DETROIT, Michigan -- Dan Cleary picked up the Western Conference Finals where he left off the previous round, leading the Detroit Red Wings to a win.
Cleary scored the game-winning goal in Game Seven against the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday, then moved on to score twice against the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday to carry Detroit to a 5-2 win.
His first goal was a wrister from the left circle, beating Chicago goalie Nikolai Khabibulin over the shoulder at 8:23 of the first period. Cleary created the play himself, stealing the puck from Brent Seabrook at the Detroit blue line and racing down the left wing boards.
Cleary's goal knotted the game up at one, as the Blackhawks had taken an early lead when Adam Burish capitalized on a miscommunication between Chris Osgood and Jonathan Ericsson to steal the puck and slip it between Osgood's pads just 5:25 in.
Johan Franzen put the Red Wings into the lead with 3:22 left in the second, beating Khabibulin on a wraparound.
Kris Versteeg tied the game, banging home a rebound from the side of the net on a Chicago power play at 3:12 of the third period.
Mikael Samuelsson put Detroit back in front 4:19 later, snapping a shot from the right faceoff dot past Khabibulin for a 3-2 lead.
Cleary added his second 1:27 later, tipping a Franzen shot in behind KHabibulin.
Henrik Zetterberg added an empty net goal to finish off the Blackhawks, giving the Red Wings a 1-0 lead in their series.
Osgood finished the game with 30 saves on 32 shots against. Khabibulin stopped 38 of 42 Detroit shots.
Game Two will be Tuesday night from Joe Louis Arena.
Youth meets experience... Two and a half hours till the puck drops!
Hawks with pressure early. Wings looking a little tired.
Oh Jesus Christ. You are f*cking kidding me.
That was all Ericsson with a stupid pass.
Cleary says "Don't you wish you still had me now, bitches?!"
I am excited that Cleary got the (Wing's) first goal of the game. That's a good sign, considering how they started out sloppy.
(+Wings 
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I am excited that Cleary got the first goal of the game. That's a good sign, considering how they started out sloppy.
I assume you mean first Wings goal. 'Cause that great shot just makes up for the clusterf*ck that put the Wings behind in the first place.
Yes. Baaaah. I am terrible at multi tasking. Thanks for pointing that mistake out!
I think they look a little better now. At least it doesn't take two whole periods to catch up like when they were playing the Ducks. I forgot to say that, too
Power play, could be big.
Well that didn't work. Pace is insane right now.
Wings obviously got off to a bad start but turned it around pretty well. Definitely a better first period than I expected after last round.
It's nice not feeling uneasy the whole period. Hahaha.
It would be cool if the Wings swept the Hawks, but I doubt that will happen.
It's funny how much quicker the games are when you're not playing a team that stands around waiting for you to come by so they can cross check you...that and not playing a team whose goalie would hold the puck even if it was on fire and pretend he hit his head on the net and is paralyzed.
Yeah, I definitely like the style of play this game compared to last round.
Wow. Khabibulin came up huge there.
that and not playing a team whose goalie would hold the puck even if it was on fire and pretend he hit his head on the net and is paralyzed.
That is classic
Hopefully they can score on this powerplay? They are certainly getting some chances. And you can only tell because of the NBC announcers extreme change of volume in their voices.
Wow. Khabibulin came up huge there.
For once he looks like the "Bulin Wall"
Five-hole is not Khabibulin's weakness, guys. Gotta change it up.
Franzen! Wings in front!
Nice job, bitches.
We never score on the wraparound.
Yeah, I can't believe that worked.
I know I'm delayed, but I don't think the Wings would have gotten very far without Franzen this year Or last year, either.
Yeah, glad to see the Mule signed for a billion more years.
Just played seven games where that wasn't a penalty.
Goddamnit. God f*cking damnit.
sh*t...Ozzie was screened
Damn. That sucks ):
Hossa got leveled there.
Nobody's getting to any rebounds.
Wings get the lead back!
Mikey!
I swear to God, as he got the puck there I said "Come on Sammy, this is your time."
M-I-K-E-Y!!!!!!
Redwings.com has a live chat feed with an "official Redwings play by play" complete with Q and A and stats. It's pretty sweet. Def. something to check out if anyone's interested. NBC has a little delay too, because the feed called the goal about 30 seconds before I saw it on TV.
That was a beautiful tip!
Franzennnnn (did the work for that)! Good goal
Oh my. That was nice.
And now Zata! Up by two!!!
Oh what a stop! That last grab was fantastic.
Damn, that was almost Arby's right there.
Anyone else know that Ben Eager is #55 for Chicago but still think of Eric Daze?
Zetterberg gets the empty net goal.
Zata with another ENG. Wecome to the Western Conference Finals, bitches.
One down. *whew*
Seven to go...
Seven to go...
well all those Wing's haters that said the Hawk's would skate all over us the Wing's responded witth a huge we don't think so great game we had a few moment's that they were chargin hard the Ericcsson miscue early..... but overall they were good and i think the message was sent to the Hawk's of you better bring your A game.... also holding Toews and Kane to 0 point's and 0 shot's for Kane was a phenomenal effort hell i think Toews only had 3 shot's i like seeing number's like that for those 2
I didn't get to see the game...does anyone know of a source for a replay? NHL.com?
I didn't get to see the game...does anyone know of a source for a replay? NHL.com?
i'm not sure if FSN did any coverage as i don't have cable but if they did they usually show the game again later in the night 1 or 2 a.m. check the listing's 
NHL.com does have a highlights video...better than nothin'.
I don't know of anyone with a full replay right now. I would have recommended the NHL.com highlights as FSN won't have any coverage. From here on out it's exclusive to NBC and Versus in the US.
Thank God! FSPT was killing me!
Dan Cleary
Credit: Clark Rasmussen
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