Hasek keeps Red Wings alive for the Win

Like most games recently, the Red Wings didn't start off very strong. It started off with the Blackhawks in the first period with a goal by Radim Vrbata in the sixth minute. The Red Wings were lucky leaving the first period with only one goal given up. The Blackhawks had pressure on Hasek throughout the first period. He sparked his team to get going.

In the second period, the Red Wings responded with a goal of their own by Kris Draper in the sixth minute. After the goal, the Blawkhawks didn't give up and began pressuring Hasek throughout the second period with many scoring opportunities.

In the third period, the Red Wings really go going. At the start of the period the Red Wings were tied 1-1 with the Blackhawks. Halfway through the period things weren't looking good when Chris Chelios got called for a penalty after an accidental high stick. Eight seconds after the penalty started, Pavel Datsyuk stole the puck from Adrian Aucoin at the blue line and scored a shorthanded goal after making his move. This gave the Red Wings a 2-1 lead. Later in the same power-play, Bryan Smolinski connected with a slapshot from the right circle a minute and half later. The puck deflected off Mathieu Schneider pad and went right past Hasek, it was now tied again at 2-2. Later in the thirteenth minute, Henrik Zetterberg scored a goal in the midst of a penalty being called with a cross-ice pass from Datsyuk. This put the Red Wings up for good. Henrik Zetterberg sealed the deal with an empty-net goal in the nineteenth minute.

Like usual, the Red Wings start off slow until Henrik Zetterberg pulls through late in the game. This seems to be a pattern with the Red Wings lately. After the game, they interviewed Hasek. He didn't seem to be satisfied with the win stating, "We played a team that's 20 points behind us, you should beat a team like that."

With this win, the Red Wings finally took control over the central division being one point ahead of Nashville. The Red Wings record is 39-16-6 with Nashville only slightly behind at 40-18-3. The Red Wings have the best record in the Western Conference and the second best record in the NHL. They are one point down to the Sabres.

Currently, the Red Wings are on a thirteen game home win streak. They are only one game short of the franchise record set in 1964-65.

Next the Red Wings will face the Edmonton Oilers on Friday. The Red Wings seem to struggle with the Oilers so we will have to see how it turns out. The Red Wings have twenty-one games left in this season with five more games against Nashville.