sleddy2008
04-23-2010, 04:32 PM
C/P from TSN.ca
(Sports Network) - The Detroit Red Wings will try to take their first lead of the Western Conference quarterfinals tonight, when they visit the Phoenix Coyotes for Game 5 at Jobing.com Arena. The game can be seen live on TSN and TSNHD at 10pm et/7pm pt.
The clubs have split the first four games of this best-of-seven series, with Phoenix taking Games 1 and 3 and Detroit picking up victories in the even- numbered contests.
The fifth-seeded Red Wings, the two-time defending Western Conference champions and Stanley Cup winners from two years ago, posted a 3-0 home victory in Game 4 on Tuesday.
Jimmy Howard stopped all 29 shots he faced to post his first career playoff shutout as Detroit used a late burst to down the fourth-seeded Coyotes in the recent matchup at Joe Louis Arena. Howard bounced back after allowing a total of 11 goals in Games 1-3.
"I'm going to enjoy it here for a couple minutes," said Howard, who gave up four goals in his last start. "Then, just like I did the other night, forget about it and get ready for Friday."
Todd Bertuzzi, Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg lit the lamp for the Red Wings, who haven't lost in the opening round since getting ousting by Edmonton in the spring of 2006.
Phoenix, meanwhile, is in the playoffs for the first time since 2002 and is trying to win its first postseason series since 1987, when the franchise was still located in Winnipeg. The Jets beat Calgary in the opening round that year before getting swept in the second round by Edmonton.
The Coyotes hope to have centerman Shane Doan back in the lineup tonight after he missed most of Game 3 and all of the fourth contest with an upper-body injury. Doan, who is the Coyotes captain and was the team's leading scorer during the regular season, is questionable for this evening's contest.
"When you lose a big guy like that, you're certainly going to miss him," Coyotes forward Lee Stempniak said of Doan's absence. "But at the same time, we played without him and won Game 3."
Coyotes forward Vernon Fiddler, who sat out Game 3 with an upper-body injury, did return on Tuesday, but couldn't help Phoenix get on the scoreboard.
Ilya Bryzgalov, a finalist for this year's Vezina Trophy, allowed three goals on 35 shots in the Game 4 defeat for the Coyotes.
Detroit and the Coyotes are meeting in the postseason for just the third time and first since Detroit eliminated Phoenix in six games in the 1998 conference quarterfinals. Detroit also finished off Winnipeg in six games of the opening round of the 1996 playoffs.
The Coyotes and Red Wings split four regular-season meetings this year.
Phoenix had a superb 29-10-2 record on home ice during the regular season. The Red Wings were 19-14-8 on the road this year,
(Sports Network) - The Detroit Red Wings will try to take their first lead of the Western Conference quarterfinals tonight, when they visit the Phoenix Coyotes for Game 5 at Jobing.com Arena. The game can be seen live on TSN and TSNHD at 10pm et/7pm pt.
The clubs have split the first four games of this best-of-seven series, with Phoenix taking Games 1 and 3 and Detroit picking up victories in the even- numbered contests.
The fifth-seeded Red Wings, the two-time defending Western Conference champions and Stanley Cup winners from two years ago, posted a 3-0 home victory in Game 4 on Tuesday.
Jimmy Howard stopped all 29 shots he faced to post his first career playoff shutout as Detroit used a late burst to down the fourth-seeded Coyotes in the recent matchup at Joe Louis Arena. Howard bounced back after allowing a total of 11 goals in Games 1-3.
"I'm going to enjoy it here for a couple minutes," said Howard, who gave up four goals in his last start. "Then, just like I did the other night, forget about it and get ready for Friday."
Todd Bertuzzi, Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg lit the lamp for the Red Wings, who haven't lost in the opening round since getting ousting by Edmonton in the spring of 2006.
Phoenix, meanwhile, is in the playoffs for the first time since 2002 and is trying to win its first postseason series since 1987, when the franchise was still located in Winnipeg. The Jets beat Calgary in the opening round that year before getting swept in the second round by Edmonton.
The Coyotes hope to have centerman Shane Doan back in the lineup tonight after he missed most of Game 3 and all of the fourth contest with an upper-body injury. Doan, who is the Coyotes captain and was the team's leading scorer during the regular season, is questionable for this evening's contest.
"When you lose a big guy like that, you're certainly going to miss him," Coyotes forward Lee Stempniak said of Doan's absence. "But at the same time, we played without him and won Game 3."
Coyotes forward Vernon Fiddler, who sat out Game 3 with an upper-body injury, did return on Tuesday, but couldn't help Phoenix get on the scoreboard.
Ilya Bryzgalov, a finalist for this year's Vezina Trophy, allowed three goals on 35 shots in the Game 4 defeat for the Coyotes.
Detroit and the Coyotes are meeting in the postseason for just the third time and first since Detroit eliminated Phoenix in six games in the 1998 conference quarterfinals. Detroit also finished off Winnipeg in six games of the opening round of the 1996 playoffs.
The Coyotes and Red Wings split four regular-season meetings this year.
Phoenix had a superb 29-10-2 record on home ice during the regular season. The Red Wings were 19-14-8 on the road this year,