After two periods of play in Game 6, it seemed almost inevitable that the Chicago Blackhawks would finally find a chink in the armor of Phoenix Coyotes netminder Mike Smith.
But then again, nothing in the NHL playoffs is inevitable.
Despite the Hawks peppering Smith with 28 shots on Monday night through the first 40 minutes at United Center, the ‘Yotes puck-stopper built a fort around his cage. And even though Chicago would end up outshooting Phoenix by nearly a two-to-one margin (39-20), they were unable to put anything up on the scoreboard where it matters most. Thanks to Smith’s brilliant play, the Coyotes were able to prevent another late third-period push from the Blackhawks and skated off the ice with a convincing 4-0 series-clinching victory.
For the better part of the last two decades, the road to the Stanley Cup often when through Hockeytown. However, in 2012, the Detroit Red Wings will remembered as the first team to officially be eliminated from postseason play.
Once again on the strength of solid play from goaltending sensation Pekka Rinne, the Wings were held to just one goal for the second straight game. David Legwand, coincidentally, a Detroit native and a member of the Predators‘ organization for each of its 13 seasons, scored the game-winner 13 seconds into the third period to seal the deal for the Preds and eliminate with the Wings in Game 5 of their Western Conference quarterfinal series with a 2-1 victory.
The St. Louis Blues look to send the San Jose Sharks swimming tonight with a win in game five of the Western Conference Quarterfinals.
Up 3-1 in the series, a win secures the Blues a spot in the second round, but winning that fourth game is easier said than done. The last win has a history of being difficult to achieve. Take the Philadelphia Flyers, for example. After leading their series against the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-0 and have lost the last two games and now work with a 3-2 lead. The Las Angeles Kings were also leading 3-0 but could not seal the deal in game four and have now fallen to 3-1 in their series. The Blues will be feeling the pressure tonight. After winning two games on the road, they are returning to St. Louis to play in front of home fans.
If you tuned into the final minutes of Thursday night’s Game 5 between the Phoenix Coyotes and the Chicago Blackhawks, there’s a good chance you knew what was going to happen if you had been paying attention to this series.
For the fourth game in a row, the Hawks and Coyotes were forced to play overtime to decide the outcome. However, before they got to that point, it was once again the Coyotes who blew a lead late in the third period.
The list of casualties in the 2012 NHL playoffs continues to grow.
Chicago Blackhawks forward Marian Hossa has been ruled out for Game 4 of the Western Conference quarterfinal series against Phoenix after Coyotes forward Raffi Torres delivered a vicious hit on Hossa in Game 3.
Torres has been suspended indefinitely by the League and faces an in-person hearing Friday with the NHL’s Department of Player Safety.
The Blackhawks released the following statement after the game from head team physician Dr. Michael Terry:
Hockeytown is still bitter over the Shea Weber incident and even more so now that he’s scored the first power play goal of the series for the Nashville Predators. I don’t necessarily want to go as far as to say that this is a must win for the Red Wings tonight, but if they’re wanting to at least see a game 6 in Detroit then it certainly is indeed.
For the few that missed it last night, Nashville Predators defenseman Shea Weber rammed Detroit forward Henrik Zetterberg’s head right into the glass in the waning moments of Game 1 of the teams’ Western Conference quarterfinal.
Fortunately for the Wings, Zetterberg is OK and did not suffer an injury on the play.
“This was a reckless and reactionary play on which Weber threw a glancing punch and then shoved Zetterberg’s head into the glass,” NHL Disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan said in a statement. “As is customary whenever supplemental discipline is being considered, we contacted Detroit following the game and were informed that Zetterberg did not suffer an apparent injury and should be in the lineup for Game 2.”
I’ve been discussing this topic over that past few weeks and now it’s here! That’s right Detroit fans, it is the beginning of the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Although the Red Wings will be starting this first round series on the road many of the players are very pleased to know that they won’t be traveling too far from home. In the previous two seasons the Red Wings have had to travel back three time zones to the West coast to face teams from that side of the country.
This is especially exciting news for all you Red Wings enthusiasts out there. Detroit has struggled on the road this season despite having an almost impenetrable record at home. The playoffs are now just two games away and the Red Wings will get to finish the regular season where they play best….at Joe Louis Arena. Fans in Detroit are already anticipating an outstanding playoff run this year and are very happy to see many of their team’s solid players return from injury at just the right time.
Last Wednesday the Red Wings came back down to earth after a very much needed two game win streak. The loss came at the hands of the Columbus Blue Jackets (this season’s worst NHL team in the win/loss column of the overall standings).
However I personally feel good for the Blue Jackets and their fans for such a victory.
Their playoff aspirations for this year have been long gone, so if you’re a Blue Jackets fan then it has to feel almost bittersweet to knock off the Red Wings at home this late in the season.
After two periods of play in Game 6, it seemed almost inevitable that the Chicago Blackhawks would finally find a chink in the armor of Phoenix Coyotes netminder Mike Smith.
