Jakub Kindl scored his first goal of the postseason Thursday as Detroit upended the Blackhawks by a score of 2-0 to take a 3-1 lead in their second round playoff series.
Kindl's goal midway through the second period was assisted by Carlo Colaiacovo and Johan Franzen and held up as the only tally of the contest until Dan Cleary's empty-net marker in the game's final minute iced the victory for Detroit.

Jimmy Howard stopped all 28 shots he faced in the Red Wings' 2-0 win over Chicago Thursday night.
Howard was excellent in this game and thanks to his strong play, the Wings now hold a 3-1 advantage in their second round playoff series. The series shifts back to Chicago for Game Five Saturday.

The Detroit Red Wings have won more faceoffs than the Chicago Blackhawks in every game of their second-round series.
That's certainly been a boost for Detroit and played a role in them taking a 2-1 series lead. "It's definitely a factor," Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville admitted. "We've got to get better in that area. It's definitely an area that is a point of emphasis moving forward. All (zones are) critical, special teams, PK (penalty kill), offensive . We've given up a couple of goals the last two games (because of lost faceoffs)." Overall, the Red Wings have a 52.6% success rate on the draw in the playoffs, but they've won 54.6% of their faceoffs in the second round.

Jimmy Howard argued that people underestimating the Detroit Red Wings is nothing new.
"A lot of people have counted us out for many years, saying our leadership is getting too old," Howard said. "And those guys just go out and prove the naysayers wrong. A lot of people picked the 'Hawks to sweep us, and we're playing great hockey against them now. We just gotta keep it up." The Detroit Red Wings didn't make it past the second round in each of their previous three playoff runs, so they didn't exactly defy expectations. At the same time, the Red Wings were seen as a team in transition in 2013 and were expected to regress. They just barely made the playoffs, but the fact that they might even go further than any Detroit team since 2009 is impressive.

Dan DeKeyser said he expected to have his hard cast removed from his broken thumb after practice Wednesday and he hopes to return at some point if the Red Wings can advance deep into the postseason.
"As long as they keep winning here, that just gives me a better chance for a return with every win," DeKeyser said. "I'm just hoping that the guys in here can keep winning and keep improving along the way. Hopefully, I'll get a chance in a playoff game again." He might be available to return around mid-June if his six-week recovery projection holds true.

Darren Helm hasn't skated in two and a half weeks, but he's hoping that staying off the ice will help his ailing back finally get better.
"I feel pretty good and feel that I can go out onto the ice and get going," Helm said Wednesday. "But, we've proven three or four times already that that doesn't work. Just (taking) a different approach and hopefully this one works." He won't be back during Detroit's second-round series, but if the team advances further into the playoffs then he is hoping to be available. He isn't expected to need surgery despite all the setbacks he has suffered.

Mattias Backman has agreed to a three-year, entry-level contract with the Detroit Red Wings.
He produced two goals and 24 assists in 52 games for Linkoping of the Swedish Elite League this past campaign. Backman is expected to spend another season in Sweden and former assistant GM Jim Nill said that he is probably two-to-three years away from playing at the NHL level if he continues to develop at his current pace. Backman was selected in the fifth round of the 2011 draft.

Jonathan Ericsson stressed the value of getting under the Blackhawks' skin.
"If we can get them frustrated, that's almost 1-0 for us right away," Ericsson said. "So that's what we want to do." The Blackhawks are denying that the Red Wings have succeeded in frustrating them, but they have suffered back-to-back rough losses against Detroit. They'll enter Game 4 on Thursday with the goal of evening this series, but if the Red Wings get off to a strong sstart, it could be a big blow to Chicago's confidence.

Jakub Kindl is finally getting a chance to be a regular defenseman and has three assists and a plus-3 rating in 10 postseason games.
Kindl settled into his role midway through the regular season after spending the past two years as an extra defenseman. With Brad Stuart and Nicklas Lidstrom no longer in Detroit, the Red Wings needed the former first-round pick to step up. Kindl has been huge for us," Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said. "He's found confidence." Kindl credits the new confidence to the lockout, when he played major minutes for a team in the Czech Republic. "Once the season started, I came here and was I ready," Kindl say.

The Detroit Red Wings had a familiar refrain after Monday's Game 3 win, telling reporters "we haven't done anything yet."
It's the sound of a team with veteran leadership and a weathered coach who's seen far too much to think anything is assured beyond Detroit's 2-1 series lead. Still, it's impressive that a Red Wings team that had to win out the last week of the season just to make the playoffs has put the rival Blackhawks on their heels for probably the first time all year. "Let's be honest, we haven't done anything yet," coach Mike Babcock said. "As the year has gone one we've gotten better. You have to play good enough and long enough to get some confidence."

Drew Miller's goal 8:20 into the second period turned out to be the game winner in Monday's 3-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks.
Miller's goal wasn't nearly as pretty as some of the others scored Monday night, but that doesn't make it any less important. The gritty winger charged the net and swatted home the rebound of a Patrick Eaves shot only 30 seconds after Gustav Nyquist made it 1-0 for Detroit. Miller also logged a shift of 3:15 early in the second period, most of which was spent in the defensive zone and started with the tail end of a Blackhawks power play.

