Blackhawks avoid elimination, force Game 6 with 4-1 win over Red Wings

By Michael Caples –

In the majority of the Western Conference Semifinals, the Red Wings were the ones frustrating the opposition into unnecessary penalties and poor play.

During Game 5, roles were reversed.

The Blackhawks coerced the Red Wings into four penalties in the second period, and the resulting power-play goals proved to be the difference in a 4-1 Chicago victory.

Andrew Shaw and Jonathan Toews scored during man-advantage opportunities that came from penalties whistled on Michigan natives Drew Miller and Justin Abdelkader in the middle frame.

Shaw also scored in the third, while Bryan Bickell had opened the scoring in the first.

With the win, the Blackhawks avoid elimination, and force a Game 6 at Joe Louis Arena Monday evening.

Chicago converted on two of three power-play opportunities, while the Red Wings were held scoreless on four chances.

The Blackhawks also controlled the shots chart, out-shooting the Wings 45-26. In the third period, Chicago had 17 shots, compared to Detroit’s four.

Jimmy Howard stopped 41 of those 45 shots, while Corey Crawford turned aside 25 for Chicago.

Bickell opened the scoring at the 14:08 mark of the first period, burying a rebound after being left alone in front of the Detroit goal.

The Wings were able to even the score at the halfway mark of the second period, when Dan Cleary scored Detroit’s lone goal. After captain Henrik Zetterberg lobbed the puck towards the Chicago net, Cleary fired a rebound try in off of Crawford’s pad.

But it was all Chicago from that point forward.

With Miller in the box for hooking, Shaw scored his first goal of the night, tipping a shot from Duncan Keith in the slot.

Two minutes later, Abdelkader was whistled for crosschecking after taking multiple shots at Patrick Kane during a scrum along the boards. Twelve seconds into the power play, Chicago captain Jonathan Toews roofed the puck over Jimmy Howard short-side. It was the first goal of the postseason for the Blackhawks’ leader, who the Wings had frustrated into three consecutive penalties in Game 4.

Shaw increased the Blackhawks’ lead to three in the third period, grabbing a loose puck after a wide shot by Viktor Stalberg and beating Jimmy Howard to an empty net.

Detroit now holds a 3-2 series lead, with Game 6 scheduled to start at 8 p.m.