I'm exhausted. So imagine how the Detroit Red Wings and Calgary Flames feel right now. Just over 24 hours after Game Five ended, Game Six began, and by the time Game Six ended it was almost time for Game Seven. Except, there will be no Game Seven because in double overtime, Johan Franzen, the same Johan Franzen who was slashed in the midsection in Game Five, scored on a rocket of a shot to send the Flames home and send the Detroit Red Wings on to the second round. It was a great goal to cap a great, great game, and for those that weren't awake at just past 12:40 a.m., here's the video which I posted to YouTube shortly after the game ended:
As for the rest of the game (not that this recap matters a whole lot right now considering the great outcome, but there was a game before the Wings skated off in victory) it was a classic playoff battle, both teams fighting hard, both teams not giving an inch. I'll be honest, when Calgary scored first, I didn't feel very confident, but when Robert Lang's goal in the second period tied the score, I knew we at least had a shot. And with the way Hasek and Kiprusoff were playing, I knew it also could be quite a while before we had another goal, and I was right on that one too.
Robert Lang celebrates (AP Photo)The first overtime was just great hockey, both teams with amazing scoring chances, both goalies with incredible saves. When the Red Wings, though, didn't capitalize on their four-minute Power Play after the high stick to Holmstrom (and let's hope he's all right, he was taken to the hospital to get further stitched up) I got nervous again. I knew the next Power Play was going to go to the Flames (it did), but the Wings Penalty Kill was up for the challenge and the rest of the first overtime flew by. Then the second OT started, and just like that, Johan Franzen scored and the Wings were moving on.
As I've written before, there is just something special about overtime playoff hockey. This game was no different. Maybe it's the fact that there are no commercial timeouts, so it's just 20-minutes of hockey, and at any split second, it could be over. Espeically in a game like this which means so much, and could either end the Flames season or send us to a Game Seven in Detroit. You don't get a chance to catch your breath, and neither do the players. And when you win, like the Detroit Red Wings did tonight, it's especially sweet.
And with that, it's 12:50 in the morning so I'm signing off.
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7 comments:
Franzen's goal was poetic justice, eh
Absolutely. Couldn't pick a better guy to score that goal after what happened yesterday.
It's nice to see one Wings fan that has a bit of an appreciation for players on the other team.
I agree that Kipper played great. 55 shots is pretty unbelievable, and he was the Flames best player for the whole series. The rest of the team never really showed up.
I'm a little dismayed at your fellow Red Wings fans who don't seem capable of much more than SPAM commenting on Flames blogs like mine.
Most Red Wings fans have proved that they are an unclassy bunch by trying to rub dirt in the faces of the Flames fans out there.
It's nice to see you actually watched the game and can appreciate the win. Your coach certainly did.
Good luck in round 2. You’re gonna need it when you play a team that can actually show up on the road.
And Congrats on the win. Must feel good.
Thanks for reading and commenting Red, I like your Flames blog. Good work.
I think a lot of Red Wings fans were bothered by some of the shots the Flames took in Game Five (and perhaps a few even before that) so they took it out on the only people they could, the Flames bloggers. You just got caught in the middle of it. I wouldn't say "most" Red Wings fans are like that.
I also think most Wings fans, if they were honest, would give Calgary their due. They played a really hard series, gave us all we could handle, and Kiprusoff was huge for you guys. With the amount of shots we took, we should have been scoring at a much higher clip. Usually a hot goalie is enough to end our playoff runs, not this year, thankfully for us.
We'll see what happens in Round Two. If Zetterberg and Datsuyk continue their great play, and Hasek stays healthy and plays like he's capable of, we could be playing for a long time to come.
-Scott
I am a huge Wings fan, myself, but I have to give a heck of a lot of credit to certain players on the Flames, especially Kipper. He played an unbelievable series, and he personally drove me nuts at times with his amazing saves. I was disappointed in and even angry at the Flames for their behavior at the end of game 5, but they have a heck of a lot of players that I really respect on their roster. Roman Hamrlik had a great game tonight and Brad Stuart had his moments, as well. Unfortunately for the Flames, Phaneuf appeared to be injured but he is a world-class defenseman and will certainly be a perennial Norris Trophy contender starting in a few years. And while I seriously question his character given the way he behaved in game 5, I still respect and even fear Jarome Iginla, as he is a tremendous talent and a great emotional catalyst and leader for his team. This series was a tough one for the Wings, despite the lopsided scores in the games at The Joe, and I feel grateful that they got out of it the way they did in game 6. And I agree that all fans need to be respectful and classy, no matter what any team may be doing. It annoys me too even when Wings fans rip immaturely and unnecessarily into Flames/Oilers/Blackhawks/Avalance fans because I frankly admire hockey and other sports for their honor and nobility. Would players like Steve Yzerman, Mario Lemieux or Wayne Gretzky show a total lack of disrespect for their opponents? Never. And while we are merely fans, we should try to represent our teams with class, dignity and respect the way our personal heroes like Stevie Yzerman and Lanny McDonald always have. Congratulations to the Flames on making the playoffs and playing a scrappy series, and my hat particularly goes off to Mikka Kiprusoff for keeping the Flames in this thing. That said, LET'S GO WINGS!!!
Also, I have to say that I think we can only expect the Wings to get better with each series, as they often tend to do. And while they are a different team now, let's not forget that each time in the past ten years they've advanced past the second round, they've won the Cup. I don't mean to get too far ahead of myself, but it's a nice thought to think about. I think that with the reemergence of Zetterberg and the way our role players are playing MAJOR roles in each and every game - much the way the Grind Line used to - the Wings are looking like serious Cup contenders.
Ben - I agree with a lot of what you said. Especially your second comment about advancing out of the first round, and how the Wings traditionally either go out early or go all the way. That's been their history, and I think this opening series was a nice challenge for them. Now they can sit back for a day or two, catch their breath, and get ready to go back at it.
Round Two won't be easy, but in many ways, it may turn it out to be an easier matchup than Calgary. We'll see who we end up playing.
-Scott
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