Jakub Kindl scored on a power play in the second period, Daniel Cleary had an empty-net goal and Jimmy Howard made 27 saves to help the Red Wings hold on for a 2-0 victory over the Blackhawks last night in Detroit, putting the NHL’s best team during the regular season on the brink of elimination.
After losing Game 1, the seventh-seeded Red Wings have surged into control of the Western Conference semifinal series by handing Chicago its first three-game losing streak of the year.
Game 5 is tomorrow night in Chicago.
The Blackhawks desperately need captain Jonathan Toews to score and lead after he extended his goal drought in a composure-crumbling performance.
Toews was called for three penalties in the second and could have gone to the box a fourth time in the period for slashing Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg while an official stood between them.
The Red Wings took advantage of the second power play Toews gave them when Kindl sent a low shot to the near corner from the top of the left circle.
Chicago had killed its first 30 penalties of the playoffs and matched the 2001 Blues’ feat of playing eight postseason games without giving up a power-play goal, the longest such streak since 1988.
The Blackhawks had a power play with 4:45 left in the game when Kindl was called for hooking, but they couldn’t tie the game.
Kings 3, Sharks 0
In Game 5, Jonathan Quick made 24 saves in his seventh career playoff shutout as the host Kings moved to the brink of their second straight trip to the Western Conference finals.
Anze Kopitar and Slava Voynov scored, and Jeff Carter added an empty-net goal for the defending Stanley Cup champs.