NHL '10 Conference Semi Finals

Conference Finals
Opponent #5 Detroit Red Wings
2-4 against them in the regular season

News/Notes
Red Wings goalie Chris Osgood is leading the playoffs with a GAA of 1.79. However, he has been bothered by a bruised hip and will not play.
For the ‘Hawks, Patrick Kane sustained a broken leg in game 1 from a Cam Barker point shot against LA. He will be out for the rest of the playoffs. Defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson has a lacerated arm and hasn’t played a game in the playoffs yet.

Game 1
Huet gets the nod in goal for the ‘Hawks. The Wings go with Jimmy Howard between the pipes.

1st period
Halfway through the 1st both teams have sustained some pressure but both goalies have played well. You can really feel the intensity picking up a notch...both teams clearly don’t like each other.
1st 20 minutes are done with a good effort from both teams. Both teams are playing cautious, but still looking for opportunities to attack. 0-0 after 1 period of play.
SHOTS: Chicago 7 Detroit 3

2nd period
On the first PP (3 minutes into the 2nd) of the game Toews wires one from the slot but it hits the post and the Wings kill the penalty...best chance of the game so far.
1 minute later Jack Skille feeds Colin Fraser and he hits the post. ‘Hawks are buzzing.
Afinogenov feeds to Versteeg out front who scores on Howard for his 3rd of the playoffs at 9 58...1-0 ‘Hawks.
Huet standing tall so far and after 2 periods of play its 1-0 ‘Hawks.
SHOTS: Chicago 11 Detroit 7

3rd period
A minute into the period Hossa steals the puck off the boards and walks in on a breakaway but Howard makes the save.
6 minutes into the period Franzen takes a slashing penalty. PP chance for the ‘Hawks.
Sharp hits the post on the PP...Detroit kills it off but Chicago sustains pressure, Hossa jumps on a loose puck and feeds to Sharp who beats Howard for a 2-0 lead...8 16 of the 3rd.
Lidstrom dives to stop john madden driving to the net and gets a tripping call at 9 17.
Chicago all over the Wings on the PP but Howard is playing well, they kill another penalty off and the ‘Hawks are 0-3 on the PP.
The Wings win a draw in the ‘Hawks zone and Brian Rafalski fires a wrist shot from the point and it goes in to cut the ‘Hawks lead to 2-1...11 47
Wings take another penalty...Kronwall for slashing at 12 59.
30 seconds left and Howard makes a solid save on Sharp.
The Wings win the ensuing faceoff and bring the puck into the ‘Hawks zone, Howard leaves the net, Chicago gains possession, Campbell gives to Afinogenov who skates to the Wings blue line and fires one in the empty net for a 3-1 lead with 13 seconds left. 3-1 Chicago.
SHOTS: Chicago 25 Detroit 11
Huet has really been playing well, establishing himself as the clear #1 goalie.
Toews point streak is over as he fails to register a point in game 1

Game 2 (Chicago leads series 1-0)
No lineup changes for the Blackhawks. John Madden moved up to the 2nd line a few games ago because Dave Bolland simply cannot win a draw. This area needs improvement in the off season.
Jimmy Howard is again between the pipes for Detroit.

1st period
Clearly embarrassed by their poor performance in game 1 Detroit comes out attacking and registers 3 quick shots on Huet, who stops all of them. In the first 3 minutes Chicago looks flat.
4 minutes into the game Johan Franzen carries the puck into the Chicago zone but Brian Campbell lowers the boom and sends him to the ice. Franzen goes off the ice holding his shoulder.
Zetterberg jumps on a loose puck, Chicago D breaks down and Holmstrom buries the centering pass for a 1-0 Detroit lead. The Wings have definitely come out with more jump than game 1. 8 40
Another 2 on 1 is created by the Wings and Kris Draper puts one past Huet at 12 09 on a pass from Bertuzzi. 2-0
Sharp passes to Toews who roofs one over the glove of Howard to make the score 2-1 Detroit...17 50.
Good forecheck by the Wings and Draper feeds out front for Bertuzzi for a 3-1 lead. Chicago is having mental breakdowns...19 53.
SHOTS: Chicago 6 Detroit 10

2nd period
Chicago dominating halfway through the 2nd period...but no goals to show for it.
With 1 47 left Leino takes a slashing penalty...first PP of the game.
The ‘Hawks peppering Detroit but Howard is playing well. Period dominated by Chicago but score still stands 3-1.
SHOTS: Chicago 17 Detroit 13

3rd period
14 seconds in Andy Delmore takes a tripping penalty and the ‘Hawks go back onto the PP.
Detroit kills the penalty...but immediately after Afinogenov puts a wrist shot past Howard at 3 02 to make it a 3-2 game. Unreal shot.
Zetterberg pounces on a rebound and slides one past Huet for a 4-2 Detroit lead...16 07.
Game over...Detroit capitalizes on Chicago defensive breakdowns for the victory...Huet was not at fault...the Chicago D was suspect.
4-2 Detroit
SHOTS: Chicago 24 Detroit 19

Game 3 (Series tied at 1-1)
Johan Franzen was hurt very badly on a hit from Brian Campbell and will be out 3-4 weeks with a fractured collarbone.