Pavel Datsyuk threaded a goal just under the crossbar at 6:46 of the third period in Monday's 3-1 Game 3 win.
Datsyuk's goal came just over 2 minutes after the Blackhawks had cut Detroit's lead to 2-1 and not long after the referees negated a Chicago's game-tying goal with an interference call. The goal itself was vintage Datsyuk and eerily similar to one he scored against Anaheim in the first round, with Datsyuk streaking into the zone and roofing the puck shortside just over Corey Crawford's shoulder. Datsyuk shot the puck so perfectly it rang in and out of the net fast enough for the TV announcers to think he hit the crossbar.

Jimmy Howard stopped 39 of 40 shots in Monday's 3-1 win to help the Detroit Red Wings take a 2-1 series lead over the Chicago Blackhawks.
After facing just 20 shots in Game 2, Howard was under constant threat Monday night. He also got the benefit of the crossbar stopping Viktor Stalberg and an interference call negating what would've been the game-tying goal in the third period. Still, it's hard to deny that Howard was one of the better Red Wings on the ice and one of the main reasons Detroit has a real change to upend the favored Blackhawks.

The Red Wings aren't expected to make any changes to their lineup entering Game 3 Monday night.
That means that Todd Bertuzzi and Mikael Samuelsson will probably remain as healthy scratches. The two teams have each won one game with the semifinal series shifting to Detroit. "Now it's a best-of-five," coach Mike Babcock said. "Not much to pick between the two teams the first two games. They were better than us in Game 1. We were better than them in Game 2. Series starts all over here today, and I imagine you'll have to up the ante to win here today. We're excited to play at home, as usual. We have good fan support."

Mikael Samuelsson is still day-to-day with a sore pectoral muscle.
Samuelsson originally sustained the injury on March 31 and returned to play in the first round against the Ducks, playing in the final five games of the series. He had a goal and an assist against Anaheim but has yet to play in round 2. Consider him questionable for Monday's contest.

Mike Babcock is having a great time coaching the Detroit Red Wings in the 2013 playoffs.
"It's fun, it's the most fun I've had coaching in a couple of years, by far," Babcock said. "Just because we've got an enthusiastic group. Not that we didn't before, but we've got a really enthusiastic group. We've got good leadership. At the start of the year, we weren't a good team, but we understand that. We buckled down and we got better. The coaching staff is fun, the players are fun, it's been a fun year for us." The Red Wings hope the fun continues tonight as they meet the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 3 of the Western Conference semi-finals.

Mike Babcock is a lot happier these days as he has three good offensive lines.
The third line of Joakim Andersson, Damien Brunner and Gustav Nyquist has been outstanding for the Detroit coach as he put the trio together late in the regular season when the Red Wings promoted Nyquist and Andersson from the minors and dropped Brunner from the top line. "The Andersson line has been a key for us because we got worked in the three line the first two or three months (of the regular season)," Babcock said. "We couldn't handle it."

Damien Brunner is excelling on the third line with fellow rookies Joakim Andersson and Gustav Nyquist.
Brunner has four goals and seven points in nine playoff games to lead all first year players. Brunner is not actually considered a rookie because of his age but it is his first season in the NHL after a very good career in Europe. He played a lot of the regular season with Henrik Zetterberg but his play in the playoffs has been excellent as a third line player. "I really don't think (Brunner) has a clue what's going on," Jimmy Howard said with a chuckle. "I don't think he understands the realm of things and what can possibly happen as the playoffs unfold. He's in a good mood every single game. We got a lot of guys with a lot of energy, and you can just see the excitement on their faces."

Niklas Kronwall picked up his second point of the playoffs Saturday.
After a 29 point performance in 48 regular season games, Kronwall has struggled in the playoffs offensively as he has only two assists in nine games. He assisted on Johan Franzen's third period goal, along with Jonathan Ericsson. Kronwall needs to pick it up offensively for the Red Wings if Detroit has any hope in moving on to the Western Conference final.

Daniel Cleary had one assist on Saturday.
Cleary is having a good offensive playoff with two goals and four assists in nine games. Kudos if you picked him late in your playoff pool.

Coach Mike Babcock was very pleased to have Drew Miller back in the lineup.
Miller was out of the Detroit lineup since April 20 with a hand injury before returning Saturday. "I've got three penalty killers now on the fourth line," Babcock said. "Millsie knows how to play in all positions and he can really skate and get on the forecheck. He's not a big man but he's got a great stick and knows how to play, and so he makes us a much better team." Miller's return to the lineup bumped Todd Bertuzzi to the press box.

Henrik Zetterberg had two assists in the Red Wings 4-1 win Saturday.
The captain of the Red Wings moved into a tie for fourth place in NHL scoring as he now has 10 points in the playoffs, including three goals. He played 19:38 minutes Saturday and was the second star of the game.

