Do Or (Pretty Much) Die

 Pre-Game Skate:  Welcome back to the NHL playoffs where tonight the (your) Detroit Red Wings are in pretty much the same boat--make that exactly--the same boat in which they were in one year ago:  down two games to none to the San Jose Sharks heading into game 3 of the Western Conference semi-finals.  We were talking about this last night at Comerica Park (where the Tigers finally snapped their 7-game losing streak, yay, I guess) and it was there that I learned that my memory had failed me.  I thought the Wings had won game 3 then lost a 3-1 third period lead to lose game 4 which meant they were down 3-1 to the Sharks going back to San Jose, where Detroit was eliminated in game 5.  That's not the way it went down.  Yes, the Wings did lose a two-goal lead at home and wound u losing in overtime, but it was in game 3, not game 4.  The Wings thus faced the toughest situation you can face in playoff hockey, trying to come back from 3 games to none down.  Detroit did win game four 7-1 (as I recall Johann Franzen scored 4 goals but we've already demonstrated the limits of my memory haven't we?) but that was their only win in the series.  The Wings have now lost six of their last seven playoff games against the Sharks and the thing is, each of those six losses have come by one goal.  Mike Babcock, the coach of the Red Wings, promises line-up changes tonight and as soon as they let us in the Auxiliary Press Box know what they are, we will pass them along.  The building is filling, it was be, with apologies to the United Center, a madhouse here tonight.  The Auxiliary Press Box is, just for your information, the last row of the stadium seats covered by a table top.  In other words, I am right in the middle of the crowd tonight.  We'll do our best.  And, for now, we'll see you face-off, set for 8:15 pm Eastern Daylight.
8:02:  Pre-Game Hoopla.  Indoor fireworks, loud music and you know the drill.  I spent my time pouring over the Red Wings record book and learned that this is the 22nd time Detroit has been down 0-2 in a best-of-seven.  They are 5-16 in the previous 21 series matching that criteria.  Still ten minutes to face....
8:15pm:  This sitting in the crowd thing is just primitive."  We didn't even get the scratches and starting line-ups and such.  I'll check NHL.com in a moment and get the information.  Pavel Datsyuk is out there on a line with Johann Franzen and Danny Cleary.  Justin Abdelkader is joined by Valtteri Filppula and Jiri Hudler, while Todd Bertuzzi is on a line with Henrik Zetterberg and, again, Cleary.  The crowd just roared for a big hit in the corner.  If I were the crowd, I wouldn't cheer until the Wings put one in the net.  San Jose goalie Antti Niemi--the guy who won the Cup for Chicago last year--has a goals-against of 0.95 in the series.  Anytime a goals-against starts with a "0", it's a hell of a number.  Unbeatable, really.
8:21pm:  Here are the scratches for Detroit tonight (I told you I'd go to NHL.com as quickly as I could): M. Modano, D. Janik, D. Meech, D. Miller, J. Kindl, C. Emmerton, J. Mursak, B. Smith, T. Tatar.
8:27pm:  The Wings fail to score in the first power play of the game are are now 1-9 (11.1%) in the series.  Niemi made a GREAT power play glove save on Abdelkader to keep the game scoreless.
8:32pm:  Niklas Kronwall just leveled Dany Heatley and Heatley was a little, (okay, he was a lot) slow in getting up.  No penalty but Kronwell left his skates to hit him and that always calls for a penalty so its safe to say the ref missed it.  Bad blood between the teams and the crowd is in full-throated blood lust right now.  They are really irritated when, mere moments after the Heatley hit, the Wings are called for a penalty which is most assuredly I assure you to make up for the call they just missed on Kronwall.  San Jose is 2-11 (18.2%) on the PP v. Detroit in the series.  Darren Helm goes for high-sticking on the "mascara" call (make up, duh.)
