Blackhawks Defeat Red Wings, Dimming Playoffs Hopes for Detroit
The Chicago Blackhawks spurned on by the return of Martin Hossa beat the Detroit Red Wings Sunday night 4-1. The win snapped a losing streak of two games. Hossa was playing in his first game since sitting out five due to injury.
The forward for Chicago who is 35-years of age celebrated returning to the Blackhawks lineup with energy that produced one goal and two assists.
Hossa said he was pleased to return to help his club. Chicago led the game 2-1 after the first two periods, the two big plays from Hossa helped end the game for Detroit.
Hossa looked fresh on the ice and used his speed to help the team go up 3-1 after taking a Patrick Sharp feed, Hossa raced the right wing and cut around Brendan Smith the defenseman for Detroit and beat Jimmy Howard in tight for the goal.
Hossa then set up a short-handed goal by Jonathan Toews to ice the game.
Hossa stole the puck at the Chicago blue line from Johan Franzen and skated the right wing, pulled up and fed Toews who cut into the net and tucked a shot in.
Ben Smith scored a goal and handed out an assist. Nick Leddy scored as well. Chicago is in a struggle to remain in touch with the top Western Conference contenders.
Despite winning on Sunday, Chicago is 11-8-7 since the New Year. The Blackhawks are in fifth place in the playoff race.
Detroit is desperate to win games as they attempt to make the postseason for the 24th straight time.
This was the second time the clubs met since last year’s second round in the playoffs. Detroit defeated Chicago on January 22, 5-4 in a shootout.
The Red Wings and Blackhawks were two of the biggest division rivals in the NHL for 31 seasons until the NHL realignment sent the Red Wing s to the Eastern Conference from the West this season.
The Original Six had been grouped in the Central division for the past 19 seasons and in the Norris Division for 12 seasons prior to that.
Chicago outshot Detroit in a scoreless first 11-5, but neither of the teams could generate any sustained pressure or prime scoring opportunities.
The Blackhawks upped the pressure in the second and outshot the Red Wings 14-7 for that period. The Blackhawks opened the scoring in the second at 8:44, then Detroit tied it at 4:50 and the Blackhawks scored their second with just 14 seconds remaining in the second.
Hossa’s hustle iced the game for Chicago in the final period.
Chicago hopes Teuvo Teravainen a top prospect at center can join them soon in their drive for the postseason. Teravainen’s Finnish team was eliminated on Sunday from the playoffs. That now paves the way for the Finn, who is just 19 to sign his NHL contract after being drafted in 2012 by Chicago in the first round.
The Red Wings are now 3 points out of the final playoff spot in the East. However, they have two games in hand and 15 still to play giving them a chance to regain momentum and qualify.
Chicago is fifth in the West but has a 10-point lead over sixth place Los Angeles.
