TSN TV Schedule TSN2 TV Schedule

Red Wings finish fifth with shootout loss to Blackhawks

{eot}
Associated Press
4/8/2012 12:31:01 AM
Decrease Text SizeIncrease Text Size
Text Size

DETROIT -- The Chicago Blackhawks got the win, but not the kind they wanted.

Patrick Kane scored the only goal of the shootout to give Chicago a 3-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday in the final game of the regular season for both teams.

The Blackhawks, though, have to settle for the sixth seed in the Western Conference. They needed a regulation win to move past Detroit into the fifth seed.

"Basically, what are you going to do? They played a pretty good game today. It's tough when you're giving up leads," Kane said.

Chicago led 2-0 eight minutes into the third period but Johan Franzen and Pavel Datsyuk scored for Detroit in the game's final 11:49 to tie the game, send it into overtime and cement the Blackhawks in sixth place.

They will play Phoenix in the first round of the playoffs next week after the Coyotes clinched the Pacific Division with a 4-1 win over Minnesota on Saturday night.

"It's going to be a battle come Wednesday or Thursday, no matter who we get," Chicago's Patrick Sharp said.

Datsyuk scored with 46 seconds left in regulation with goalie Jimmy Howard pulled for the extra attacker. He drove a loose puck into an empty net off a tight cross-crease pass from Tomas Holmstromsfor his 19th goal.

"I just had to shoot in the empty net. They gave it to me." Datsyuk said. "It was a privilege to score in the empty net."

The Red Wings will play No. 4 Nashville in the first round.

"It's huge. Now we're not going out to the West Coast. For the last few years we've been back-and-forth to the Western time zone," said Howard. "We've been out there enough times. It's nice we're not going there to start, but to be there in June you've got to beat some real good teams."

Detroit has played Phoenix in the first round and been eliminated by San Jose in the second round the past two seasons. This is only the second time the Red Wings will start the first round on the road in their 21-consecutive playoff appearances. They were the fifth seed and began in Phoenix in 2010.

Viktor Stalberg and Andrew Shaw scored for Chicago in regulation. Sharp had two assists and Corey Crawford made 30 saves.

Blackhawks' coach Joel Quenneville pulled Crawford for the final 20 seconds of regulation with the game tied, trying for a regulation win.

"I said going into the game, 'there's no bargains out there. All four teams eligible to play we had losing records against. Wherever the chips fell, that was the chance,' " Quenneville said. "We said going into the game, if we have to pull a goalie we'll pull him."

Howard stopped 30 shots.

Franzen put Detroit on the board 8:11 into the third period with his 29th goal. His shot from the right corner trickled through Crawford.

Stalberg opened the scoring with his 22nd goal with 9:46 left in the first period. He put a rebound between Howard's pads.

Shaw made it 2-0 with 2:40 left in the second period when he put in a one-timer from the bottom of the left circle for his 12th goal.

Nicklas Lidstrom and Niklas Kronwall both hit the goal post for Detroit during a power play with less than 7:30 left in the middle period.

Notes: Chicago agreed to terms with goaltender Ray Emery on a one-year contract extension. Emery, 29, is 15-9-4 with a 2.81 goals-against-average in 34 games this season. . Detroit forward Riley Sheahan made his NHL debut. He was the Red Wings' first-round pick (21st overall) in the 2010 NHL draft. Sheahan signed a three-year entry-level contract on Thursday.

Patrick Kane (Photo: Bill Smith/NHLI via Getty Images)

zoom

(Photo: Bill Smith/NHLI via Getty Images)
Share This

Share This

Add to FacebookAdd to DiggAdd to FarkAdd to TwitterAdd to Stumble UponAdd to Reddit
Print this Story

Round 2 continues with Detroit's Pavel Datsyuk taking on Shawn Matthias of the Florida Panthers.
Watch the video and vote for your favourite play!

Eastern Conference Semifinals

(1) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (7) Ottawa Senators

Penguins lead series 3-1

(4) Boston Bruins vs. (6) New York Rangers

Bruins lead series 3-1


Western Conference Semifinals

(1) Chicago Blackhawks vs. (7) Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings lead series 3-1

(5) Los Angeles Kings vs. (6) San Jose Sharks

Series tied 2-2


Playoff History and Records

NHL on TSN Playoff Fantasy Tracker

TSN TweetBox

Are you ready for the Challenge? Select your roster of 6F, 4D, and 2G each round of the playoffs, and you could win the New 2014 Kia Sorento! Make your picks for ROUND 2 NOW! PLAY NOW!


CURRENT CANADIAN LEADER BOARD

Get in-depth player stats, real-time on the ice matchups, Twitter Trender and so much more. Follow every play for every game.


GameTracker - Full Schedule

Welcome to TSN Predictor: Playoff Edition presented by Kia. Simply build the highest consecutive point streak during the playoffs and you could take home an all-new 2014 Rondo! It's that simple. Pick smart. Win Big.