8:33 Devin Setoguchi just made the make up job look grotesque and cheap, giving San Jose a 1-0 lead on the power play.  He collected the rebound off a shot from the slot which went high and bounced right out in front of Jimmy Howard's net off the lively Joe Louis Arena end boards and glass and tucked it in.  Assists to Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau at 12:57.  ED NOTE:  AT THE END OF THE PERIOD, THEY TOOK THE ASSIST AWAY FROM MARLEAU AND AWARDED IT TO JOE PAVELSKI WHICH IS HOW I THOUGHT THE PLAY HAD GONE.  I THOUGHT PAVELSKI FIRED THE SHOT FROM OUT IN FRONT THE REBOUNDED OFF THE GLASS OUT IN FRONT BUT THEY ORIGINALLY SCORED IT DIFFERENTLY.  NO BIG DEAL, EXCEPT THAT IT'S NICE TO KNOW YOU CAN BELIEVE YOUR OWN EYES.  It is the first goal of the series for Setoguchi and the first point in the series for Marleau. FIRST PERIOD: DETROIT 0, SAN JOSE 1.
8:51pm:  With 19.3 left in the period Nicklas Lidstom ties it on the power play.  His shot was in and out of the net so fast it took them a couple of seconds to whistle the play dead.  Zetterberg was all alone off to the side and it looked like he'd fire away, but he instead spun the dished to Lidstrom between the hashmarks and the Captain fired it home at 19:38.  The replay showed the puck hit the camera suspended from the roof of the net and came right back out.  The referee made the call instantly though and the replay was clear so there is no controversy.  The goal means Niemi's goals-against in the series goes up to 1.23 from 0.95.  So, it's a 1-1 tie after one with Detroit holding a 12-11 edge in shots on goal.  The other assist on Lidstroms second goal of the playoffs and of this series went to Tomas Holmstrom.  All in all, it was a period about which playoff hockey is all about.  END OF FIRST PERIOD: DETROIT 1, SAN JOSE 1.
9:20pm:  Just a quick note to let you know we are into the second period and is same old same old which in this case means the action has been tremendous.  Datsyuk just had a great chance, the kind he normally buries, but it glanced off the Niemi's arm and stayed out while seconds later at the other end Howard made a game-saving glove save.  I read somewhere where they timed the glove speed of an NHL goalie and it was something like 120mph and after that save by Howard, I believe it.  This is a great, great hockey game.  The guy sitting next to me is talking about soccer and all I can say is, "If you could watch hockey, why would you ever watch soccer? SECOND PERIOD: DETROIT 1, SAN JOSE 1.
9:30pm:  We are slightly better than halfway through the period, the Wings have outshot 'em 10-5 in the middle twenty, and the Wings have nothing to show for it, save some excellent chances which all become excellent saves by Mr. Niemi.  So, bottom line, this one remains too close to call.  6:50 left in the second...  SECOND PERIOD: DETROIT 1, SAN JOSE 1.
9:34PM:  6:01 left in the period now, and Detroit has taken a 2-1 lead on the 3rd goal of the playoffs by Patrick Eaves.  Darren Helm had it out in front and he waited and waited and waited and at first I thought Eaves had slammed in the rebound of his shot, but Helms never shot it.  The replay showed he flipped a little backhand pass across to Eaves who was low in the circle to the right of Niemi and Eaves got just enough of it (or Niemi didn't get quite enough of it, your call) to slide it over the goal line.  Kris Draper--a playoff hero in this town for about a decade and a half now--got the other assist.  It's his first point of this years' post-season.  The time of the goal was 13:59.  SECOND PERIOD: DETROIT 2, SAN JOSE 1.
9:40pm:  It took San Jose :50 to tie the score.  Brian Rafalski was called for interference at 14:16 and at 14:49 the Sharks were on the board again, and again it was Setoguchi who got it.  He sort of fanned on the shot from the left wing circle and I think it was the shots lack of speed that fooled Howard as it hit the post the the left of the Detroit goalie and bounced in, and just like that we are back to even; back to too close to call.  SECOND PERIOD: DETROIT 2, SAN JOSE 2.
9:44pm:  Pavel Datsyuk just pulled off a tremendously accurate and hard shot from the high slot over the shoulder of Niemi to put the Wings back on top by a goal with a little over a minute left in the period.  It was a spin-o-rama pass by Zetterberg that set Datsyuk up for his third goal of the playoffs, and the Wings have now scored as many goals in this second period tonight (2), as they did in the first two games of the series in San Jose.  The time of the goal was 18:17 and the second assist went to Lidstrom who started the play out of the Detroit end.  The Wings outshot the Sharks 16-8 in the period and have outshot them now 26-19 in the game.  END OF THE SECOND PERIOD: DETROIT 3, SAN JOSE 2.
