Flames Extinguished: Red Wings Claim Series Win on 2OT Goal

435

18 years ago

The Detroit Red Wings eliminated the Calgary Flames from the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Sunday, scoring at 4:23 of the second overtime period to wrap up the two teams’ Western Conference Quarterfinal matchup.

Detroit snapped a trend with the win. Prior to game six, the home team had won every game of the series. Calgary was unable to hold off a relentless Red Wings’ attack and finally fell on home ice.

Either the Dallas Stars or the San Jose Sharks will be Detroit’s next opponent. If Dallas wins their game seven matchup with the Vancouver Canucks on Monday, they will advance to face the Wings. Should the Canucks win, they will play the Anaheim Ducks, leaving the Sharks to travel to Detroit.

Johan Franzen gave the Red Wings the win. Detroit captain Nicklas Lidstrom sent an outlet pass from the Red Wings’ blue line across the ice and off the boards for Franzen to pick up and carry into the Calgary zone. Franzen cut across the top of the right faceoff circle before blasting a shot from the slot over the shoulder of Flames’ netminder Miikka Kiprusoff.

It was Franzen’s second goal of the playoffs, coming on Detroit’s 55th shot of the night.

Calgary got on the board first at 3:09 of the second period. Daymond Langkow threw a pass from behind the net out to Jarome Iginla, who reached to grab it with his stick at the top of the left circle and whip a shot past Detroit goalie Dominik Hasek.

Robert Lang tied things back up with 3:07 remaining in the middle frame. Chris Chelios sent an outlet pass to Todd Bertuzzi along the right wing boards. Bertuzzi poked it along to Lang, who jumped into the Calgary zone and wristed a shot from the right faceoff dot between Kiprusoff’s pads.

Even with four minutes of power play time for each team in the first overtime, no one could put the puck home. Thoughtout the game both goalies made several key stops.

Hasek finished the night with 20 saves on 21 shots against. Kiprusoff made and incredible 53 saves on Detroit’s 55 shots.

Neither team scored a power play goal on the night. Detroit had five attempts to do so while Calgary had four.

The Red Wings were without defenseman Brett Lebda for the game, out with a mild concussion and an ankle injury. Kyle Quincey was called up from Grand Rapids to take his place on the blueline… Tomas Holmstrom left the game in the first overtime period after taking a stick to the head from Craig Conroy, suffering a cut above the eye.