End of the line: Red Wings defeat Hawks in OT, take conference finals
DETROIT - Right to the bitter end, the Blackhawks played with the heart that defined their season.
But the magical run through the playoffs came to a screeching halt for the Hawks on Wednesday night at Joe Louis Arena when Darren Helm scored 3:58 into overtime to give the Red Wings a 2-1 victory and the Western Conference title.
The Red Wings advance to play the Pittsburgh Penguins in a rematch of last year's Stanley Cup Finals.
Helm scored off a scramble to spoil what had been a memorable night for Hawks goalie Cristobal Huet, who made 44 saves - 21 of them coming in the first period.
"We had chances tonight," Hawks defenseman Duncan Keith said. "We might have been playing a little tentative in overtime, but what can you say? It's over now and obviously they're the better team. They beat us."
The Hawks went toe-to-toe with the best team in hockey in four of the five games, three of which went to overtime.
"The Red Wings are a good team, but we knew that all along," Patrick Sharp said. "They were close games all along with the exception of one, but it doesn't make it any easier to know we were right there with them."
In the end, the Red Wings' experience, depth and ability to control the puck showed through.
"It would have been nice to get that overtime winner in the second game to even the series," Keith said. "To even up the series might have been a big difference.
"They've got a lot of speed, a lot of skill and a lot of depth. We saw a guy like Darren Helm, who basically played in the minors all season, and he was probably their best player tonight."
Huet got the game into overtime with 41 saves in regulation, the best being his last in the waning seconds when he lifted his right pad while on his stomach to rob Johan Franzen of what was sure to be the game winner.
The only goal Huet allowed in regulation was a tip-in by Dan Cleary at 6:08 of the third period that resulted from an Andrew Ladd turnover.
"Anytime you don't win the Cup you're disappointed," Huet said. "We can be satisfied with some things, but it's always tough to lose."
It was looking as if the Hawks might not have enough to come back from the 1-0 deficit when Patrick Kane scored a dazzling goal with 7:08 left in the third period.
Kane picked up the puck in full stride in the neutral zone, went around Jiri Hudler, blew by defenseman Brett Lebda and beat goalie Chris Osgood with a wicked backhander to the shot side under the crossbar from the low right circle.
"That was an unbelievable backhander," Osgood said. "I knew he had a good backhander, but you can't do anything about those."
Huet and Osgood were the story through two scoreless periods and into overtime.
Huet answered the bell and then some in the first period after his shaky Game 4 when he scrambled his way to 21 saves.
"That's not acceptable to have 20 shots in the first period," Kane said. "He played great and kept us in the game."
The Hawks had a great chance eight minutes into the period when Kane fed Colin Fraser on a 2-on-1, but Osgood slid across to make the stop.
The Hawks gained some momentum early in the second thanks to a 4-on-3 power play that nearly connected. Keith had Osgood beat from the right circle, but his slap shot rang off the near post.
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