Desperate Blackhawks Crush Lifeless Red Wings
Only one team - Chicago - needed to win, and it showed in the play of both the Blackhawks and the Detroit Red Wings.
Facing elimination from the Western Conference finals, the inspired Blackhawks outclassed the spiritless Red Wings and won 5-2 Thursday night to force a fifth game.
“We had to win and we came out very aggressive,” said Chicago captain Dirk Graham, whose firstperiod goal gave his team a 3-0 lead. “If they came out flat, good. I hope they come out flat next game, too.”
Detroit goaltender Mike Vernon, abandoned by his defense, was upset that his team played so lethargically and now must wait until Sunday for another chance to wrap up the best-of-seven series.
“This was a great opportunity and we just let it slip away,” Vernon said. “You’ve got to give them credit; they were fired up and came out with a lot of zip. But we didn’t do our job.”
Vernon was reminded that the Red Wings were still ahead three games to one.
“We are, aren’t we? Well, we played a bad game,” said Vernon, who allowed four goals on 10 shots before being replaced by Chris Osgood 4 minutes, 8 seconds into the second period.
Denis Savard and Joe Murphy scored twice each for Chicago, aiming to become only the third team in NHL history to win a series after an 0-3 start.
“We weren’t just trying to save face. We’re trying to win this series,” Graham said. “We don’t have very much to be jubilant about because if we lose Sunday, our season’s over.”
The Red Wings, seeking their first trip to the Stanley Cup finals since 1966, didn’t know if Sergei Fedorov - last season’s league MVP and this year’s second-leading playoff scorer - would return for Game 5. Fedorov didn’t play after hurting his shoulder and chest late in Game 3.
“I don’t think it’s anything major. We were hoping he’d feel better with some rest,” Detroit coach Scotty Bowman said. “But I guess he didn’t feel good enough to play.”
Said Keith Primeau: “We can’t use Sergei’s absence as an excuse. The 20 guys who played have to take the blame.”
Several octopi - Detroit’s symbol
for hockey success - were thrown onto the ice late in the game. The crowd of 22,738, Chicago’s largest, cheered when the octopus-tossers were told to leave the building.
Blackhawks 5, Red Wings 2
Detroit 0 0 2 - 2
Chicago 3 2 0 - 5
First period-1, Chicago, Savard 5 (Craven, Graham), 7:07. 2, Chicago, Murphy 8 (Carney), 11:18. 3, Chicago, Graham 2 (Craven), 16:41.
Second period-4, Chicago, Savard 6 (Chelios), 4:08. 5, Chicago, Murphy 9 (Savard, Chelios), 18:03 (pp).
Third period-6, Detroit, Draper 4, 4:49. 7, Detroit, Sheppard 4 (Rouse), 10:25.
Shots on goal-Detroit 6-9-8-23. Chicago 8-10-6-24.Power-play opp.-Detroit 0 of 6; Chicago 1 of 9.Goalies-Detroit, Vernon 11-2 (10 shots-6 saves), Osgood (4:08 second, 14-13). Chicago, Belfour 9-6 (23-21).A-22,738 (20,500).