Johan Franzen scored his fourth goal of the playoffs Saturday.
Franzen broke out of scoring slump with his third period goal as he had gone the previous six games without a goal and the last three games without a point. The Red Wings are looking for the talented Franzen to be a difference maker in their series against the Blackhawks and Saturday's game could be the starting point.

Brendan Smith had a great bounce back game Saturday after struggling in Game 1 Wednesday.
Smith's second goal of the playoffs was the game winner and his overall play was crucial in the Red Wings win. "I thought Smitty was fantastic today," coach Mike Babcock said. "But he sure does seem to be in the middle of things, doesn't he?" The rookie defenseman is worth looking at in deeper pools next season as a sixth defenseman.

Drew Miller logged 12:07 minutes on Saturday in his return from a hand injury.
"I felt good," said Miller. "I was ready to go for sure, I skated a lot, and I felt fine, didn't have any issues." He had a shot on goal and a blocked shot. He also helped the Red Wings kill penalties in their 4-1 victory.

Jimmy Howard turned aside 19 of 20 shots in a 4-1 victory against Chicago.
That's quite a change of pace for Howard after facing 41 shots in Game 1. The Red Wings have managed to split the first two games in Chicago and rob the Blackhawks of their home ice advantage in this series. The Blackhawks were regarded as the overwhelming favorites going into the second round, but Detroit shouldn't be ignored. They might not look as good as the Red Wings' teams of old, but they certainly have enough talent to at least compete with anyone in the league.

Damien Brunner scored his fourth goal of the playoffs in Detroit's 4-1 win Saturday.
Brunner slowed down as the 2013 season went on, but he's been a pleasant surprise for the Red Wings in the playoffs. Brendan Smith, Johan Franzen, and Valtteri Filppula netted the Red Wings' other three goals. Henrik Zetterberg recorded his sixth and seventh assists of the postseason. Jakub Kindl, Daniel Cleary, Joakim Andersson, Jonathan Ericsson, and Niklas Kronwall each registered an assist in Game 2.

Todd Bertuzzi is a healthy scratch on Saturday.
Drew Miller (hand) is ready to return and that's why Bertuzzi was pushed out of the lineup. Bertuzzi has no points and a minus-two rating in six playoff games.

Drew Miller (hand) will return to Detroit's lineup on Saturday.
Miller said on Friday that he wasn't 100%, but he felt good enough to play. This will be his first game since April 20.

Brendan Smith took a lot of criticism for his play in Game 1 Wednesday.
Coach Mike Babcock did not think that Smith played poorly and spent Friday morning in the video room going over a tape with Smith that showed the defenseman all the good plays he made in Game 1. "I saw a young guy try to make a bunch of plays and no one there to accept the pass on the other end," Babcock said. Smith's speed allows him to be the first one to get the puck when it is dumped in and hopefully he will recover from the troubles he had in Game 1 and use the pep talk he got from Babcock to his advantage. Smith has a goal and an assist in eight playoffs games and despite his perceived poor performance Wednesday, he was plus-one in a 4-1 loss.

The Detroit Red Wings have been outscored 15-5 in the third period during the 2013 playoffs.
That is not a good recipe for winning games and series and the Red Wings will need to figure out how to hold off the Blackhawks in the final stanza while increasing their production. The good thing is that the Red Wings scored enough in their opening round series to defeat the Ducks in seven games and move into the second round against the top-seed Chicago Blackhawks.

Do not be surprised if the Detroit Red Wings put up a much better effort in Game 2 Saturday.
The Red Wings were spent coming into Game 1 Wednesday as the dropped a 4-1 decision to the Chicago Blackhawks. Detroit had a tough seven game series with Anaheim and the extra travel to the West Coast did not help. Detroit played like they were in a fog according to Henrik Zetterberg. "That's how it felt like, we were there but we weren't really there," the captain said. "It's nice to have a few extra days here and we feel we're ready to go." The Red Wings expect to play a lot better on Saturday.

Defenseman Dan DeKeyser (broken thumb) skated on Friday.
Before you get too excited that the rookie defenseman will be back in the lineup, he is still six-eight weeks away from returning. "I was just waiting to see the doctor and after he checked it out, he said I could get at least get on the ice and keep the legs going," he said. "I'm doing every little thing I can to make sure it gets better as quick as it can." Look for DeKeyser to be back for developmental camp in July. He has a lot of talent and should be considered late in deeper drafts next season if he is able to crack the Detroit lineup.

Drew Miller (hand) believes he's ready to return to the Red Wings' lineup.
"I wouldn't say it's 100% percent, but I wouldn't say it's far off," Miller said. "I think I can play. I'm comfortable with it. I thought practice today was the big step to see how it was. I got through practice and I felt fine and everything, I had no pain. I feel like I was able to perform what I need to perform to be able to play. As far as I'm concerned, I'm available." Miller had four goals and eight points in 44 regular season games. Consider him probable for Game 2 on Saturday.

