NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- The Detroit Red Wings rode a shutout by goalie Chris Osgood and a fluke goal by captain Nicklas Lidstrom to victory Sunday afternoon, claiming a 3-0 win over the Nashville Predators to close out their Western Conference Quarterfinal matchup its sixth game.
Osgood stopped all twenty shots he faced in his second start of the playoff season. He replaced Dominik Hasek in the Detroit crease midway through Game Four and allowed only one goal in 157 minutes played for the rest of the series.
Lidstrom's goal on a bouncing long shot came with 6:16 left in the second period.
Just seven seconds into a Nashville power play, Lidstrom lobbed a shot in on Predators goaltender Dan Ellis from the Detroit side of center ice. The puck landed several feet in front of Ellis, bouncing over his shoulder and into the net for the game's first goal.
The Red Wings kept the momentum from the goal to kill Nashville's five-on-three that followed shortly after.
Jiri Hudler scored his second goal of the playoffs 3:52 into the third period, putting Detroit up by a pair. Rookie Darren Helm led the Red Wings into the Nashville zone and sent a pass across to Hudler for a one-timer into the back of the net.
Brian Rafalski added an empty-net goal in the game's closing seconds to finish off the scoring.
Ellis stopped 40 of 42 shots he faced just two days after making 52 saves on 54 shots.
The Red Wings will have to wait to find out who their second round opponent will be. The San Jose Sharks and the Calgary Flames will meet in Game Seven of their series on Tuesday. Should the Flames complete the upset, they will move on to face Detroit. If San Jose wins, the Red Wings will move on to meet the Colorado Avalanche.
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As of yesterday, Jason Arnott is doubtful for today's game and David Legwand is questionable.
http://feeds.feedbur...game_6_leg.html
I won't complain if they're both out, I've got no feelings of "We need to beat this team at full strength or there will always be questions." No one questioned Anaheim's win in the WCF last year with Kronwall and Schneider out for Detroit. Take advantage of this and finish them off.
I think it is about time we won a game while on the road!
Let's get this game over with so we can sit back and enjoy a passionate Detroit-Colorado series!
If the Wings manage to advance, they could still technically face Calgary.
Arnott is out today, Legwand is in.
http://feeds.feedbur...ussion_leg.html
Arnott does have a concussion. So much for "the flu" or "food poisoning."
Alright, it's 3:05, why is golf still on?
was gonna ask the same question..
It's now 3:10. What's the deal with this golf taking the place of the playoffs? Us fans shouldn't have to watch this crap. The only people watching this should be the Predators after the game.
Apparently NBC is sticking with golf until 3:15. Not sure if that means the start of the game is delayed or what. I hope so.
Just read that it will be shown at 3:15 after coverage of the Pro-Am. They said the game will not be interrupted. So we will see the whole game live.
Thank god Hoch missed that par putt, no playoff means NBC can cut to the game now.
Agreed, God must love hockey more than golf.
Nichol's back? Damn.
NBC is so blurry. its disgusting.
Big stop by Ozzie early.
Some good chances for both teams early on.
I feel the need to light the NBC guys on fire. I miss Ken and Mickey.
Preds are getting more rushes than the Wings. Turnovers are gonna kill them,
Fil misses the open net. Uhoh.
Sammy mixing it up at the end there. He's tired of this sh*t.
And even the NBC guy thinks Nashville got away with one.
I didn't miss a goal while I was away, I see.
Sammy took a double-minor at the end of the period. Because when Nashville is tough, it's just good hockey, but when a Swede does it it's evil. How dare he.
Good kill, now another power play for the Wings.
Rafalski nearly gifted a goal there.
Damn good thing Peverly f*cked up.
Another power play, can't keep blowing these.
Another wasted power play.
BITCHSMACKED!!!
Hahahaha! From his own half!
Huge, huge kill. Wings have the momentum.
Make the momentum pay!
Lidstrom should try from the defensive zone next time.
I can't believe they didn't call a trip there. Bastards. Great chance by Datsyuk.
Good save by Ellis there.
Hudler! Smart passs by Helm.
YES! Just close this out now...
Bonk just kept them in the game with a great block.
Wings are buzzing. I'm feeling kinda good.
Jiri Hudler <3
I'm nervous as hell again.
Oh damn. Pavs could have just ended it.
I'm feeling strangely calm.
Dispite the Preds getting away with a bunch of trips, Raffy ends it. f*ck yeah!
Whew!!
It's over! A tough series, but they came through eventually.
Okay, now I'm not nervous. 
Good road game win for the wings! What a great bounce on lidstrom's shot! I thought the fourth line was awesome, good game Helm. Nashville played us tough but were getting beat up along the way, missing key players all season and even throughout this round.
Glad to place this nasty series behind us. I would say Osgood saved this series.
I'm gonna try to come up with some nice summary later but I'm totally wired again. This series was far too stressful.
I stayed out of this one because I tried something new before the game.
I ran a sim on NHL HITS PRO about an hour before the game started. Since the one I have is from 2003 I went in and setup the players attributes to match the current rosters. I even created new players so I was as close to today as possible
I swear to you that the score was 3-0 with Rafalski getting an empty netter with 1:30 to go. Stevie Y and Cleary had the other two goals in second period.
Not sure what it all means but it sounds like a plan fo the future!
It's a good thing they got out of this series alive. Nashville did a lot of things right and made it a series- they didn't get annihilated. But it's fine with me, I can't stand the Preds.
Now they wait for either Calgary or Colorado...frankly I 'd like to see a Wings-Avs matchup cause they can win this one a lot easier.
It's a good thing they got out of this series alive. Nashville did a lot of things right and made it a series- they didn't get annihilated. But it's fine with me, I can't stand the Preds.
Now they wait for either Calgary or Colorado...frankly I 'd like to see a Wings-Avs matchup cause they can win this one a lot easier.
and less travelling.
It's a good thing they got out of this series alive. Nashville did a lot of things right and made it a series- they didn't get annihilated. But it's fine with me, I can't stand the Preds.
Now they wait for either Calgary or Colorado...frankly I 'd like to see a Wings-Avs matchup cause they can win this one a lot easier.
how would avs be a better matchup... only thing i can think of is the travel. Other than that the avs are stacked top to bottom with offense and are surging. I think the Flames would be a better matchup because of their shaky goaltending of late and terrible road record. We'll see tonight when they face the sharks. Avs are a scary team right now, Avs-wings would be the most compelling matchup.
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