Wednesday, May 29, 2002
Red Wings feel due against Colorado
The Associated Press
DENVER — The Detroit Red Wing have outworked, outplayed and outshot the Colorado Avalanche for long stretches. Still, they trail the Stanley Cup champions 3-2. But instead of lamenting their bad luck and wasted chances, the Red Wings have taken a different approach as the Western Conference finals resume Wednesday night with Game 6.
“We know as a team, when you're getting the chances and when you're close and can taste it, you feel like you're due,” Detroit's Brendan Shanahan said. “We all feel that way. Myself, I feel like I've had some great chances in the last couple of games and I have to keep doing what I've been doing.”
Shanahan had the best chance to give the Red Wings control of the series, but he hit the post with less than two minutes left in Game 5 Monday night.
Shanahan got Colorado goalie Patrick Roy to bite on a fake and was left with an open net, but hit the left post with Peter Forsberg harassing him from behind. Colorado won 2-1 in overtime on a goal by Forsberg.
“You think about things like that and how the game would have been different,” Shanahan said. “It was a punishing drive home last night, but then you can't dwell on it. You have to shake it off and get ready for the next game.”
To win the next game and send the series back to Detroit for a Game 7, the Red Wings will have to find a way to get through Colorado's shot blockers.
After allowing 75 shots in the previous two games, the Avalanche threw themselves at Red Wings in Game 5, blocking 24 shots. Eric Messier led the way with eight blocks, including four straight during one power play.
“I thought he was the second-best goalie in the game behind Patrick,” Colorado coach Bob Hartley said. “Our team commitment to block shots is definitely one of our strengths. He had some huge blocked shots and he was dominant.”
Detroit forward Sergei Fedorov said it's just a matter of the Red Wings being less obvious with their body language.
“In my mind, it's coming from the way we're moving our feet and putting ourselves in a position where they know where they can block the shots,” Fedorov said. “I think it's safe to say that right now they have an edge in blocking shots.”
The Avalanche have the advantage in the series because of Forsberg and Roy.
After missing the regular season because of injuries and a leave of absence, Forsberg has been dominating in the playoffs. He's the leading scorer with 27 points and has nine goals to tie teammate Joe Sakic for the league lead.
Forsberg also has a knack for making big plays at big moments. He had three game-winning goals against San Jose in the second round and beat the Red Wings at 6:24 of overtime in Game 5.
“It seems like he finds another notch to his game, game after game,” Hartley said. “I don't know what else I can say. He's unbelievable.”
Roy was inconsistent early in the playoffs, but has been the main reason the Avalanche have a chance to close out the Red Wings instead of just trying to stay alive.
Roy has allowed four or more goals four times in the playoffs and made two gaffes that directly led to two goals in Game 2.
Since then, he has stopped a remarkable 96 shots in three games while helping the Avalanche keep the series close despite being outplayed at times.
He stopped 40 shots in Game 3, a 2-1 overtime loss, then saved 16 in the first period of Game 4 to allow the Avalanche to rally for a 3-2 victory. Roy had perhaps his best game of the series Monday night, turning away 26 shots, including four in overtime.
“He's so poised in there, very sharp,” Hartley said. “He's moving the puck very well and he's very confident. By him being very confident, it makes us confident.”
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Red Wings feel due against Colorado 
