Hasek and Tretiak Duel in Detroit
Game Five: Detroit, Michigan
Prior to game five in Detroit, the concern of every Detroit fan was whether Cyclone Taylor, Detroit’s leading scorer, would suit up for game five - his condition listed as a “lower-body injuryâ€. On the morning of the game, coach Skinner made the announcement that Cyclone Taylor would not be in the line-up for game five. The city was in a state of disarray, as kids, wearing their Cyclone Taylor jerseys, were seen crying throughout the city in the hours before gametime. Ed Sandford was dressed on the fourth line as Skinner, opting to keep the Lewis – Barry – Iginla line together, promoted Shadrin up to first-line duty.
Brooklyn, hoping to send the series to game six, challenged the Red Wings immediately, firing two quick shots on goal – both of which rang of the iron. Detroit, missing the game-breaking presence of Taylor, played on their heels for most of the first-period, relying once again on stellar goaltending from Dominik Hasek. When Detroit managed to mount some offensive pressure, Tretiak confidently shut the door on the Red Wings forwards. At the end of the first period, the game was tied at zero.
The second period again saw spectacular goaltending from both Tretiak and Hasek, both of which turned away shot after shot from the opposing team. As the period was coming to a close, Phil Housley sprung Sidney Crosby on a break-away. With a quick deke and a leg-kick, Crosby had Hasek beat sending the puck towards the top-right hand corner. Hasek, who was sprawled on the ice, flipped over and kicked his right pad up, miraculously stopping the Crosby shot. The Detroit crowd was ecstatic, chanting “Hasek! Hasek! Hasek!†The period came to a close, with the score tied at zero.
Gaining some momentum from “The Saveâ€, Detroit turned the offensive game up a notch, pressuring Brooklyn for the first half of the period. Tretiak however, answered every shot, keeping the game tight. Finally, at the 12:00 mark, Craig Simpson picked up the loose puck behind the net, sent a pass to Vasko who sent a pass to Niedermeyer. Niedermeyer made no mistake, wiring a bullet slapshot past a screened Tretiak – 1-0 Detroit. With the game winding down, and Brooklyn pressuring in the Detroit end, Vasko was called for a tripping penalty. With 1:29 remaining, coach Bobrov pulled Tretiak, lining up with a 6-on-4. The Brooklyn pressure was intense, and with 0:16 remaining,
Mogilny, with Hasek beat, sent a wrister towards the net that rang of the crossbar. Bergmann picked up the loose puck and fired it down the ice to end the game.
Final 1-0 Detroit
Detroit wins the series 4-1
Series 3 Stars:
1. Dominik Hasek (Det)
2. Cyclone Taylor (Det)
3. Vladislav Tretiak (Bro)