Associated Press
CHICAGO ó Patrick Sharp and Cristobal Huet rescued the Chicago Blackhawks after a 3-0 lead evaporated against the defending Stanley Cup champions.
Sharp scored at 1:52 of overtime Friday night, giving Chicago to a 4-3 victory over Detroit and cutting the Red Wings’ lead in the Western Conference finals to 2-1.
“A lot of teams probably would have gone the other way after giving up a three-goal lead, but we stayed with it,” Sharp said. “After they scored the third one, we played some of our best hockey. When we needed to play our best period of the season we did and carried it into overtime.”
With the game tied at 3 at two periods, Huet came in to replace starting goalie Nikolai Khabibulin, who had a lower-body injury. Huet, in his first action of the postseason, stopped six shots in the third. His play helped slow the Red Wings’ momentum after they scored three goals in the second.
“I didn’t have time to think really,” Huet said. “I’ve been practicing a long time for that moment. I was anxious but at the same time ready to help the team in any way I could.”
Game 4 is Sunday at the United Center.
After Matt Walker’s shot from the point in overtime, Dustin Byfuglien tried to control it in front, and teammate Sammy Pahlsson reached in and pushed it over to Sharp, who got it past Chris Osgood for the winner and his second goal of the game.
“Osgood is a good goaltender. I’ve scored a few from that backdoor and wasn’t missing that one,” Sharp said
“There was a shot from the point and a battle over it and Sharp hammered it home,” Detroit’s Brian Rafalski said. “In a scrum like that, it was a nice play.”
The Red Wings, playing without injured star Pavel Datsyuk, scored three goals in a 4:23 span late in the second period. Detroit’s outburst quickly quieted a raucous crowd at the United Center after it looked as if Chicago was in control.
“We didn’t have any choice,” Detroit’s Henrik Zetterberg said. “Just go after them and keep playing more in their end. We put a lot more pressure on them and created some chances. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get a fourth one.”
Nicklas Lidstrom had a power-play goal, and Rafalski and Jonathan Ericsson also scored for Detroit.