Blackhawks Win Game 3 in Overtime
May 23, 2009 by Jeanne Dupuis
Filed under Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, NHL Playoffs
The Chicago Blackhawks blew an amazing 3-0 lead in Game 3 of the 2009 Western Conference Finals against the Detroit Red Wings. They scored two quick goals in the first period and struck again less than a minute into the second but then the Red Wings seemed to wake up and quickly evened out the game.
image: Zuma Press
Heading into the third period it was all locked up and it remained that way until Patrick Sharp scored at 1:52 of overtime allowing the Blackhawks to skate away with a 4-3 victory. The win has cut Detroit’s series lead, making it 2-1.
Both teams were dealing with injuries. Detroit played without star player, Pavel Datsyuk, in the lineup and Chicago’s Martin Havlat left the game in the first period after getting smashed by Niklas Kronwall. Coach Joel Quenneville said Havlat had shown signs of improvement after the game and would be reevaluated today.
The most scary injury, though, was the loss of starting goaltender, Nikolai Khabibulin, who had to be replaced by Cristobal Huet with the game tied at 3-3. I really expected for things to take a turn for the worse for Chicago with this development but Huet, who hasn’t played so far in the postseason, hung on and stopped six shots in the third. “I didn’t have time to think really,” Huet said. “I’ve been practicing a long time for that moment. I was anxious but at the same time ready to help the team in any way I could.”
Game 4 is Sunday at the United Centre in Chicago.
Just dumb luck.