Red Wings Extend Win Streak to 5 in a Row
Henrik Zetterberg and Robert Lang scored early in the third period and the Detroit Red Wings beat the Chicago Blackhawks 2-1 Thursday night for their fifth consecutive win.
Rene Bourque scored for injury-depleted Chicago, which lost its seventh straight game. Brian Boucher, making his fifth straight start in place of injured Nikolai Khabibulin, blocked 27 shots.
Boucher, who dropped to 0-7-0 this season, lost a shutout bid when Zetterberg scored at 3:09 of the third to tie it at 1.
Lang gave Detroit a 2-1 lead at the 6:19 mark. His shot from the top of the left circle slipped between the legs of Chicago defenseman Adrian Aucoin, changed direction slighty and beat Boucher.
The Blackhawks have not beat the Red Wings in Chicago since Dec. 28, 2003. They were 1-6-1 against Detroit last season.
Bourque scored with 6:16 left in the first period to put Chicago in front. Following a turnover by Detroit’s Chris Chelios, Radim Vrbata slipped past Chelios on the right wing boards. Vrbata then passed cross ice to Bourque, who tipped in the puck after driving to the net and gaining a step on the Red Wings’ Brett Lebda.
Both teams narrowly missed on good offensive opportunities early in the first. Detroit’s Chris Osgood, who finished with 21 saves, stopped Bourque and Bryan Smolinski about 4 minutes in.
Boucher blocked three quick close-in chances following a turnover by Bourque a couple of minutes later.
Late in the second, the Blackhawks killed off a 1-minute, 30-second 5-on-3 Detroit power play. The Red Wings managed only one shot on goal during the span.
Notes: Detroit D Andreas Lilja missed his second game with sore back; D Mathieu Schneider sat out his second with a groin injury. Joey MacDonald backed up Osgood in goal. Dominik Hasek, who was in the nets for the Red Wings’ 3-2 win over Calgary at Detroit on Wednesday, was a healthy scratch. … Chicago LW Tony Salmelainen missed the game with a shoulder separation. RW Reed Low and C Jeff Hamilton were the Blackhawks’ healthy scratches. … Khabibulin, out with a broken finger, might return Nov. 9 at New Jersey, the Blackhawks’ next game.
by: Gary Roberts – theSpread.com – Email Us
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