Jonathan Ericsson wasn't too happy with Detroit's defense in Game 1 of their second-round series.
"I think it took way too long for us to get out of our own zone and when we get out we don't have any energy to attack. . We have to do a much better job in the D-zone and the D's got to do a better job of getting the pucks up and the forwards have to do a better job in being open," Ericsson said. Over the past few seasons, several Red Wings defensemen have either left the team or retired and that's pushed Ericsson into the position of being one of the team's veteran blueliners. He ranks second on the team with 18 hits and fourth with eight blocked shots.

Johan Franzen has cooled down again.
Franzen has one goal in Detroit's last six games and no points in their last three contests. That's not a horrible stretch, but Detroit needs all of their best players if they're going to defeat the Chicago Blackhawks in the second round. When Franzen gets hot, he can be a difference maker and the Red Wings just have to hope that happens.

The Chicago Blackhawks have nothing but respect for Pavel Datsyuk.
"He's tricky," Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith said. "I'd say probably the toughest guy one-on-one to handle in the league. He's got a lot of different moves up his sleeve. ... I mean, I can't say enough good things about him. We always have our hands full when we play him, and we have to be on top of our game." Datsyuk was nominated for the Selke Trophy on Wednesday and he's already won the award three times before. He couldn't save his team from a 4-1 loss in Game 1 though.

Mikael Samuelsson missed Game 1 due to a "sore" pectoral muscle.
Samuelsson originally sustained the injury on March 31 and it never fully healed. "It's been there for a while," he said. "No excuses. I just re-injured it a little bit." Consider him day-to-day for now.

The Detroit Red Wings were 0-for-3 with the man advantage on Wednesday.
Although that certainly wasn't their only problem in their 4-1 loss to Chicago, getting a power-play goal early might have altered the course of this game. The Blackhawks have been perfect on the penalty kill in the playoffs, so Detroit has their work cut out for them in that regard.

Detroit Red Wings coach Mike Babcock thinks fatigue was a factor in Detroit's 4-1 loss.
That's not surprising given that Detroit had to make several cross-country trips in their first-round series against Anaheim. "We did a lot of traveling last series, back and forth," Babcock said. "I saw us yesterday in practice and I wasn't surprised when I saw us today. I didn't think we were very quick." Detroit will get a few days to rest before playing Game 2 on Saturday.

Jimmy Howard isn't being blamed for Detroit's 4-1 loss on Wednesday.
Howard was one of the few reasons Detroit even had a chance for most of this contest. The Blackhawks were overwhelming in the second and third periods, but Howard kept the game tied until 8:02 of the third period. "We weren't good enough in front of him," Red Wings coach Mike Babcock. "We gave up too many opportunities, and then made some key mistakes down the stretch, obviously." Detroit needs Howard to continue to be one of their best players, but they certainly have to give him more support as well.

Jimmy Howard kicked aside 38 of 41 shots Wednesday night in the Red Wings' 4-1 loss to the Blackhawks in Game 1 of their second-round series.
Howard deserved better in this game. Stingy through two periods with one goal allowed on 23 shots, Howard "caved" in the third, giving up two more on 18 shots, the final goal going in via the empty net. He was the main reason Detroit had a fighting chance to steal this one on the road. That's great news for the Red Wings, who will certainly need Howard to continue to elevate his game against a high-flying offense. The bad news is Howard needs help from his teammates and he didn't get much of that -- from his offense or defense -- in this one.

Damien Brunner notched the only goal for the Red Wings in their 4-1 loss in Game 1 of their semifinal series with the Blackhawks on Wednesday night.
It was pretty much the lone bright spot offensively for the Red Wings, who couldn't sustain enough of a forecheck and offensive pressure to really put the Blackhawks on their heels, even when the game was tied 1-1 leading up to the third period. Brunner now has three goals and three assists in the postseason. Gustav Nyquist and Jonathan Ericsson picked up the helpers on the goal. Justin Abdelkader had four penalty minutes and had a game-high eight hits. Niklas Kronwall and Johan Franzen finished with a team-low minus-two rating.

Detroit coach Mike Babcock is confident that Pavel Datsyuk won't be going to play in Russia after his contract expires next season.
"You mean how long is his deal and how much is he gonna make? Well, there's this much possibility he's going back to Russia," said Babcock, making a zero with his thumb and index finger. "I mean, we'll get it done (new deal) in the summer." He is set to make $6.7 million in 2013-14 and talks for an extension are expected to take place in July. There was speculation that he could play in the KHL after speaking fondly of his experience during the lockout, which set off some alarm bells. "It's kind of my dream, to (go) back and enjoy (playing in front of) Russian friends," Datsyuk said back in January. "They (fans) cheered for me. You never know how your career will go." Hopefully, for Detroit and for hockey fans in North America he gets will stay in the NHL.

Cory Emmerton will draw back into Detroit's lineup Wednesday night when they open the second round of the playoffs against Chicago.
He suited up in the Red Wings' first six games in Round 1 versus Anaheim, but was a healthy scratch in Game 7. He will replace injured forward Mikael Samuelsson in the lineup and will center the fourth line his return.

