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[Dark Knight]

Please post your thoughts, pictures and comments on tonight's game in this thread.

Detroit at Chicago

[DropThePuck]

TSN's Ice Chips

Forward Erik Cole was back on the ice last night for the first after suffering a knee-on-knee hit in Game 1. He had 14:35 of ice time. Forward Tuomo Ruutu, who suffered an ankle injury in the series opener, missed the game and remains unlikely to play in Game 3. Forward Ryan Bayda faces suspension after he was given a match penalty for exchanging high-sticks with Kris Letang during a scrum late in the third period. An NHL spokesperson said Bayda will be automatically suspended, pending a league review today. - News Observer

The team held an optional skate, and Nikolai Khabibulin and Duncan Keith skated. Head coach Joel Quenneville said Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane would see time together, but not how much. - TSN

Friday's Projected Lines

Forwards:
Kane - Toews - Brouwer
Ladd - Bolland - Havlat
Versteeg - Pahlsson - Byfuglien
Eager - Burish - Sharp

Defence:
Seabrook - Keith
Campbell - Hjalmarsson
Barker - Walker

Goaltender:
Khabibulin

Pavel Datsyuk did not skate this morning and is being called a game-time decision. Judging by head coach Mike Babcock's comments, he is not expecting Datsyuk to play. If he is out, Ville Leino will play. Kirk Maltby is back in for Justin Abdelkader, who struggled in Game 2. -TSN

Valtteri Filppula took Datsyuk’s spot at practice, centering Tomas Holmstrom and Marian Hossa in practice. Darren Helm moved up to replace Filppula on a line with Jiri Hudler and Mikael Samuelsson.- Detroit Free Press

Friday's Projected Lines

Forwards:
Franzen - Zetterberg - Cleary
Holmstrom - Filppula - Hossa
Helm - Samuelsson - Hudler
Maltby - Draper - Leino

Defence:
Lidstrom - Rafalski
Kronwall - Stuart
Ericsson - Lebda

Goaltender:
Osgood

[DropThePuck]

Pavel Datsyuk's scoring has been way down during the Detroit Red Wings' run at another Stanley Cup. And now the star centre and MVP finalist has a sore foot to deal with headed into Game 3 of the Western Conference finals.
...
"He took a rocket off the foot the other night. We'll go from there and see what happens," Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said.

"He's day-to-day, simple. We'll see how his foot reacts."

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[DropThePuck]

Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin was pulled from Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals against the Detroit Red Wings on Friday night after giving up three goals in the final 5:22 of the second period, setting up a 3-3 tie heading into the third.

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[DropThePuck]

Chicago right wing Martin Havlat left Game 3 of the Western Conference finals against Detroit on Friday night after taking a crushing hit from Niklas Kronwall.
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The play drew a five-minute interference penalty and a game misconduct on Kronwall at 13:08 of the first period.

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[DropThePuck]

3 - Lidstrom, N. (PPG, 14:38 in 2nd), Rafalski, B. (17:10 in 2nd), Ericsson, J. (19:01 in 2nd)
4 - Sharp, P. (PPG, 08:45 in 1st), Ladd, A. (09:50 in 1st), Pahlsson, S. (00:45 in 2nd), Sharp, P. (01:52 in 1st OT)

Patrick Sharp scored on a rebound 1:52 into overtime to give the Chicago Blackhawks a 4-3 victory over Detroit on Friday night, cutting the Red Wings' lead in the Western Conference finals to 2-1.

After a shot by Matt Walker, Chicago's Dustin Byfuglien scrapped for the puck in front of the net before Sharp drove it in for his second goal of the game.

<NHL.com recap>

[DropThePuck]

Goalie Chris Osgood #30 of the Detroit Red Wings gives up a goal to Andrew Ladd #16 of the Chicago Blackhawks during the first period fo Game Three of the Western Conference Championship Round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 22, 2009 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.
(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)


Patrick Sharp #10 of the Chicago Blackhawks celebrates with his teammates on the bench after he scored a power play goal in the first period against the Detroit Red Wings during Game Three of the Western Conference Championship Round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 22, 2009 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.
(Photo by Jim Prisching/Getty Images)


Detroit Red Wings' Niklas Kronwall checks Chicago Blackhawks' Martin Havlat during the first period of Game 3 of the NHL hockey Western Conference finals in Chicago, Friday, May 22, 2009. The play drew a five-minute interference penalty and a game misconduct on Kronwall.
(AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

[DropThePuck]

Martin Havlat #24 of the Chicago Blackhawks lies on the ice motionless after he was checked hard by Niklas Kronwall #55 of the Detroit Red Wings during the first period of Game Three of the Western Conference Championship Round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 22, 2009 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.
(Photo by Jim Prisching/Getty Images)


Players from the Chicago Blackhawks fight with players from the Detroit Red Wings as Martin Havlat #24 of the Blackhawks lies on the ice after he was checked hard by Niklas Kronwall #55 of the Red Wings during the first period of Game Three of the Western Conference Championship Round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 22, 2009 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.
(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)


Martin Havlat #24 of the Chicago Blackhawks is assisted off of the ice by medical personnel and teammate Duncan Keith #2 after Havlat was checked hard to the ice by Niklas Kronwall #55 of the Detroit Red Wings during Game Three of the Western Conference Championship Round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 22, 2009 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.
(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

[MrsBevo]

Not only was Havlat knocked out, you could see him convulse when he landed on the ice and his eyes rolled back. Scary, scary stuff and interesting how Detroit calls themselves completely innocent when just a few short games ago they were calling foul for Brown's hit on Hudler. Hope Havlat is ok.

[DropThePuck]

Chicago coach Joel Quenneville wouldn't commit to a Havlat return in Game 4, but the Blackhawks are hopeful they'll have their leading scorer back. If Havlat can't play, Colin Fraser would be inserted into the lineup.

"I thought Marty really looked good today," Quenneville said. "Hopefully he progresses today in the same fashion for tomorrow. There's a chance he could play."
...
"To me, that was a finished check. It wasn't a head shot," Babcock said. "I don't think he should be hunting anyone's head, I don't think he should be elbowing anyone in the head. But I also think it's a physical game. It's a contact sport. The puck was coming around the wall, he saw it coming, he turned and chose not to play it with his stick. Kronwall stepped up on him. That's a hockey hit."
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With no suspension handed down from the League Saturday, Kronwall is eager to get back to business in Game 4. The game misconduct penalty forced him to miss the final two periods of regulation and the quick overtime. Patrick Sharp scored 1:52 into the extra session.

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