Ryan Getzlaf Propels Ducks Into Game 7

Ryan Getzlaf finally looked like himself again after a bout of flu or an undisclosed injury, take your pick. And with Getzlaf rejuvenated, the Ducks were rejuvenated, outplaying the defending champion Red Wings much of the night to force Game 7 at Detroit on Thursday night.

Getzlaf, who'd managed only two shots in the previous two games for the eight-seeded Ducks, scored Anaheim's first goal and assisted on the second in the Ducks' 2-1 victory at the Honda Center, evening the Western Conference semifinals series at three games apiece.

Ducks 2, Red Wings 1: Recap | Box Score | Tuesday's Scores

The past 16 times the Red Wings had a chance to put away a series in Game 6, they had done so. Hart Trophy finalist Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit's most obvious underachiever, has not scored a point in eight consecutive games going back to the first round. Datsyuk was credited with two shots on Tuesday.

In the final moments, with Chris Osgood out of the net, Datsyuk took a pass from Marian Hossa and took a sweeping shot from the slot that Jonas Hiller stopped with 3 seconds on the clock. As the horn sounded, Getzlaf tangled with Hossa, while Scott Niedermayer caught Datsyuk in the face with an elbow and the two exchanged punches.

Early on, it was not rough-and-tumble Anaheim drawing penalties, it was the fancy-skating, generally gentlemanly Wings. Detroit drew two penalties in succession, the first near the end of the first period and the second on a delay of game penalty early in the second period, necessitated when Osgood tried to clear the puck from behind the net and muffed it.

It was that miscue that resulted in the game's first score. Getzlaf sped up the ice, made the first pass and headed for the net, where he shoveled home a rebound on a shot by Niedermayer on the top right 2:21 into the second period.

With just over two minutes left in the same period, Corey Perry put forth a great all-around effort, diving across the crease to break up Hossa's pass to Val Filppula, then tearing down to the other end and stationing himself in front of the goal. Getzlaf took a shot from the left side, and Perry, screening Osgood, deflected it in.

Detroit picked up the pace in the third period, but it wasn't until a late power play that the Wings finally put one past Jonas Hiller, with Johan Franzen, of course, positioned in front and whacking in a pass from Jiri Hudler. Hiller saved 38 of 39 shots.

Brian Rafalski made his first appearance in the series after missing the first five games with an "upper body injury." The Detroit defenseman played more than 20 minutes; he was roughed up while hunched over in the post-game melee, taking several punches to the upper body.

Latest NHL Images

Anaheim Ducks' Drew Miller, left, watches as Scott Niedermayer, center, trips up Detroit Red Wings center Henrik Zetterberg, right, of Sweden, in the third period of a second-round NHL hockey playoff game in Anaheim, Calif., Tuesday, May 12, 2009. Ducks won 2-1. (AP Photo/Mark Avery)

Detroit Red Wings goalie Chris Osgood keeps his eye on the puck as Anaheim Ducks right wing Teemu Selanne, of Finland, closes in during the third period of a second-round NHL hockey playoff game in Anaheim, Calif., Tuesday, May 12, 2009. (AP Photo/Henry DiRocco)

ANAHEIM, CA - MAY 12: Corey Perry #10 of the Anaheim Ducks and Brian Rafalski #28 of the Detroit Red Wings fight after the Ducks win Game Six of the Western Conference Semifinal Round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs 2-1 at the Honda Center on May 12, 2009 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Corey Perry;Brian Rafalski

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Anaheim Ducks goalie Jonas Hiller gets some help from teammates James Wisniewski, Scott Niedermayer, and Todd Marchant as they help to clear the puck away from the Detroit Red Wings in the third period during Game 6 of the NHL Western Conference semi-final hockey playoffs in Anaheim, California May 12, 2009. REUTERS/Mike Blake (UNITED STATES SPORT ICE HOCKEY)

Reuters

Anaheim Ducks goalie Jonas Hiller makes a save against the Detroit Red Wings in the third period during Game 6 of the NHL Western Conference semi-final hockey playoffs in Anaheim, California May 12, 2009. REUTERS/Mike Blake (UNITED STATES SPORT ICE HOCKEY)

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Anaheim Ducks goalie Jonas Hiller makes a save on Detroit Red Wings left wing Johan Franzen in the third period during Game 6 of the NHL Western Conference semi-final hockey playoffs in Anaheim, California May 12, 2009. REUTERS/Mike Blake (UNITED STATES SPORT ICE HOCKEY)

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Detroit Red Wings goalie Chris Osgood keeps his eyes on the puck as he makes a save and Anaheim Ducks right wing Teemu Selanne comes in for a rebound in the third period during Game 6 of the NHL Western Conference semi-final hockey playoffs in Anaheim, California May 12, 2009. REUTERS/Mike Blake (UNITED STATES SPORT ICE HOCKEY)

Reuters

ANAHEIM, CA - MAY 12: Francois Beauchemin #23 of the Anaheim Ducks and Niklas Kronwall #55 of the Detroit Red Wings clash during Game Six of the Western Conference Semifinal Round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Honda Center on May 12, 2009 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jeff Grosl/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Francois Beauchemin;Niklas Kronwall

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The Anaheim Ducks' Corey Perry tips a shot past Detroit Red Wings goalie Chris Osgood for a score during the second period of Game 6 of the NHL Western Conference semifinals at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, Tuesday, May 12, 2009. (Julian H. Gonzalez/Detroit Free Press/MCT)

MCT

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

5-13-2009 @ 1:37AM

John said...

It is so over for the red wings their arrogance and whinning about the refs once again is their downfall. I guarantee the ducks will slap them around at the joe louis in game 7 ducks 8 red wings 1

5-13-2009 @ 1:39AM

The red wings are quitters, whinners, and has beens season is over. I am jumping ship and burning any red wing gear i have

5-13-2009 @ 9:57AM

Pasko said...

The Wings will blow out the Ducks in Game #7.

5-13-2009 @ 11:17AM

hafttwo said...

its not over yet go wings

5-13-2009 @ 11:49AM

John, stfu you whining, sniveling punk, throw yourself in that fire while your at it.

According to the NHL's own decree before the postseason started, Anaheim should have 3 players (Niedermayer for elbowing Pav, Perry and Marchant as they BOTH received Game Misconducts at the end of the game) suspended for Game 7 for "message sending." However, we all know that will never happen, as the NHL refuses to enforce their own policies, and thus punk ass teams like Anaheim can do whatever the hell they want with absolutely no repercussions, and they know it.

5-13-2009 @ 12:01PM

kennyb0324 said...

you are right, the ducks are thugs. without a few bad defensive plays the wings really outplayed them and all they have left to do is fight. we beat teams with out skill. we don't need to beat up the other teams talent to win. teams like the ducks are why the nhl wants to eliminate fighting. without it the ducks are a bore.