Pavel Datsyuk is a nominee for the Selke Trophy.
The award goes to the best defensive forward in the NHL. Although Datsyuk has some fierce competition in Patrice Bergeron and Jonathan Toews, but Datsyuk certainly has a shot. He had a plus-21 rating and tied the league-lead with 56 takeaways. Datsyuk plus/minus rating in particular was impressive, given that he faced some of the toughest competition in the NHL, based on advanced statistics. In fact, only 18 forwards faced tougher competition in 2013 and none of them had a plus/minus rating above plus-seven. Datsyuk is going for his fourth Selke Trophy win.

Daniel Cleary knows the Red Wings are the underdogs against the Chicago Blackhawks, but the odds aren't overwhelming.
"We think we have a good team," Cleary said. "I know people are probably saying that the gap is pretty wide between us and Chicago, but if you think like that, you don't really have a chance. We feel that the gap is not like that. They're the (No.) 1 seed. They've got the pressure." The Blackhawks biggest edge over the Red Wings lies in their depth. If Detroit is going to win this series, it will probably be because guys like Cleary stepped up.

The Detroit Red Wings have their work cut out for them when it comes to capitalizing on their power-play opportunities.
The Chicago Blackhawks are the only team with a perfect penalty killing record in the 2013 playoffs. "Definitely they've had some success," Niklas Kronwall said of the unit ranked third during the regular season. "They do a good job of making it hard to get the puck through. It's something you have to work on and make sure we get the pucks there." Kronwall leads the Red Wings with 23:39 power-play minutes in the postseason. As a team they had a 24.0% success rate against the Anaheim Ducks when they had the man advantage in the first round.

Mikael Samuelsson's undisclosed injury is related to his pectoral muscle/shoulder.
Samuelsson left Tuesday's practice before it's conclusion due to the ailment. He's questionable for Game 1 on Wednesday.

After playing the Anaheim Ducks in the first round, the Detroit Red Wings are grateful to face the geographically closer Chicago Blackhawks.
"It's going to be nice," Henrik Zetterberg said of the more favorable travel schedule. The Red Wings have been forced to play in the Western Conference, but that will change in 2013-14 thanks to the NHL's realignment plans.

Justin Abdelkader has grown into a top-six forward.
Abdelkader's physical play in the main reason he's moved up in the depth charts, but he also has some offensive upside. He had two goals and three points in five games in the first round. If he can continue to get top-six minutes next season, he'll be a candidate for a breakout season.

Mikael Samuelsson left Tuesday's practice early with an undisclosed injury.
Samuelsson's status for Wednesday's Game 7 is unknown at this point. Samuelsson skated on the fourth line in Game 7 of the Wings' first-round series after briefly spending time on Detroit's first line while Justin Abdelkader was suspended. We should know more after Wednesday's morning skate.

Jimmy Howard left practice early Tuesday and has apparently been dealing with a sore hamstring.
The Wings don't begin their series against the Blackhawks until Wednesday so this is likely just a precautionary move more than anything. We can't imagine this injury keeping Howard out of Game 1, especially since he's been playing, and playing well, in spite of it. We'll leave him active for now as we fully expect Howard to be in the net Wednesday night.

Detroit Red Wings coach Mike Babcock says Valtteri Filppula needs to be a "huge factor" against the Chicago Blackhawks.
Filppula, who is slated for free agency this summer, had one goal and four points in seven first-round games but also had some bad giveaways, particularly on a Game 6 goal by Emerson Etem. Due to the Hawks' great depth, the Red Wings need Filppula to be one of their best players without having to play alongside Henrik Zetterberg.

Jimmy Howard says beating the Chicago Blackhawks will be a "tall order" for the Detroit Red Wings.
Howard's quote is as respectful and platonic as they get in the postseason but that doesn't mean he's wrong. The Hawks are stacked at almost every position and will likely scratch guys that could play for a lot of other teams in the playoffs. Howard was good against the Ducks but will have to take his game up a notch against a Chicago team that swept Detroit in the regular season.

Henrik Zetterberg played alongside Valtteri Filppula and Daniel Cleary Sunday.
Coach Mike Babcock split up Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk for Game 7 with Datsyuk centering Johan Franzen and Justin Abdelkader. "I thought I should have last time in here and I didn't," coach Mike Babcock said. "I had met with the guys and told them I was going to do it until the 10-minute mark just to get through the first bit and then get it back together, but I liked what was going on so much I kept them there." The move worked as the Ducks were unable to get the matchups they wanted as they did earlier in the series.

Mike Babcock used Pavel Datsyuk on the face off a lot in Game 7.
Datsyuk took 31 draws, winning 17 as he led both teams in both categories. Babcock would have Datsyuk take the draw and then have him come immediately to the bench on numerous occasions. Babcock also split up Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg for Game 7 although the duo should be used on the same line once again against Chicago.

Cory Emmerton was a healthy scratch in Game 7 Sunday.
Emmerton was replaced on the fourth line by Patrick Eaves as he centered Todd Bertuzzi and Mikael Samuelsson Sunday.