9:57pm:  Just a note to let you know I will probably have to leave you early tonight.  It is going to take several minutes to get to the locker rooms tonight (sorry, this is hockey.  I mean dressing rooms) so I will most likely begin the long trip from the last row of the upper bowl to ice level on the far side of the building with a few minutes left in the game.  I hate to do it, but I have to get tape on this one tonight. 
10:07pm:  The 3rd period begins.  Meanwhile, in the game would couldn't attend tonight because we are at this one, the Tigers made it two wins in a row over the Yankees, 5-0.  I'm pretty sure it's the first shutout of the year for the Tigers.  I asked the guy next to me if it were but all I got was a snotty "I have no idea" response.  I think he's still pissed off that I think hockey is way, way more exciting than soccer.  THIRD PERIOD: DETROIT 3, SAN JOSE 2.
10:10pm:  Well, duh.  The Tigers, the weekend before last, not only got a shutout, they got back-to-back shutouts and what makes it embarrassing for me is that it wasn't like I just read about them somewhere, I was there.  For both of them.  So the answer to the question, "Was this the first shutout of the season for the Tigers tonight," would be, uh, nooooo.  Here, San Jose is going on the power play as Hudler goes for hooking at 6:22.  It's nail-biting time....THIRD PERIOD: DETROIT 3, SAN JOSE 2.
10:18pm:  Okay, here's the thing, it's 3-2 Detroit as we approach the halfway mark of the third and I have to go lest I be late to the postgame interviews.  It's been a blast. I'll type up a quick wrap-up after I'm done in the room.  And wish me luck.  It's been a little while since I interviewed your professional athlete types.  Not the firs time though, not by a long shot.  10:00 left in Regulation Time.  See 'ya!  THIRD PERIOD: DETROIT 3, SAN JOSE 2.
10:47pm:  We're headed for overtime and I'm down in the Press Room beneath the stands which during the regular season is the press dining room and is empty at this time of day.  Right now it is packed with reporters ready to head down the hall in a massive herd as soon as the game ends.  San Jose tied it with 4:08 left on the clock and other than the fact that Dan Boyle scored it, there's not too much else I can tell you as I was either in a stairwell or actually outside the building when it happened (I took a wrong turn and wound up outside.)  I did get to see Kid Rock, though.  He was outside by the TV trucks smoking a cigar.  At least I think it was a cigar.  So, cool.  Now I, with many, many others, sit and wait for overtime to begin.  The entire season for Detroit hangs in the balance, that's all.  And I'm watching it on TV, just like you.  END OF THE THIRD PERIOD: DETROIT 3, SAN JOSE 3.
10:55pm:  Overtime is underway.
11:07pm:  Overtime continues.  The Wings had a power play but they were unable to generate a shot on goal.  Moments after the penalty ended, Zetterberg had a great chance in close, but Niemi, well, you know the story.  There are 11 minutes left in OT.  
IN OVERTIME: DETROIT 3, SAN JOSE 3.
11:09pm  At 10:39, Setugucho completes his hat trick and wins it.  FINAL SCORE: DETROIT 3, SAN JOSE 4 (OT).
11:27pm:  Just back from the Red Wings dressing room where Goalie Jimmy Howard says, in answer to my question, "Can you still win this series>? said, "Yes, I think we can."  He says the game-winner (loser) "knuckled" on him.  We are waiting now for Red Wings coach Mike Babcock to address the media here in the press room.  Firsst, San Jose coach Todd McLelllan.
11:47pm:  Press conferences over.  I asked the last question of the Wings' Babcock which was simply, "Can you still win this series?"  He said, "I'm not even going to think about that.  All I can think about is winning Thursday night.  All I can think about is winning one game."  Moments later he added, "It can be done, 3 teams have done it including Philly last year.  But it's not easy."  And with that we will call it a live-blog.  I've got tape to edit.  Night all and thanks for reading...