Day 8 Round 2 NHL Playoffs 2009

The two Western Conference semi-finals series are tied up at 2-2.

Vancouver Canucks vs Chicago Blackhawks: Chicago wins 2-1 (Series tied 2-2)

Vancouver had 3 minutes left before they would take a 3-1 series lead heading back for a potential series clincher at home. But then three Chicago Blackhawks rewrote the script, as Martin Havlat, Andrew Ladd, and David Bolland each got a point from each of the next two goals Chicago would score: one with less than 3 minutes in the third period and the game winner under 3 minutes into the first overtime. It was a tough win to steal for Chicago, but it was well-deserved, as they thoroughly outworked the Canucks but simply couldn't find a way to beat Luongo until the dying moments of the game. This series is a lot tighter than most people expected, which benefits the Blackhawks more than the Canucks. We'll see how it plays out in the end, but game 7 is suddenly a very real possibility.

Detroit Red Wings vs Anaheim Ducks: Detroit wins 6-3 (Series tied 2-2)

Detroit tied the last franchise record they probably wanted to tie: the quickest allowed goal in a playoff game. Corey Perry scored 22 seconds in, and Anaheim began unraveling the Red Wings in the first half of the third period. Then Mike Babcock made the line change he wanted to avoid as much as possible: he paired Datsyuk and Zetterberg while putting Franzen, Hossa, and Filppula together. It worked, as Hossa and Franzen got two goals each to put the Wings up 4-2 at the end of the second, and despite a nasty third period, Zetterberg scored the sixth goal for Detroit into the empty net to secure the win with two minutes left in the game. Jonas Hiller was pulled after allowing the fifth goal 2 minutes into the third period, and Giguere stopped all 6 shots he faced in 18 minutes of action. Getzlaf was nowhere to be seen, and Hiller gave up 3 bad goals and looked as if he had no idea that the puck was being shot at times. Beauchemin thoroughly won a fight midway through the third period to try and get his team energized, but he forgot one thing: they were already short a defenseman after game 3.

Both series have been back and forth in terms of games won and lost, but I still say the Red Wings are still working within their game plan. Vancouver, on the other hand, has some issues to work out, as they found out today that relying purely on Roberto Luongo isn't a good way to win games. With Hiller showing weaknesses for the first time in the playoffs, Anaheim has a lot to worry about, as their offense is a one-line wonder.