The Detroit Red Wings set an NHL record on Sunday as they became the first team to win 14 Game 7 games.
The Red Wings were tied with the Montreal Canadiens at 13 before Sunday's win. They will now face the Chicago Blackhawks in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Henrik Zetterberg was a superstar for Detroit on Sunday, registering a goal and an assist in a 3-2 win over Anaheim to advance to Round 2 of the NHL playoffs.
Zetterberg led the Red Wings with eight points in the series, seven of which came in the final three contests. Valtteri Filppula also registered a goal and an assist in the victory while Justin Abdelkader notched his second of the playoffs.

Jimmy Howard turned away 31 of 33 shots Sunday night as the Red Wings eliminated Anaheim from the postseason with a 3-2 victory.
Despite eking into the playoffs, the Red Wings relied on their veteran leadership during this postseason series and Howard was at the forefront of their comeback from a 3-2 deficit. The Red Wings will take on Chicago in the second round.

Patrick Eaves may be inserted in the Detroit lineup for Game 7.
Eaves will likely replace one of Mikael Samuelsson or Todd Bertuzzi on the fourth line. Just an FYI in case you are in a very deep playoff pool.

The Detroit Red Wings did not take a penalty in Game 6.
The Ducks have a good power play so that really helped the Red Wings in their win in Game 6. "Special teams will be big," captain Henrik Zetterberg said. "Anaheim has a good power play. Our penalty kill has to be its best and the same thing with our power play, it has to take advantage. It (the way the game is being called) is different from game to game."

Patrick Eaves may find himself in the Detroit lineup for Game Seven against the Ducks Sunday night.
Wings coach Mike Babcock wasn't pleased with what he saw from his fourth line in Friday's win and holds Eaves in high regard, hinting at a potential switch after the game. "There might be a lineup change,'' Babcock said. "I thought Patrick Eaves was real good for us. Our fourth line wasn't as good as it had been so maybe there's something there.'' Todd Bertuzzi, Mikael Samuelsson and Cory Emmerton are all candidates to watch from the press box if Eaves is inserted.

Carlo Colaiacovo played his first game for the Red Wings since April 14th as he suited up for Game Six of their opening round playoff series against the Ducks Friday.
The veteran blueliner only played in six regular season contests due to a shoulder ailment, but his puck-moving skills were a welcome addition for the Wings in his first game back "I thought Colaiacovo had a couple of shifts, like everyone else, he wishes he didn't have, but I thought he played well,'' coach Mike Babcock said. There's little doubt Colaiacovo will be in the lineup in place of Brian Lashoff for Game Seven of the series Sunday night.

Henrik Zetterberg scored two goals and registered an assist in Detroit's 4-3 overtime victory Friday to force a Game 7.
Pavel Datsyuk had a goal and two assists for Detroit. Justin Abdelkader scored in his return from a two-game suspension. He also led the squad with six hits. Jonathan Ericsson, Mikael Samuelsson, Valtteri Filppula, Daniel Cleary, and Niklas Kronwall each registered an assist in the Red Wings' win. Carlo Colaiacovo had a team-high four blocked shots.

Jimmy Howard saved 34 of 37 shots in a 4-3 overtime victory.
Detroit had a two goal lead until Howard surrendered two goals in the final four minutes of regulation time. That forced overtime, but he didn't have to face a single shot before Detroit's Henrik Zetterberg ended the game. With this victory, Detroit has forced a Game 7, which will be played on Sunday.

Patrick Eaves will be scratched for Friday's big Game 6 meeting against Anaheim.
Justin Abdelkader, who is returning from his two-game suspension, will take Eaves' spot in the lineup. Eaves has one assist and 12 hits in five games versus the Ducks in the series. The Wings have to win to keep their season alive.

Carlo Colaiacovo will dress in Game 6 against Anaheim.
He will be paired with Jakub Kindl and Brian Lashoff will draw out of the lineup. Colaiacovo was limited to six games during the regular season because of injury and he hasn't played in any of the Wings' previous five playoff contests versus the Ducks. The Wings will be looking to force Game 7 on home ice.

Mikael Samuelsson has been dropped from Detroit's first line.
Samuelsson was temporarily playing on it due to Justin Abdelkader's suspension. It's not clear if Samuelsson will be a healthy scratch for Game 6 on Friday or if the Red Wings will find a different role for him.

Justin Abdelkader will rejoin Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg on Detroit's top line.
Abdelkader was suspended and thus forced to miss Detroit's previous two games. Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said getting Abdelkader back would be "huge." Abdelkader doesn't put up a lot of points, but he'll create space for Datsyuk and Zetterberg. "I think he makes Z and Pav way better," Babcock said. "That'll really help."

Daniel Cleary managed to return in Game 5 after he was slammed into the boards by Anaheim forward Daniel Winnik late in the second period.
"I'm sore," Cleary said after the game. "My whole left side was sore - shoulder, hand, ribs, neck, head." However, he added that he expects to play Friday when the Wings face elimination from the playoffs in Game 6. Cleary has a goal and two assists in five games in the series.

Dan DeKeyser had surgery on his broken thumb and he may not be available to return until Detroit's development camp in July.
GM Ken Holland said there's a small chance that DeKeyser could play if the Wings make it to the Stanley Cup Finals. Detroit trails their first-round series 3-2 against Anaheim with Game 6 set for Friday night.