1st period
Detroit looks to dump it into Chicago’s zone, John Madden gets a piece of the puck, sends it into Cam Barkers direction who then passes to Versteeg who then finds Afinogenov streaking behind the Detroit D...Brad Stuart makes a diving attempt but Afinogenov goes around him and then dekes out Howard for the opening goal of the game...thing of beauty! 18 59
1-0 Chicago!
Good 1st period...Chicago seems to have the upper hand so far.
SHOTS: Chicago 8 Detroit 9

2nd period
Bad change for the Hawks and Bertuzzi buries one past Huet at 9 32 to tie the score at 1 a piece
Datsyuk scores in front of the net when Barker fails to pick up his man...12 10...2-1 Detroit.
With 4 30 left Detroit takes their 1st penalty of the game...Chicago to the PP
Detroit kills it off. Chicago has hit 3 posts and Jimmy Howard is playing great. 2-1 Detroit.
SHOTS: Chicago 14 Detroit 14

3rd period
Hossa gets the answering goal when the rest of the `Hawks go for a change and he takes advantage of Detroit falling asleep to tie the score at 2. 3 14. Beats Lidstrom and dekes out Howard.
Right off the faceoff Afinogenov lugs the puck in and beats Howard but not the post...the 4th for Chicago!
Chicago pouring it on and the Wings take a slashing penalty. Back to the PP. Haven`t scored a PP goal this series.
That changes when Toews finds Sharp in front of the net and he makes no mistake...putting it under the blocker of Howard...6 14 PP goal. 3-2 Chicago.
Afinogenov is on fire!!! Scores his 2nd of the night with a top shelf wrist shot from the left circle. 4-2 Chicago. 14 18.
Draper turns it over in the `Hawks zone, Toews steals who passes to Sharp who carries it in and then finds Hossa on the wing who one times one past Howard for a 5-2 Chicago lead...4 unanswered goals! 15 27.
Game over 5-2...Chicago scores 4 goals in the 3rd period to lead the series 2-1.
SHOTS: Chicago 27 Detroit 18

Game 4 (Chicago leads series 2-1)
Detroit`s Tomas Holmstrom has a sore shoulder from a hit he took last game but he`ll suit up. Chris Osgood has been cleared to play and will start for the Wings in this pivotal game 4.

1st period
2 minutes in Lidstrom takes a puck off the leg and hobbles off. He then is seen leaving the Wings bench. Chicago buzzing but Osgood playing well.
Detroit opens the scoring...Filppula scores on a feed from leino at 17 12 to make it 1-0
After one period there have been good chances on both sides...1-0 Detroit
SHOTS: Chicago 11 Detroit 7

2nd period
Lidstrom is back on the ice, looks like it wasn`t serious.
Hossa scores on the PP...nice cross seam pass from Sharp...1-1 TIE. 3 05
Chicago cant clear the zone and Andy Delmore fires one from the point...Huet gets a piece but can`t hold on...2-1 Wings...12 42
Chicago will have a PP to start the period...at the end of 2 its 2-1 Wings.
SHOTS: Chicago 13 Detroit 18

3rd period
To open the period Hossa fires one from the slot that beats Osgood blocker side...2-2 TIE. PP goal. 0 35.
Toews!!! Detroit allows him to walk into the slot and beat Osgood blocker side again...3 points on the night for Toews...3-2 Chicago. 1 39.
Red Wings pressuring like crazy...with one minute left Huet shutting the door.
Filppula scores with 36 seconds left on a turnover by Seabrook...3-3 TIE.
The game goes to OT...good game.
SHOTS: Chicago 18 Detroit 22

OT
7 minutes into OT the Wings dump the puck in Seabrook gets it off the boards and gives to Hossa who finds a streaking Toews who beats the last Detroit D man (Brad Stuart)...then dekes Osgood out of his shoes for the game winning goal (6 38). 4 points in the game for Toews and I swear I`m not trying to pad his stats, he is just playing that good. 4-3 OT win for the Blackhawks. Chicago takes a stranglehold on the series at 3-1.
SHOTS: Chicago 21 Detroit 22

Game 5 (Chicago leads series 3-1)
In the Eastern Conference Finals #6 seeded New Jersey swept #7 Atlanta 4-0 to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals.
Nicklas Lidstrom suffered a strained hamstring last game but he will play. Chris Osgood once again gets the nod in net.

1st period
Toews opens up the scoring when he one times a shot over the shoulder of Osgood. 9 05. Sharp and Keith get assists. 1-0 Chicago.
Chicago wants this game bad...with 4 minutes left in the period they hold a commanding lead in shots 10 to 1.
With 3 seconds left Filppula rings one off the iron but it stays out..Chicago leads 1-0 after 1.
SHOTS: Chicago 11 Detroit 3

2nd period
Hossa makes it 2-0 Chicago when he walks in across the blueline and fires one blocker side and in. Osgood has been terrible on his blocker side. 4 12.
With 2 30 left in the period Afinogenov is sent in alone on Osgood but he is stopped...still 2-0.
At the end of 2 periods of play its 2-0 Chicago.
SHOTS: Chicago 20 Detroit 4...Detroit has been pitiful lately...it seems like they have given up.

3rd period
1st penalty of the game is Cam Barker for unsportsmanlike. 5 53.
Detroit getting good chances on the PP but Huet making all the saves.
Dave Bolland hits a post with 7 minutes remaining...but still 2-0 Chicago.
1 minute left and the Red Wings pull the goalie...and then on a stoppage of play Kronwall gets a penalty for roughing. Terrible penalty to take.
On the penalty kill the Wings pull Osgood and Afinogenov buries a shot into the empty cage to seal the series...3-0 lead.
The Blackhawks are going back to the Stanley Cup! 4-1 Series Win in the Western Conference Finals.
SHOTS: Chicago 26 Detroit 15

Detroit didn’t show up in this game...this was a fairly easy win for Chicago. Up next...the Stanley Cup Finals vs. New Jersey