gusman
04-24-2010, 05:55 AM
from NHL.com
GLENDALE, Ariz. – The Detroit Red Wings demonstrated the benefits of playoff experience to the Phoenix Coyotes on Friday night.
The Wings got goals by Tomas Holmstrom and Pavel Datsyuk 70 seconds apart midway through the third period and beat the Coyotes 4-1 in Game 5 to take their first lead in the Western Conference Quarterfinal series.
Detroit can wrap up a trip to the conference semis with a win at home on Sunday afternoon. The Coyotes, who again played without injured captain Shane Doan, have to win to bring the series back to Jobing.com Arena on Tuesday night.
The Wings, who are in the playoffs for the 19th consecutive season, took everything the Coyotes threw at them and capitalized on the few mistakes that Phoenix made to win the game.
Holmstrom broke a 1-1 tie with 8:51 remaining in regulation when Datsyuk won a draw in the offensive zone back to Nicklas Lidstrom at the left point. Ilya Bryzgalov stopped the shot through traffic, but Holmstrom got inside position on Adrian Aucoin and was able to backhand the puck into the net.
Datsyuk made it a two-goal game with 7:41 left, taking a pass from the left boards by Johan Franzen and lifting a backhander over Bryzgalov's glove. Datsyuk was left all alone in front after both defenseman got caught chasing Franzen and watching the puck.
Henrik Zetterberg added an empty-netter with 55.5 seconds to play.
Detroit got another superb effort from rookie goaltender Jimmy Howard, who stopped 30 of 31 shots after shutting out the Coyotes on Tuesday. His best save came with just over 15 minutes left in regulation when he stoned Martin Hanzal on a breakaway, then gloved Hanzal's rebound try.
The first period was all Detroit, with the Red Wings outshooting Phoenix 12-6, drawing three penalties and scoring on a goal credited to Drew Miller at 17:04. Miller’s wraparound try was left in the Phoenix crease and inadvertently pushed in by the back of Vernon Fiddler’s skate.
The Coyotes got their first goal since the third period of Game 3 and tied the game 9:45 into the second when Ed Jovanovski planted himself in front of the net and swept home Aucoin's rebound.
However, the Coyotes paid the price for their continuing inability to score on the power play. After connecting on their first three tries in Game 1, the Coyotes haven't scored since -- including an 0-for-5 performance on Friday.
Shift of the Night: Simple hockey is winning hockey, and no one knows it better than the Red Wings, who scored the winning goal by having three players do their jobs perfectly. It started with Pavel Datsyuk winning an offensive-zone draw to the right of Ilya Bryzgalov and getting the puck back to Nicklas Lidstrom at the left point. Rather than blindly blasting away, Lidstrom concentrated on getting the puck on net -- and he did. Bryzgalov made the stop, but couldn't find the puck. Tomas Holmstrom outbattled Adrian Aucoin for position in front and found the puck in time to slide a little backhander into the open net with 8:51 remaining to break a 1-1 tie. It was all Detroit for the rest of the night.
GLENDALE, Ariz. – The Detroit Red Wings demonstrated the benefits of playoff experience to the Phoenix Coyotes on Friday night.
The Wings got goals by Tomas Holmstrom and Pavel Datsyuk 70 seconds apart midway through the third period and beat the Coyotes 4-1 in Game 5 to take their first lead in the Western Conference Quarterfinal series.
Detroit can wrap up a trip to the conference semis with a win at home on Sunday afternoon. The Coyotes, who again played without injured captain Shane Doan, have to win to bring the series back to Jobing.com Arena on Tuesday night.
The Wings, who are in the playoffs for the 19th consecutive season, took everything the Coyotes threw at them and capitalized on the few mistakes that Phoenix made to win the game.
Holmstrom broke a 1-1 tie with 8:51 remaining in regulation when Datsyuk won a draw in the offensive zone back to Nicklas Lidstrom at the left point. Ilya Bryzgalov stopped the shot through traffic, but Holmstrom got inside position on Adrian Aucoin and was able to backhand the puck into the net.
Datsyuk made it a two-goal game with 7:41 left, taking a pass from the left boards by Johan Franzen and lifting a backhander over Bryzgalov's glove. Datsyuk was left all alone in front after both defenseman got caught chasing Franzen and watching the puck.
Henrik Zetterberg added an empty-netter with 55.5 seconds to play.
Detroit got another superb effort from rookie goaltender Jimmy Howard, who stopped 30 of 31 shots after shutting out the Coyotes on Tuesday. His best save came with just over 15 minutes left in regulation when he stoned Martin Hanzal on a breakaway, then gloved Hanzal's rebound try.
The first period was all Detroit, with the Red Wings outshooting Phoenix 12-6, drawing three penalties and scoring on a goal credited to Drew Miller at 17:04. Miller’s wraparound try was left in the Phoenix crease and inadvertently pushed in by the back of Vernon Fiddler’s skate.
The Coyotes got their first goal since the third period of Game 3 and tied the game 9:45 into the second when Ed Jovanovski planted himself in front of the net and swept home Aucoin's rebound.
However, the Coyotes paid the price for their continuing inability to score on the power play. After connecting on their first three tries in Game 1, the Coyotes haven't scored since -- including an 0-for-5 performance on Friday.
Shift of the Night: Simple hockey is winning hockey, and no one knows it better than the Red Wings, who scored the winning goal by having three players do their jobs perfectly. It started with Pavel Datsyuk winning an offensive-zone draw to the right of Ilya Bryzgalov and getting the puck back to Nicklas Lidstrom at the left point. Rather than blindly blasting away, Lidstrom concentrated on getting the puck on net -- and he did. Bryzgalov made the stop, but couldn't find the puck. Tomas Holmstrom outbattled Adrian Aucoin for position in front and found the puck in time to slide a little backhander into the open net with 8:51 remaining to break a 1-1 tie. It was all Detroit for the rest of the night.