Red Wings coach Mike Babcock wasn't happy with Detroit's play in the first period of Game 5.
"I thought in the first period, we watched," Babcock said. The Ducks outshot them 18-9 through the first period, but the game was still tied 1-1. Detroit was actually largely able to match the Ducks blow-for-blow in this contest, but Nick Bonino gave Anaheim a 3-2 series lead with the overtime win.

Johan Franzen scored a power-play goal in Detroit's 3-2 overtime loss on Wednesday.
Franzen has three goals in five playoff games. All of those goals have come with the man advantage, but he hasn't been able to get a point when the team's are at even strength.

Justin Abdelkader has completed his two-game suspension.
Abdelkader is eligible to return to the Red Wings' lineup on Friday. He was punished for his hit on Anaheim's Toni Lydman, which left Lydman with a head injury.

Mikael Samuelsson scored his first goal of the 2013 playoffs on Wednesday.
Samuelsson moved up in the depth charts while Justin Abdelkader was serving his two-game suspension. Now that Abdelkader has completed it, Samuelsson could see his playing time go down for Game 6 on Friday.

Henrik Zetterberg collected an assist on both Detroit Red Wings goals in a 3-2 OT to loss to the Anaheim Ducks, falling behind in the series 3-2.
Zetterberg could be in for better times if the Red Wings can pull out two straight wins. The talented Swede hasn't scored a goal despite firing 20 SOG, so things could improve ... unless it's too late.

Jimmy Howard generated a good showing on Wednesday but the Detroit Red Wings still lost 3-2 in OT to the Anaheim Ducks, falling behind 3-2 in the series.
Howard stopped 31 out of 34 shots. The Ducks held an 18-9 shot advantage in the first period yet only managed a 1-1 tie. Overall, it's been an up-and-down series for Howard.

Red Wings coach Mike Babcock sees plenty of room for improvement after Detroit's 3-2 overtime win on Monday.
Detroit out shot Anaheim 49-33 in that contest. "When you look at this game, you look at the shots you'd think, 'Oh, geez, we dominated the game,'" Babcock said. "But we gave up glorious chances - absolutely glorious chances - to Corey Perry and (Ryan Getzlaf.) We gave them the puck and let 'em walk in, and that can't happen." The series is even going into Game 5 on Wednesday.

Jimmy Howard stopped 33 of 35 shots in the the Detroit Red Wings' 3-2 overtime win in Game 4 on Monday night.
Howard was fantastic all night, stopping breakaway after breakaway and keeping Detroit in the game in a hectic and intense overtime period. Monday night was just the second time this series Howard's allowed less than four goals in a game and the Red Wings have to hope it gets him going heading into a crucial Game 5 in Anaheim on Wednesday.

Pavel Datsyuk rifled a shot just over Jonas Hiller's shoulder and just under the cross bar to tie Game 4 late in the third period of Monday's 3-2 Detroit win.
The shot was example No. 753 of why Datsyuk is just a joy to watch. It was a shot only a handful of people in the world can make and Datsyuk made it look easy. It was part of a two-goal third period for the Red Wings, who won the game in overtime to tie the series at 2 games apiece.

Damien Brunner scored the game-winning goal 15:10 into the overtime period Monday night as the Red Wings evened the series at 2.
Brunner's goal came after Jonas Hiller stopped Gustav Nyquist on a breakaway. Hiller was unable to corral the puck after Nyquist's shot and Brunner raced in from the wing to chip it over his pads, sending Joe Louis Arena into an absolute frenzy. The goal capped off an incredibly intense overtime session between the Red Wings and Ducks, who will host Game 5 on Wednesday night.

Mikael Samuelsson will get to start Monday's contest alongside Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg on Detroit's top line.
Justin Abdelkader had been playing there, but his two-game suspension will create an opportunity for someone else to fill in and Samuelsson will get the first crack. Coach Mike Babcock said that Todd Bertuzzi could become an option as well.

Justin Abdelkader, who received a two-game suspension Sunday for his hit on Anaheim's Toni Lydman, said Monday that he didn't want to hurt the Ducks defenseman.
"With the hit Saturday, there was no intent to injure," he said. "I don't mean to injure anyone, or put them in harm. I have respect for everyone in this hockey league. You know, it's a privilege that we get to play in the NHL. I play a hard game, I play physical. You know, it's a fast game. Things happen really fast out there." Abdelkader leads the Red Wings with 11 shots and seven hits during these playoffs, so his presence in the lineup will be missed. He won't be eligible to return until Game 6 on Friday, but Detroit will have to win at least one more game to make that meeting possible.

The NHL handed Justin Abdelkader a two-game suspension for his hit on Toni Lydman from Game 3 of the Red Wings-Ducks series, according to MLive.com.
That's the same punishment Eric Gryba received for his hit on Lars Eller. Some might have expected more considering the circumstances, but the NHL generally plays by its own arbitrary set of rules when it comes to discipline.

