5-goal second period lifts healthy Red Wings past Blackhawks

There's something about the second period that is bringing out the worst in the Blackhawks.

It happened again on Sunday at the United Center when the Hawks took a 2-0 lead into the second period only to suffer yet another middle-of-the-game meltdown.

The Hawks let the Red Wings score 5 unanswered goals and wound up losing 5-4 a game they appeared to have in control.

"We seem to come out and have a good first period and get kind of comfortable with ourselves," Hawks defenseman Duncan Keith said. "It seems we have to pick up our play in the third period and play well again.

"It's getting close to the playoffs and you have to play a full 60 minutes to win."

Hawks winger Andrew Ladd scored 2 goals in the third period to complete his hat trick, but the rally fell short.

The Hawks have been outscored 16-6 in the second period in their last six games.

"This has been pretty bad," center Kris Versteeg said. "I don't know why it is. I think we come out so good and we play so good in the first 20 minutes and it's almost like we put it on cruise sometimes.

"Against a team like (Detroit), we put it on cruise and we paid for it really quickly. We just kind of thought we had it, it almost seemed. I know we didn't think that, but the way we played it was almost like we sort of let up and didn't do the things we wanted to. We've just got to keep playing a full 60 minutes and not let up off the gas."

Things went sour for the Hawks after referee Steve Kozari disallowed an apparent power-play goal by Patrick Kane 1:04 of the second period that would have made it 3-0.

Kozari ruled Dustin Byfuglien interfered with Detroit goalie Jimmy Howard, but he didn't think the infraction was serious enough to warrant a penalty. Go figure.

Replays showed Byfuglien wasn't even in the crease.

"We looked at it between periods and I didn't touch him," Byfuglien said. "I knew right away I didn't touch him. It could have had something to do with the change of the game, but that's the way it is.

"There's nothing we can do about it now. It's the ref's decision, and he's the one that has to deal with it now."

A power-play goal by Brian Rafalski brought the Red Wings within 2-1 at 4:12 of the second period. Nicklas Lidstrom's goal 28 seconds later through Hawks goalie Cristobal Huet tied it.

Jason Williams beat two Hawks to the net to put Detroit ahead 3-2 at 9:45 with Valterri Filppula scoring again 42 seconds later.

Hawks coach Joel Quenneville pulled Huet at that point after he allowed his fourth goal on 17 shots.

"We had to do something to try to get the momentum back," Quenneville said. "I wasn't blaming Huey there. The goals, they made plays, had a couple tip-ins off empty nets off cross-ice passes we can't let happen."

The Red Wings got what proved to be a killer goal with 17.2 seconds to play in the second period when Pavel Datsyuk stripped the puck from Kane and beat goalie Antti Niemi on a breakaway.

Quenneville didn't blame the loss on Kane's disallowed goal, although he disagreed with Kozari's call. He felt it was more the Hawks' overall sloppiness after building a 2-0 lead.

"We had the start we wanted," Quenneville said. "All of a sudden we got a goal taken away and there's a 5-goal swing in a matter of short minutes. The second (period), not just today but the recent trend is something we have to address and find a solution. You can't accept giving up 5 in a period."

<p class="factboxheadblack">Tim Sassone's game tracker</p>

<p class="breakhead">Three stars</p>

<p class="News"><b>1.</b> Andrew Ladd, Hawks: The first career hat trick for the all-around best player on the ice.</p>

<p class="News"><b>2.</b> Nicklas Lidstrom, Red Wings: A goal and assist in 24 minutes for the future Hall of Fame defenseman.</p>

<p class="News"><b>3. </b>Pavel Datsyuk, Red Wings: Scored the winning goal and did a top-notch defensive job against Hawks' top line.</p>

<p class="breakhead">No Johnny no</p>

<p class="News">Not a great game for Hawks captain Jonathon Toews, who was minus-3. Toews hadn't been worse than a minus-1 in any game this season.</p>

<p class="breakhead">Mark it down</p>

<p class="News">The Hawks and Red Wings play one more time on the final day of the season, April 11 at the United Center. Will Detroit's playoff chances be on the line?</p>

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<ul class="links">

<li><a href="/story/?id=260647">Blackhawks admit they clearly let one slip away<span class="date">[3/7/10]</span></a></li>

<li><a href="/story/?id=364248">Hawks' third line clicks as Ladd collects hat trick<span class="date">[3/7/10]</span></a></li>

<li><a href="/story/?id=364246">Imrem: This was a nightmare for Hawks <span class="date">[3/7/10]</span></a></li>

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