Wings top 'Hawks in OT for 2-0 series lead
The Red Wings have put the Chicago Blackhawks on notice. The defending Stanley Cup champions are two wins away from getting back to the finals, and they aren't even playing their best hockey.
Mikael Samuelsson scored 5:14 into overtime and Chris Osgood made 37 saves, lifting Detroit to a 3-2 win over the Blackhawks on Tuesday night and a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference finals.
Red Wings coach Mike Babcock was relieved to win a game in which his team was often outplayed. They played for the fourth time in a week, including two hard-fought games against the Anaheim Ducks.
"I don't think we had any legs or any pop whatsoever," Babcock said. "I thought we had good will and good determination, but no legs."
The Blackhawks had nothing to show for their grit, desire and talent.
"It's a brutal loss," Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said.
The fourth-seeded Blackhawks, playing in their first conference final since 1995, now have the daunting task of beating the defending champions in four out of five games to advance.
"We want to beat them one game, the next one, and that's our concern," Quenneville said. "We should be excited about being back in the United Center to recapture some excitement and enthusiasm."
Game 3 is Friday night in Chicago.
Detroit is trying to become the first defending champion to get back to the finals since New Jersey did in 2001. The Red Wings are the last team to repeat, winning the Cup in 1997 and '98.
"This gives us a good start, but this is a team that is going to be tough to put away," Babcock said.
Detroit won Game 2 on a 3-on-1 rush, taking advantage of Chicago defenseman Brian Campbell's turnover near Detroit's blue line.
Jiri Hudler raced up the left side with the puck, pushed it to his right toward Valtteri Filppula, whose drop pass set up Samuelsson for a shot from the slot that beat Blackhawks goalie Nikolai Khabibulin.
"I just kept skating with them," Samuelsson said. "It was a great play."
Campbell lamented his role.
