of the gate int the third.  Abdelkader picked Wolski’s pocket at the blue line and scored a beautiful goal on a breakaway to give the Wings their first lead.  But after a bad offensive pinch by Brian Rafalski, Shane Doan tied the game at 4 after taking a pass from Vernon Fiddler on a 2-on-1.

Detroit’s penalty kill, much maligned after giving up three goals on Wednesday, killed off all four Phoenix power plays.  Howard stopped 27 shots in his first career playoff victory.

Three Stars
1. Henrik Zetterberg, Red Wings— 3 goals, +2, 6 SOG
Hat trick.  Nuff said.

2. Valtteri Filppula, Red Wings— 2 goals, assist, +2, 6 SOG
Filppula was probably the best forward on the ice.  Besides that Zetterberg guy.

3.  Justin Abdelkader, Red Wings— goal, +1, 8:27 TOI
He did his job by bringing physical play and then scored a goal, all in less than 10 minutes of playing time.

Trainwreck of the Game
Illya Bryzgalov, Coyotes
So many to choose from, but you can’t give up 6 in a playoff game and expect to escape this award.

Box score? Ha, find one yourself.  

Between the benches, Game 2: Red Wings @ Coyotes

Western Conference Quarterfinal
Game 2
Detroit Red Wings at Phoenix Coyotes (Phoenix leads series 1-0)

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Detroit Red Wings game plan for Game 2:

If someone hits you, hit them back.

That seems to be the message that Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock is sending his team tonight, as they try to even up their Western Conference quarterfinal with the Phoenix Coyotes.  The Coyotes simply pushed the Red Wings around in Game 1 until they faltered, earning a 3-2 victory in the series opener.

After a lackluster and uninspired effort, Babcock is changing things up by inserting high-energy grinder Justin Abdelkader into the lineup for tonight’s second contest.  Abdelkader, who led the team in hits with 152 before his was sent down to AHL Grand Rapids, will center the fourth line with Kris Draper and Patrick Eaves.  He replaces Jason Williams, who has struggled since returning from injury.

How we got here

Phoenix used its’ physical play to take Game 1 from the Red Wings, powered by three power play goals.  Shane Doan led the way with nine hits, and Abdelkader will be expected to help counter his physical play.

Players to Watch

Justin Abdelkader— The team hits leader for much of the first half of the season will be expected to push back tonight.

Pavel Datsyuk— He was the Wings’ best forward on Wednesday, and he’s got a little mean streak to him as well.  Expect a fire from him tonight

Niklas Kronwall and Brad Stuart— This pairing is together on the ice most of the time, and they are the most physical defenseman the Wings have.  They need to step up the hitting tonight.

Shane Doan— He was a pain in the ass on Wednesday.  The Wings need to neutralize his physical play.

Illya Bryzgalov— Is it possible to play terrible and stop 38 shots?  Bryzgalov let in a softie to Tomas Holmstrom and the Wings hit the post on two other occasions.

Keith Yandle— The best defenseman for the Coyotes on Wednesday will need to keep up the good work tonight.

Line Change

Beside Abdelkader, Babcock has flipped Eaves and Drew Miller.

Holmstrom—Datsyuk—Franzen
Bertuzzi—Zetterberg—Filppula
Miller—Helm—Cleary
Draper—Abdelkader—Eaves

Lidstrom—Rafalski
Stuart—Kronwall
Lilja—Ericsson

Howard—Osgood

Lineup source:

http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/2010/04/red_wings_make_a_switch_on_thi.html