The NHL's disciplinary people plan on giving Justin Abdelkader a call about his game-misconduct for charging on Lars Eller from Saturday.
That means Abdelkader cannot be suspended for more than five games. It's unfair to say that his hit cost Detroit the game yesterday, but the five-minute major did open the door for the Anaheim Ducks' first goal of that contest.

Brian Lashoff was minus-one in 20 minutes of action Saturday.
Coach Mike Babcock put Lashoff into the lineup to replace the injured Dan DeKeyser as he felt Lashoff was a better fit than veterans Ian White and Carlo Colaiacovo who sat in the press box. Lashoff was second on the Red Wings in time on ice, trailing only Niklas Kronwall. Look for Lashoff to play again in Game 4 based on his ice time.

Mikael Samuelsson returned to the Detroit lineup Saturday for the first time since March 31.
It was only his second game since February 17 and only the fifth time he has laced up his skates in an NHL game this season as he has been out of action with the dreaded upper body injury. Samuelsson was minus-one in 11:48 minutes of action as he centered the fourth unit Saturday in a 4-0 loss to the Ducks.

After getting back into the Detroit lineup for Game 2, Todd Bertuzzi was a healthy scratch Saturday.
Thursday's game was Bertuzzi's first since February 7 as he suffered back problems and nerve pain in his right leg the last three months. He was joined in the press box by Ian White, Carlo Colaiacovo, Drew Miller and Jordin Tootoo. Bertuzzi was replaced in the Detroit lineup by Mikael Samuelsson, a bit of a surprise since the Red Wings won on Thursday.

Justin Abdelkader is looking at a possible suspension after his hit to the head on Toni Lydman Saturday.
Abdelkader will likely be getting a phone call from Brendan Shanahan asking him to explain his charge and leaving his feet while making contact with the head of Lydman. "Obviously, (Abdelkader) is a big guy and he hit him hard," Detroit coach Mike Babcock said. "To me, it was a hard check. Now, I'm not involved in the next part of the process. We'll have to see what they decide." Look for Abdelkader to get at least one game based on suspensions to Andrew Ference and Eric Gryba earlier in the week.

Pavel Datsyuk won 11 of 16 faceoffs in a 4-0 defeat on Saturday.
Valtteri Filppula led the team with five shots on goal. Brian Lashoff blocked a team-high three shots in his first playoff contest. Detroit was outhit 26-16 and no Red Wings' player recorded more than two hits in this contest.

Justin Abdelkader was booted from Detroit's 4-0 loss for charging Anaheim's Toni Lydman.
Abdelkader appeared to leave his feet and make contact with Lydman's head. The game was scoreless when Abdelkader delivered the hit and the Ducks turned the tide during the subsequent power play.

Jimmy Howard kicked out 25 of 29 shots in a 4-0 loss Saturday night.
Howard has now allowed four goals in each of his last two starts. He's the main reason the Red Wings even made the playoffs this season, but he hasn't been able to make the difference in this series. Detroit is now down 2-1 going into Game 4 on Monday.

Mikael Samuelsson is projected to center the Red Wings' fourth line on Saturday.
"I have to play a simple game, that's priority number one," said Samuelsson. "I can't go out there and do what I usually do. Just play a simple game. Skate hard and hit guys. That's how I'm going to start and hopefully I get the feel for the puck, once in a while." He was limited to just four games this season.

Damien Brunner is looking forward to his first playoff game in Detroit.
"I've been waiting for this for quite a while now," Brunner said. "I'm really excited to come in and have a great atmosphere. I don't know what they're going to do before the game, but it's going to be an awesome atmosphere walking into the Joe tonight." Brunner had a goal and two assists in Detroit's 5-4 overtime win on Thursday. The Red Wings' series against the Anaheim Ducks is even going into Game 3 Saturday night.

Mikael Samuelsson might be inserted into the lineup for Game 3 on Saturday.
Samuelsson would replace Todd Bertuzzi, who logged just 7:14 minutes in Detroit's 5-4 overtime victory on Thursday. Samuelsson had an assist in just four games during the regular season.

The Red Wings have decided to use rookie defenseman Brian Lashoff in their playoff game against the visiting Anaheim Ducks tonight.
Lashoff will replace another rookie, Dan DeKeyser, who was poised and effective in his first two playoff games but suffered a broken thumb in a collision with the Ducks' Kyle Palmieri late in Game 2 of the and is done for the playoffs.

Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg are expected to remain on the same line despite being shut down by the Anaheim Ducks in Game 1 Tuesday night.
Saku Koivu, Andrew Cogliano and Daniel Winnik held Detroit's dynamic duo off the scoresheet in a 3-1 win Ducks' win to begin the playoffs. Datsyuk and Zetterberg combined for four shots and a minus-2 rating in the contest.

Todd Bertuzzi, who is healthy now, was scratched in Tuesday's playoff opener and he may not play in Game 2 either.
Mikael Samuelsson might not play either. "I think it's great to have veterans that are ready to go," coach Mike Babcock said. "But if you haven't played the whole year, I've got to hope that it's going. I haven't spent a whole lot of time feeding my family on hope. It's usually on know. So that's the part. So, sleep on it one more time, and decide."