Frank the Tank
The Godfather
Falcons win offensive contest 7-5
DETROIT, Michigan (AP) РCaptain Jean B̩liveau played the now-familiar role of hero, scoring the go-ahead goal with 6:44 remaining as the top-ranked Detroit Falcons moved to the brink of the Eastern Conference Finals with a wild 7-5 victory over the Seattle Metropolitans.
Playing with an uncharacteristically loose defensively, Detroit squandered a two-goal lead midway through the third period as the Mets scored twice in an 85-second span. But Béliveau, who got the winner in Game Three, came through again.
Alex Delvecchio broke down the left side on a 2-on-2 and cut across the top of the slot. He wristed a shot from above the right faceoff circle that Chuck Gardiner stopped. Béliveau, stationed at the top of the crease, slid in the rebound as he was sent sprawling by defenseman Rod Langway.
It was the second goal of the game for Béliveau, who scored his fifth of the series and fourth game-winner of these playoffs.
"That's not stuff that I think about. But it's very fun to be able to contribute in game situations," said Béliveau, the winner of ten Stanley Cups. "Fats made a great play and all I was trying to do was not get in his way and be careful not to interfere with the goaltender. His shot came in high, it went off Gardiner's chest and I was able to get a couple whacks at the rebound."
Detroit took a major step toward an appearance in the Eastern Conference finals as Doug Jarvis scored into an empty net with 34 seconds remaining. The Falcons, who improved to 4-2 at home in these playoffs, head out on the road with a three games to two lead and can wrap up the series on Tuesday. Detroit went 1-1 at the Ice Arena in Games 3 and 4.
"We certainly have a good chance on the road to wrap up the series. But we are going to have to play better defensively if we are going to be able to close out Seattle," Jarvis said.
Trailing 5-3, the Mets came to life on quick goals by Jaromir Jagr and Tim Kerr. After Jagr’s powerplay goal, Kerr beat Plante on a wraparound with 9:03 to play, but that turned out to be Seattle' last shot on goal.
"Jags powerplay goal cut (the lead) to 5-4 and Timmy had a big goal to tie it up for us. But we continued to play a loose-checking game and were caught running around in the neutral zone an awful lot," said Seattle center Bryan Trottier.
"We played more to their style of play. We are a tight-checking team and we certainly got away from that," said Detroit center Mike Modano. "But we’ll take it. Surrendering five goals usually are enough for us to lose, we should never need to score any more than that."
Béliveau's first goal lifted Detroit into a 3-3 tie just 3:25 into the second period. On a rebound of a Larry Murphy point shot, he had three whacks at the puck at the left goalpost before finally putting it past Gardiner.
Gordie Drillon put the Falcons ahead just over seven minutes later, ending their 1-for-23 power-play slump by putting a low slap shot from the left circle between Gardiner's pads.
Alex Delvecchio made it three straight goals for Detroit at 7:26 of the third period with his second of the game. Béliveau blew past defenseman Doug Jarvis at the blue line and moved down low before backhanding a pass across the slot. Delvecchio shoveled the puck past a sliding Gardiner for his fourth goal of the playoffs.
Then Dan Bain was penalized for holding Brent Sutter’s stick at 8:42 and Jaromir Jagr sparked Seattle' comeback 50 seconds later. He took a pass from Rod Langway, who was set up by a slick Trottier back pass from the side boards, and one-timed a slap shot from high in the right circle just inside the left post.
The Olympia Stadium crowd was stunned moments later when Kerr banked the puck off Plante's left skate and just inside the net for the tying goal, his first this series.
Delvecchio opened the scoring 3:28 into the first period, sweeping in Marcel Pronovost’s pass just after a Detroit power play expired.
"Jean, Fats (Delvecchio), and Hex all came in and did an excellent job contributing for three periods. Fats really stepped up and did a great job and scored two big goals for us," Mike Modano said. "It was a great team effort and obviously a huge win for us."
The Mets tied it on Meagher's shorthanded goal at the 12-minute mark and grabbed the lead 3:05 later as Rod Langway trailed a 2-on-1 and put in Trottier's rebound for his second playoff tally.
Ching Johnson responded by beating Gardiner with a slapper from the right circle with 33 seconds left, enabling the Falcons to go to the locker room in a 2-2 tie.
After both goalies were stellar in Game Four, Plante stopped 25 shots and Gardiner made 19 saves.
"All year long, he (Gardiner) has played consistently well and has kept us in game after game. When you give a team like Detroit numerous odd-man opportunities, like we gave them today, it's going to catch up to you no matter who's in goal," Bernie Federko said.
"When I was younger, it would bother me to be in a game in which I allowed five goals," Plante said. "But now I'm as comfortable being in a 7-5 game as I am a 2-1 game. The bottom line is, we won."
