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They found their legs. And then they used them. Again and again, shift after shift, the Red Wings did, pulling together until they’d pulled even, skating away with Game 2 against the Chicago Blackhawks.
Recent history suggests they can’t. The salary cap is designed so they won’t. But that won’t stop the Blackhawks from trying to become the kind of team that dominates the NHL in a way the Red Wings and Devils did for long stretches of the last two decades.
Somebody better kick the Mule again. And they’d better do it while the Red Wings are still alive and kicking because they’re probably not going to be for long if they don’t get something more out of Johan Franzen in the Western Conference semifinals against the Blackhawks.
The consensus national player of the year announced he was turning pro last month, and last week the point guard announced he was bypassing more high-profile sports agents to sign with his father, Benji Burke, a newly licensed agent, and his cousin, Alonzo Shavers, who has a relatively small list of NFL clients.
This one was hardly Howard’s fault. For nearly 50 minutes, he was about the only reason the Wings still had a chance to steal an early series lead, or at least force overtime.
Now the task is to beat the Red Wings, beginning with Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals Wednesday at the United Center. And that’s something this Chicago team and its coach have yet to do, even as they’ve done just about everything else.
They’ve held on this long. But how much longer can they keep holding on? That’s the immediate question, as the Red Wings flew to California on Saturday after forcing a win-or-else Game 7 against Anaheim on Sunday night. But that’s also a question about the future.
Howard stood in his crease and just shook his head, wondering how a simple game of 5-on-5 could’ve become so lopsided. At times, it seemed as if he was the only one playing defense. At times, he probably wished he was.
At this point in a playoff series — we’re five games, three overtimes and four cross-country flights into the Western Conference quarterfinals — there’s not much maneuvering left. It’s about the players producing in the clutch.
They won the game and tied the series. But while the effort certainly was better than in a deflating loss last weekend in Game 3, it won’t be enough to beat the Ducks tonight at Honda Center.
In addition to his primary role as a Detroit Lions beat writer, John has covered the last three Olympics for the News. He also has served as the beat writer covering the Red Wings -- including every playoff game during three Stanley Cup runs -- as well as college football and hockey.
John Niyo The highlight reel from the Senior Bowl in January, where Ansah earned MVP honors:
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