Phoenix Power Play Prolongs Playoff

Phoenix prevailed two out of three times on the road in Detroit to force a deciding Game 7 in the Western conference quarterfinals with the Red Wings. The Coyotes defeated Detroit 5-2 at Joe Louis Arena in Game 6 Sunday night to even the playoff series and ensure a Game 7 Tuesday night at home. The fourth seeded Coyotes now have a chance to stun the two- time defending Stanley Cup Champions. Phoenix hasn’t reached the second round of the hockey post-season they were the Winnipeg Jets in 1987. The Red Wings do not have history on their side. Detroit hasn’t won a Game 7 on the road since 1968.
Phoenix’s penalties in the opening period did little to thwart their effort. The Coyotes were charged with three penalties during the game’s first five minutes, but managed a short-handed goal 4:10 into the contest. Lauri Korpikoski silenced the Detroit crowd with his team down a skater and seized control of the puck in the neutral zone for his first post-season goal. The second year player from Finland fired a wrister past Detroit’s Jimmie Howard for a 1-0 Coyotes lead. Calder Trophy finalist, Howard stopped 24 of 29 shots but struggled in defeat. The Phoenix penalty-killers did a stellar job handling the Red Wings despite the defense allowing 14 first period shots on goal. Phoenix netminder, Ilya Bryzgalov, fended off 31 of 33 in net as five different Coyotes scored on the opposite end of the ice. The Wings misfired off Bryzgalov’s sticks, skates and pads most of the evening. The teams exchanged goals just 24 second apart to open the second period scoring. Mathieu Schneider gave the visitors a 2-0 edge on a power play tally at 2:27. The Wings quickly responded with Brad Stuart’s first playoff goal at 2:51.
Radim Vrbata doubled the Coyotes’ lead by rocketing a cross-ice feed from Robert Lang beyond the reach of Howard. Wojtek Wolski added an even-strength goal at 14:01 in the second to add to the Phoenix onslaught in Detroit. It was Wolski’s fourth contribution of the playoff series and came off a Petr Prucha deflection. Phoenix outshot the Wings 15-12 in the second period and took a 4-1 advantage into the final 15 minutes. Taylor Pratt parked the puck between the posts at 5:25 in the third for the Coyotes’ third power play goal. Phoenix was 3-for-6 on the power play, while the Red Wings went an unproductive 0-for-5. Detroit’s Darren Helm made it a 5-2 affair when he poked a goal through Bryzgalov with a minute left in regulation. It was Helm’s first goal of the playoffs but hardly enough to help the Wings wrap up the series with a Game 6 victory. The Redwings outshot, outhit and won the faceoff battle at home Sunday but Phoenix’s early goals were a major setback for the home team. The Coyotes mowed through Motown and now return to Glendale and home-ice advantage. Will the Redwings rupture their resistance on the road?

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