The San Jose Sharks put the Detroit Red Wings on the ropes Friday night in Game 4 of their Western Conference Semifinal series, coming back from a 3-0 deficit and putting the Red Wings into a situation where the next goal would likely win.
Red Wings Vs. Sharks, Game 5: Detroit May Have To Face Elimination Without Datsyuk, Franzen
However, Darren Helm scored with 1:27 to go in the third period to give the Red Wings a brief stay of execution. That could quickly turn into a legitimate comeback if they're able to get a win in Game 5 of the series on the road at HP Pavilion in San Jose Sunday evening.
The big news is that Detroit may be forced to take on tonight's game without the services of both Pavel Datsyuk and Johan Franzen, both of whom are described as "game-time decisions" by Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock. If not able to go, the Red Wings would use Mike Modano (in what could be his last game as an NHL player) and Drew Miller in their places. Datsyuk's been Detroit's leading scorer in the post-season, so his loss would be a massive blow with the Wings looking to stay alive.
The Sharks simply look to get a better start than they did in the Motor City on Friday night, where they fell down three goals before they even got one late in the first. They look to be going with the same lineup that they did two nights ago, and want to avoid another cross-country flight and a Game 6 in Detroit. Antii Niemi will once again man the nets for the Sharks.
We’ll be here all evening with updates and other good stuff. Check out Fear The Fin and Winging It In Motown for a more local focus.
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