DETROIT, Michigan (AP) РCaptain Jean B̩liveau played the now-familiar role of hero, scoring the go-ahead goal with 6:44 remaining as the top-ranked Detroit Falcons moved to the brink of the Eastern Conference Finals with a wild 7-5 victory over the Seattle Metropolitans.
Playing with an uncharacteristically loose defensively, Detroit squandered a two-goal lead midway through the third period as the Mets scored twice in an 85-second span. But Béliveau, who got the winner in Game Three, came through again.
Alex Delvecchio broke down the left side on a 2-on-2 and cut across the top of the slot. He wristed a shot from above the right faceoff circle that Chuck Gardiner stopped. Béliveau, stationed at the top of the crease, slid in the rebound as he was sent sprawling by defenseman Rod Langway.
It was the second goal of the game for Béliveau, who scored his fifth of the series and fourth game-winner of these playoffs.
"That's not stuff that I think about. But it's very fun to be able to contribute in game situations," said Béliveau, the winner of ten Stanley Cups. "Fats made a great play and all I was trying to do was not get in his way and be careful not to interfere with the goaltender. His shot came in high, it went off Gardiner's chest and I was able to get a couple whacks at the rebound."
Detroit took a major step toward an appearance in the Eastern Conference finals as Doug Jarvis scored into an empty net with 34 seconds remaining. The Falcons, who improved to 4-2 at home in these playoffs, head out on the road with a three games to two lead and can wrap up the series on Tuesday. Detroit went 1-1 at the Ice Arena in Games 3 and 4.
"We certainly have a good chance on the road to wrap up the series. But we are going to have to play better defensively if we are going to be able to close out Seattle," Jarvis said.
Trailing 5-3, the Mets came to life on quick goals by Jaromir Jagr and Tim Kerr. After Jagr’s powerplay goal, Kerr beat Plante on a wraparound with 9:03 to play, but that turned out to be Seattle' last shot on goal.
"Jags powerplay goal cut (the lead) to 5-4 and Timmy had a big goal to tie it up for us. But we continued to play a loose-checking game and were caught running around in the neutral zone an awful lot," said Seattle center Bryan Trottier.
"We played more to their style of play. We are a tight-checking team and we certainly got away from that," said Detroit center Mike Modano. "But we’ll take it. Surrendering five goals usually are enough for us to lose, we should never need to score any more than that."
Béliveau's first goal lifted Detroit into a 3-3 tie just 3:25 into the second period. On a rebound of a Larry Murphy point shot, he had three whacks at the puck at the left goalpost before finally putting it past Gardiner.
Gordie Drillon put the Falcons ahead just over seven minutes later, ending their 1-for-23 power-play slump by putting a low slap shot from the left circle between Gardiner's pads.
Alex Delvecchio made it three straight goals for Detroit at 7:26 of the third period with his second of the game. Béliveau blew past defenseman Doug Jarvis at the blue line and moved down low before backhanding a pass across the slot. Delvecchio shoveled the puck past a sliding Gardiner for his fourth goal of the playoffs.
Then Dan Bain was penalized for holding Brent Sutter’s stick at 8:42 and Jaromir Jagr sparked Seattle' comeback 50 seconds later. He took a pass from Rod Langway, who was set up by a slick Trottier back pass from the side boards, and one-timed a slap shot from high in the right circle just inside the left post.
The Olympia Stadium crowd was stunned moments later when Kerr banked the puck off Plante's left skate and just inside the net for the tying goal, his first this series.
Delvecchio opened the scoring 3:28 into the first period, sweeping in Marcel Pronovost’s pass just after a Detroit power play expired.
"Jean, Fats (Delvecchio), and Hex all came in and did an excellent job contributing for three periods. Fats really stepped up and did a great job and scored two big goals for us," Mike Modano said. "It was a great team effort and obviously a huge win for us."
The Mets tied it on Meagher's shorthanded goal at the 12-minute mark and grabbed the lead 3:05 later as Rod Langway trailed a 2-on-1 and put in Trottier's rebound for his second playoff tally.
Ching Johnson responded by beating Gardiner with a slapper from the right circle with 33 seconds left, enabling the Falcons to go to the locker room in a 2-2 tie.
After both goalies were stellar in Game Four, Plante stopped 25 shots and Gardiner made 19 saves.
"All year long, he (Gardiner) has played consistently well and has kept us in game after game. When you give a team like Detroit numerous odd-man opportunities, like we gave them today, it's going to catch up to you no matter who's in goal," Bernie Federko said.
"When I was younger, it would bother me to be in a game in which I allowed five goals," Plante said. "But now I'm as comfortable being in a 7-5 game as I am a 2-1 game. The bottom line is, we won."
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