Red Wings Fail to Eliminate Blackhawks in Game Five

The Detroit Red Wings had their first chance to eliminate Chicago from the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs on Saturday night and failed, dropping a 4-1 decision to the Blackhawks.

After winning three consecutive games, the Red Wings carried a 3-1 series lead into the game but could never get anything going as the ‘Hawks staved off elimination on home ice.

Two power play goals in the second period broke a 1-1 tie to put Chicago out in front.

With 6:52 remaining in the middle frame, Andrew Shaw deflected a blue-line shot by Duncan Keith past Detroit goalie Jimmy Howard from the top of the crease to make it 2-1.

Chicago captain Jonathan Toews made it 3-1 2:39 later with his first goal of the series, snapping a low-angle shot off of Howard and into the top of the net.

Shaw rounded out the game’s scoring at 6:58 of the third on a broken play. Viktor Stalberg’s shot from the slot went high and off the glass behind the net. Shaw was all alone behind the goal to pick up the puck and wrap it around in behind Howard.

Bryan Bickell had opened the game’s scoring with 5:52 remaining in the first period. After a scramble in the right faceoff circle, Patrick Kane swatted the puck in on Howard. Alone on the opposite side, Bickell knocked in the rebound.

Daniel Cleary scored Detroit’s only goal of the game at 9:37 of the second period. On a slow three-on-two, Cleary sent the puck rink-wide to Henrik Zetterberg on the right wing. Zetterberg’s shot was knocked aside by Chicago goalie Corey Crawford but Cleary was there to put in the rebound to make it 1-1.

The ‘Hawks finished the night two-for-three on the power play while the Wings went scoreless on four tries with the man-advantage.

Howard stopped 41 of the 45 shots he faced. Crawford made 25 saves on 26 shots.

Game Six will be in Detroit on Monday night.