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UPDATE:
Join myself and Jim "Boomer" Gordon of Sirius/XM NHL Home Ice this afternoon at 1:05pm ET as we discuss tonight's Game 6 and what Detroit needs to do to extend this series to a 7th and deciding game.
Only a short 48 hours after the Anaheim Ducks felt like they let a potential playoff win slip through their fingers in Game 4 at the Joe Louis Arena, the Detroit Red Wings left Southern California yesterday morning with that same uneasy feeling following Wednesday night's disappointing 3-2 overtime loss to set the stage for Detroit's first elimination game this spring.
Detroit has had success over the past four seasons when facing their first elimination game at home, with a 3-1 record during those four games:
2009 - Game 7 vs. Anaheim WC Semis (won 4-3)
2009 - Game 7 vs. Pittsburgh SC Finals (lost 2-1)
2010 - Game 4 vs. San Jose WC Semis (won 7-1)
2011 - Game 4 vs. San Jose WC Semis (won 4-3)
The Red Wings did lose their first elimination game last spring, on the road against the Nashville Predators (2-1).
The obvious failure of the Wings power-play to stretch their 2-1 lead on a five-minute man-advantage during the latter portion of the second period, was only compounded when Anaheim's
Ryan Getzlaf sniped home a power-play goal with only 30 seconds remaining in the period.
We are at the time of year where a bounce here or a bounce there determines the final outcome. The Red Wings hit the goalpost on three occasions during Game 5 and if one of those goes in, perhaps we are looking at Anaheim looking to stave off elimination tonight.
Coach Mike Babcock appears set to make changes to his lineup for Game 6, as he is expected to opt for the more experienced
Carlo Colaiacovo in place of
Brian Lashoff. Despite not having played an NHL game since April 4th, Lashoff stepped into the playoff lineup following
Danny DeKeyser's injury in Game 2 and his playing time diminished substantially in Game 5.
Although many seem to be pointing to
Joakim Andersson's gaffe on
Nick Bonino's Game 5 overtime winner, Lashoff's lack of physicality allowed
Ben Lovejoy of all people to waltz right around him at the side of the Detroit goal to setup Bonino for the winner.
This is not to excuse Andersson on the play. However, realistically the pass over to Bonino should have never transpired had Lashoff not waived his stick at Lovejoy and instead played the body, not the puck.
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Heading into Game 6, both teams probably feel one of their offensively gifted stars is due to breakout. In particular, in a series where no team has won two games in a row, both sides will be looking to their stars to lead their team to victory in these crucial deciding contests. Anaheim has seen
Corey Perry neutralized thus far through five games. Perry has one assist in five games, despite being second on the Ducks with 15 shots on goal.
Meanwhile,
Henrik Zetterberg continues to struggle finding the back of the net. The Captain has three assists in the series, but has yet to score a goal this spring and has gone a career-high seven postseason games since turning on the red light. Zetterberg's shooting percentage this season was 6.4%, 17th best on the Red Wings behind the likes of
Jordin Tootoo,
Drew Miller and
Cory Emmerton.
This from a player who has 51 goals and 105 points in 114 career playoff games. Zetterberg stepped up with 2 goals and 8 assists during the final four games of the regular season when Detroit needed wins during that final week to ensure they caught Columbus for a playoff spot. The Red Wings will likely require a similar sort of offensive outburst from their Captain this weekend, if they hope to head to the Windy City next week for a Western Conference Semi-Final series with the Chicago Blackhawks.
In contrast to Wednesday night in Anaheim, the Red Wings need a strong start to keep the likely raucous "Friday night" playoff crowd at the Joe fully engaged and not allowing the Ducks to neutralize the effect of the home-ice advantage early on. Whereas
Jimmy Howard enabled the Red Wings to hang in Game 5 despite Detroit's slow start, the Wings have to make life as difficult as possible for goaltender
Jonas Hiller immediately from the outset of Game 6.
If the Red Wings can win tonight and tie the series, they'll HAPPILY climb back on their plane Saturday morning to head back to Anaheim for Game 7 Sunday night. It would mark their fifth cross country flight in 13 days and their second trip in 48 hours.
The move to the Eastern Conference can't come soon enough!!!
Puck drops at 8:00 PM ET (NBCSN, TSN, Fox Sports Detroit).
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Based on the news filtering out of the Joe this morning from the Red Wings morning skate, it appears in addition to
Carlo Colaiacovo replacing
Brian Lashoff,
Patrick Eaves will be a healthy scratch in order to make room for
Justin Abdelkader. Abdelkader returns from his two-game suspension.
Dan Cleary is expected to play tonight despite getting banged up in Game 5 on the controversial hit from behind from
Daniel Winnik.
Here is the expected lineup for Game 6:
DETROIT
Zetterberg - Datsyuk- Abdelkader
Franzen- Filppula- Cleary
Nyquist- Andersson- Brunner
Bertuzzi - Emmerton- Samuelsson
Eaves, Tootoo (scratched)
Kronwall - Ericsson
Quincey - Smith
Colaiacovo- Kindl
White, Lashoff (scratched)
Howard (starting)
Gustavsson
ANAHEIM
Ryan - Getzlaf - Perry
Winnik - Koivu - Cogliano
Beleskey - Bonino - Selanne
Etem - Steckel - Palmieri
Fowler - Beauchemin
Sbisa - Lovejoy
Souray - Allen
Hiller (starting)
Fasth
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