Red Wings Fall in Overtime to Blackhawks

After tying Friday’s game against Chicago in the final minute of regulation, the Detroit Red Wings were unable to hold off the Blackhawks in the extra period, falling, 3-2, to their Central Division rival.

Chicago won the game with a Patrick Sharp goal at 1:29 of the extra frame. Sharp carried into the Detroit zone and skated around a seemingly-tired Nicklas Lidstrom before cutting across the top of the crease and putting a shot under the stick of Detroit goalie Chris Osgood.

The Red Wings had tied the game with 46 seconds remaining in regulation when Brendan Shanahan threw the puck at the crease from the right circle and Pavel Datsyuk was open to tip it into the far side of the net.

Detroit opened the scoring with 9:04 remaining in the first period when Steve Yzerman notched his 691st career goal, moving into sole possession of eighth place in NHL history.

Yzerman stole the puck in the Chicago zone and got it over to Jason Williams. The two criss-crossed through the slot and Williams got the puck back to Yzerman, who put a snap shot off Blackhawks’ netminder Nikolai Khabibulin and into the net.

Mark Cullen evened the game with 3:44 remaining in the second period with Detroit just having finished a successful penalty kill. Kyle Calder sent a pass from the right circle to Cullen on the far side of the crease for an easy tap-in goal.

Former Red Wing Martin Lapointe gave Chicago the lead with 5:29 remaining in regulation, taking a crossing pass on a three-on-one and one-timing it past Osgood.

Detroit finished the nights without a goal on three power play opportunities but also held the Blackhawks scoreless on four chances with the extra attacker.

Osgood made 31 saves on 34 shots while Khabibulin stopped 39 of 41 Detroit chances.

The Red Wings will have Saturday off before visiting the Minnesota Wild on Sunday afternoon for the third game of four in five days.