OTHL -- The Red Wings did not go into the playoffs ozing of confidence and long winning streaks down the strech. But three games later, the Wings are the only unbeaten team in this years playoffs. Tonight the Wings came out and played a solid game, yet again, and won 2-1 and extended there lead to 3-0 in the series against Nashville. Kris Draper (2) and Cory Stillman (1) scored the Red Wings goals in the first and the second period, while Jan Bulis (1) added a powerplay goal for Nashville in between the Detroit goals. The series have been a pretty nice series, with just some rough stuff towards the tail end of game two when Jiri Fischer injured Nashville defender Marek Zidlicky. Tonight however, the feelings got a bit heated. Pavel Datsyuk took 14 penalty minutes, with a boarding that earned him a 10 minute misconduct as the main source for his high penalty minutes. The game also saw some almost fights, as Kris Draper and Jan Bulis exchanged glove shots in the second, as did Brad Norton and Ray Whitney. However, no real fireworks in the game. But in game four, things could get worse as the Predators have there backs against the wall.
The series between Vancouver and San Jose has been tough to get a good read on. Game one was very close as Vancouver won 2-1. In game two the Sharks took a convincing 4-1 win after a third period where the team scored three goals in less then three minutes. Tonight the two teams where even in almost everything. San Jose won the shots 35-31, neither team excelled at the powerplay as Vancouver went 1 for 7 and San Jose 1 for 8. But on the scoreboard the game where not close as Vancouver shellaked Nabokov and Johnson for a total of 7 goals. Brent Johnson who entered the game late in the third, did not even make a save as he allowed 2 goals on 2 shots. Pierre Turgeon (1), Trevor Linden (1), Brendan Shanahan (1), Jonathan Sim (1), Mattias Öhlund (1) and Mike Comrie scored there first goals in this years playoffs for Vancouver, while Jonathan Cheechoo (2) scored his second. Maxim Afinogenov (1) scored the lone San Jose goal early in the third. Before the Canucks got going and scored four unanswered goals. Vancouver now hold the series lead 2-1.
The game between Chicago and Colorado where almost a mirror image of the Vancouver - San Jose game, the two teams where almost dead even in terms of shots (28-27) and the powerplays where not working tonight as neither team did score a powerplay goal despite a couple of powerplays each way. However, Colorado showed why they finished first in the west, and scored 6 goals while holding Chicago to only 1. The game where deadeven after 20 minutes, Ruutu (1) and St Louis (1) scored one each in a period where both teams had 10 shots. But then in the second, Colorado took over and won the game thanks to three goals. Peter Bondra (1), Erik Cole (1) and Mike KNuble (1) found the net in the middle frame. And in the third, Knuble (2) and Bondra (2) added there second goals for the night. Despite the loss, Chicago still hang onto the lead in the series.
In Dallas, the Stars hosted the Phoenix Coyotes in a nasty game witch saw the home side lose, and fall back in the series. The Stars did however start with two unanswered goals in the first, as Colin White (1) and Jeff O'Neill (1) scored. A first period that also saw a game misconduct to Alexei Zhamnov (checking from behind), a major penalty to Jeff O'Neill for headbutting, and a handfull of other penalties to each team. The second period continued the trend with a bunch of penalties both ways. Phoenix also started there comeback in the second period, as Mats Sundin (2) scored for the visitors. In the third the game calmed down a bit as both teams tried to take home the win. Kim Johnsson (3) who is having a solid playoff for Phoenix tied up the game with 13 minutes to go. And with 59 seconds left, Aleksey Morozov (2) scored the game winner for Phoenix. A win that means that Phoenix is now up in the series.
PLAYER(S) OF THE NIGHT: Peter Bondra (Colorado) scored 2 and added 1 assist in Colorado's win over Chicago & Mattias Öhlund (Vancouver) who had 1 goal and 2 assists in the Canucks win over San Jose.