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Datsyuk's late goal caps Red Wings' comeback

Apr 28, 2007 - 11:55 PM DETROIT (Ticker) -- Once again, the San Jose Sharks got out to an early two-goal lead. This time, the Detroit Red Wings responded.

Pavel Datsyuk scored with 84 seconds remaining in the third period, snapping a tie and lifting the Red Wings to a 3-2 comeback victory over the Sharks that evened their Western Conference semifinal series at one game apiece.

Henrik Zetterberg and Daniel Cleary also tallied for Detroit, which travels to San Jose for Game Three on Monday.

"Suddenly, we're in a best-of-five series going back to their building," Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said. "I think you're going to see us really play and be even tougher to play against."

"It's going to be nice going back home in front of our fans," Sharks captain Patrick Marleau said. "We've got to take care of our work at home. We got one here and we have to take advantage of home ice."

After dispatching the Nashville Predators in five games in the conference quarterfinals, the Sharks scored twice in a 24-second span midway through the first period of Game One of this series and went on to post a 2-0 victory.

Things began quickly again for San Jose on Saturday as Jonathan Cheechoo tallied 36 seconds into the contest and Joe Thornton scored less than four minutes later. The high-scoring duo, which combined for 59 goals and 183 points during the regular season, entered the game without a tally in the postseason, teaming for just 10 assists in six contests.

"It was an ugly start, let's be honest," Babcock said. "I thought we really got nervous and didn't execute at all."

"We have to start better," Cleary added. "You're not going to always come back from down 2-0, especially against a team like San Jose."

With the possibility of a two-games-to-none deficit staring them in the face, the Red Wings answered the call this time. Zetterberg scored the team's first goal of the series with 2 1/2 minutes left in the opening period and, after a scoreless middle session, Cleary netted a shorthander 83 seconds into the third to forge a 2-2 tie.

"Outstanding," Babcock said of Cleary. "We might have a better player in the playoffs. But if we do, I don't know who he is. He's a character guy. When you see character people do well, you feel good. It looks good on 'em."

"They scored two goals and stayed back like last game," Datsyuk said. "They tried the same this game. We were a little quicker today and a little more dangerous in the offensive zone."

As the Sharks appeared content to take their chances in overtime, the Red Wings wanted no part of the extra session. With time winding down, former Shark Mikael Samuelsson unleashed a snap shot from the left faceoff dot that was stopped by goaltender Evgeni Nabokov, who made 34 saves for his fifth career playoff shutout in Game One.

Untouched in front, Datsyuk grabbed the rebound and slipped it around the netminder on his backhand for his fourth goal of the postseason and a 3-2 lead.

"Hank won the battle and passed to Sammy. Sammy shot," Datsyuk said. "Nabby made a great save and I picked up the rebound. ... It's not a big goal. It's only the second game."

"I saw Sammy coming from the bench and he was open, so I gave it to him," said Zetterberg, who recorded the secondary assist on the play. "The rebound, Pavel was there to put it in the empty net. That's the kind of goals you need in the playoffs because it's going to be tight."

San Jose was unable to penetrate the offensive zone thereafter, making Detroit the first team to win a game after overcoming a two-goal deficit this postseason.

Hoping to return home with a 2-0 series lead, the Sharks immediately got to work. Shortly after Kirk Maltby committed a turnover in his own zone, defenseman Kyle McLaren snapped a shot from the blue line that Cheechoo deflected past netminder Dominik Hasek for his first goal of the playoffs.

"I don't know if it was a knucklepuck or what," Hasek said. "It changed direction and hit the ice. It got a little confusing. I don't know if somebody touched it or not. I was surprised."

A six-time Vezina Trophy winner, Hasek made another miscue that lead to San Jose's second tally. Going behind his own net to play the puck, Hasek put it right on the stick of Milan Michalek, who fed Thornton in front for the easy goal at 4:17.

"Before I came back (to the crease), the puck was in the net," Hasek said. "Sometimes you try to help your teammates and make a mistake. But after that, we battled, we worked hard."

Despite being held to just three shots in the period, the Red Wings got on the board at 17:30. After chasing down a lead pass from Datsyuk along the left wing boards, Zetterberg threw the puck toward the net. But it deflected off McLaren and past Nabokov for his 12th career playoff tally.

"Going down 2-0 early, we stayed composed, and Zetterberg's goal was huge," Babcock said. "It gave us belief and the momentum."

Detroit began to dominate the play in the second session, outshooting San Jose, 9-4, but was unable to get the equalizer. However, with Kris Draper in the penalty box for holding early in the third, the Red Wings took advantage of sloppy play by the Sharks to pull even.

"Being up early on, we did it to ourselves," Marleau said. "We gave the turnovers and they capitalized on them. We did it to ourselves."

Defenseman Christian Ehrhoff and Bill Guerin teamed to cough up the puck in their own zone, allowing Cleary to pounce on it. From the top of the slot, the veteran right wing blasted a shot that beat Nabokov high to the glove side at 1:23 for his second tally this postseason.

"On all the goals, we turned the puck over when we didn't have to," Wilson said. "It wasn't the Red Wings forcing us. We have to have poise."

"The defensive breakdown at the end of the first cost us, and then the shorthanded goal to start the third," San Jose's Mike Grier said. "We haven't given up many all year, and we shouldn't be giving them up now."

Cleary summed up the reason for Detroit's comeback.

"We kept pressing and pressing," he said. "I think the guys realized the importance of the game. I think we played with a lot of intensity, a lot of urgency."

After allowing a goal on San Jose's only power-play chance in Game One, Detroit successfully killed all six opportunities Saturday.

"That was key to the game," said Hasek, who finished with 17 saves. "We were aggressive. ... They maybe had a few shots, but overall, I think our penalty-killing was great."

"The power play will be all right," Grier said. "They had plenty of chances, (the Red Wings) just didn't give the breaks tonight. Dom made some big saves, we just didn't get the good deflections. Some good plays around the net, but the puck just didn't go in."