The Red Wings made Game 6 on Monday necessary by losing to the Blackhawks 4-1 in a game that Detroit got pretty heartily outskated and outplayed.
Getting on the refs for an inconsistent standard would be a lot more comforting if the Wings’ penalties weren’t legit and if they didn’t put themselves in trouble. The Wings had the first power play chance of the night, along with three others, but failed to score. Meanwhile, the Hawks were able to capitalize on two of three of their chances. Chicago outshot Detroit 45-26 in this one.
CSSI Methodology Explanation here
Goalie Ratings
Jimmy Howard lost the head-to-head battle in this game. I didn’t like the Toews goal beating him high to the short side. The Wings didn’t do him any favors, but he didn’t help them either. I’m going to give Howard a -1 overall rating for the night.
The Goals
1st Period 14:08 – Chicago Goal: Bryan Bickell (wrist shot) from Patrick Kane and Michal Handzus
The Hawks get on the board first with a neutral zone turnover which turns back into the Wings zone with speed as Ericsson gets caught with a good check high in the zone. The Hawks bring it in and get a shot on goal. In the ensuing melee, Bickell gets to a loose puck on the back door and puts it in. Ericsson will get an extra minus on the coverage and a half-minus on the turnover here. The Bickell coverage is Kronwall’s responsibility, but that coverage was made slightly harder by Duncan Keith taking him down away from the puck. In fact, Kronwall is so victimized here by the combination of Ericsson’s play and Keith’s interference that I’m going to clear half of Kronner’s minus. I’m going to give Cleary an extra half-minus. As far as defensive coverage goes, Filppula is caught up trying to close the distance on Kane with nobody in the middle. Cleary has a responsibility up the ice, but he also needs to see what’s going on and make a bee-line for that far post and pray for luck.
2nd Period 09:37 – Detroit Goal: Daniel Cleary (wrist shot) from Henrik Zetterberg
The Wings pull even on a 4-on-4 as they take a 3-on-2 rush up ice with Zetterberg feeding it to the front of the net where Brendan Smith is rushing. Smith doesn’t pot it, but Cleary gets to it and puts it in off the skate on the sharp angle. Smith will get a non-touch assist and a bonus plus for his work on this play. Cleary will get a self-assist.
2nd Period 13:08 – Chicago Goal (PP): Andrew Shaw (tip in) from Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook
The Hawks pull ahead on a power play goal scored with a ton of puck movement after a failed clear by Detroit and a lost stick. Datsyuk will get a turnover minus here. He’s got a chance to clear early in this power play, but whiffs on the chance. I believe he gets his stick slashed out of his hands by Seabrook moments later, but the terrible clear attempt is unacceptable.
2nd Period 15:47 – Chicago Goal (PP): Jonathan Toews (wrist shot) from Marian Hossa and Duncan Keith
A failed clear leads the puck to Toews low at the side of the net where he roofs the short-side shot off Howard’s mask and into the net. I don’t like Howard giving up the short side on this and I’m going to call it a half-bad goal as a result of Howard going down too early. However, Eaves will also get a turnover minus for his failure to get the puck out of the zone on his backhand earlier on this play.
3rd Period 06:58 – Chicago Goal: Andrew Shaw (wrist shot) from Viktor Stalberg and Michal Rozsival
The Hawks go up 4-1 on an odd-man in the Detroit zone that’s finished when a wide Stalberg shot gets picked up behind the Wings’ net and put into the empty goal before Howard can get back to seal the post. Filppula will get a turnover minus for having his neutral zone pass picked off and turned up ice. Smith will get a coverage minus for neither stepping up on Stalberg or hustling back on Shaw. Eaves and Miller will be cleared of minuses, as they had just come onto the ice.
Penalty Adjustments (pluses and minuses only)
1st Period 07:20 – Viktor Stalberg (hooking): Cleary earns a plus as he drives to the point on a neutral zone faceoff, catching Stalberg unready. The speedy forward hooks Cleary down in a panic and the Wings head to a PP.
1st Period 17:50 – Carlo Colaiacovo (holding): Colaiacovo will get a half-minus on a play in front of the net where he gets interfered with and finally shrugs off Andrew Shaw by tossing him to the ice. Cola’s got reason, but he probably shouldn’t body-slam people.
2nd Period 05:14 – Dave Bolland (tripping) and Justin Abdelkader (unsportsmanlike): Datsyuk gets a plus for drawing a Bolland penalty with a quick turn out of the zone and then Abdelkader gets a minus and a half for canceling the advantage when he spears Bolland like a dummy. This is easily a dumb enough penalty to warrant more than one minus.
2nd Period 11:39 – Drew Miller (hooking): Miller gets a minus for getting his stick into the hands of Toews. I have no idea why Toews falls down like he does, but it’s still a penalty.
2nd Period 15:35 – Justin Abdelkader (cross checking): Abdelkader will get a minus for chopping Kane twice in the back at the blue line. Just dumb play.
2nd Period 18:42 – Dave Bolland (unsportsmanlike): Abdelkader earns back a plus as he jaws Bolland into taking a dumb penalty.
Bonus Ratings
-1 to Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg, Justin Abdelkader and Johan Franzen: None of these three were particularly impressive and that’s most-unacceptable.
+0.5 to Cory Emmerton: Just about the lone positive spot. Emmerton was good. He had two great play breakups in the neutral zone and wasn’t part of the problem on PK.
Honorable Mentions:
This game sucked.
