2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs Blog - Conference Finals

The overtime hero in Game 2 of the Western Conference final, Detroit right-winger Mikael Samuelsson, whose goal 5:14 into the extra session gave the Wings a 3-2 decision over the Chicago Blackhawks, could be heroic on a regular basis if only he had the same level of certainty in himself that others display in him.

So says Detroit coach Mike Babcock.

“Sammy’s one of these guys that’s a way better player than he believes,” Babcock said. “If he had the confidence in himself that some of these other guys do, he’d be a high-end NHL player. Right now, he’s just a good NHL player.”

The revelation was nothing that Babcock hasn’t shared with Samuelsson.

“We’ve had that same conversation I don’t know how many times,” Babcock said. “He knows of this.

“He’s scored big goals for us. He has the ability, he has a rocket of a shot - we’re always on him to shoot more - and he’s a huge man, just absolutely a monster. He can be really physical when he wants to be, he can really skate.”

Safe bet

Carrying a 2-0 series lead into Chicago is a good omen for the Wings. No team has blown a conference final or semifinal series after winning the first two games at home since the 1991 Boston Bruins, who dropped their series in six games to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Wings are 6-1 in this scenario, but their only loss came in 1965, when they went to Chicago up 2-0 and fell in a seven-game series.

“We can go in there, play a little bit more relaxed, and it's going to be a great atmosphere in Chicago,” Detroit centre Henrik Zetterberg said. “It's always good games when you go and play there. It's been awhile since the Wings and Chicago have been in the playoff games in Chicago. It's a first for me and I'm looking forward to it.”

Amped up

Both sides anticipate that the Blackhawks will draw energy from the 20,000-plus that will pack the United Center as Chicago plays host to its first Western Conference final game since the Wings and Blackhawks met there in Game 3 of the 1995 series.

“The excitement in our building gets greater and greater as we’ve gone along here,” Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said. “So we expect the enthusiasm to be at an amazing pitch.”

As do the Wings.

“We’re sitting here up 2-0, but these guys are good,” Detroit centre Kris Draper said. “That’s what you’d expect at this time of the year, that it’s not going to be easy.

“It’s going to be hard. Going into that building, it’s going to be a very loud atmosphere and they’re going to be wired for sound, excited to be back in the Western Conference final.”

Buffer zone

Chicago right-winger Dustin Byfuglien has exhibited solid net-front presence throughout the playoffs and he’s been a factor in the slot in both games of this set. His deflection led to a Kris Versteeg goal in Game 1 and he was a disruptive force on a Jonathan Toews goal in Game 2. At the time, both tallies tied the score at 2-2.

“I’m kind of new to the whole front of the net stuff,” said Byfuglien, who admitted he’s been studying Detroit wingers Johan Franzen and Tomas Holmstrom, two of the best in the game at disturbing goalies and tipping shots in tight quarters.

“The guys over there (Holmstrom, Franzen), those are the experts. You’ve just got to look at them and do the best you can to emulate them.”

At six-foot-three, 247 pounds, Byfuglien is well-suited for the role, but that doesn’t make it any easier to fill. Staying disciplined, and not retaliating when physically abused in the slot, is the toughest part of the job.

“You’re going to get cross-checked, you’re going to get whacked in the leg and not to do anything actually is hard,” Byfuglien said. “But with the game the way it is nowadays, they can’t really touch you as much as they used to be able to.

“I’m sure when (Holmstrom) first started, they probably tried to break his arm a couple of times with cross-checks. It’s not like that anymore. There’s times you get it and times you don’t. It’s a hard job. There’s prices to be paid to be there.”

Maltby in

Babcock indicated immediately after Game 2 that veteran winger Kirk Maltby would be returning to the Detroit lineup for Game 3 after a three-game absence, but declined to get into specifics as to how he’d reconfigure his lineup.

“I’ll just avoid that until tomorrow,” Babcock said.

Maltby was also reluctant to count his chickens before they hatch.

“Until I hear it from the horse’s mouth, I’m not taking anything for granted,” Maltby said, while assuring everyone he’d be ready when called. “You’ve got to prepare yourself. It’s all about being prepared and getting ready to go.”
The most likely player to come out for Maltby would be rookie winger Justin Abdelkader.

Rest area

Neither squad skated Wednesday, with only Wings and Blackhawks extras taking to the ice.

“We were going to take a day off for sure,” Babcock said. “It really looked like the previous series (seven-game set with Anaheim) caught up to us in Game 2. I didn’t think (Tuesday) night, we had much.

“We were in a real grind last series and it looked like it took a toll. We didn’t have the pop we needed.”

Despite trailing 2-0, the Blackhawks weren’t seeking to regroup and seemed genuinely disappointed that Game 3 won’t be until Friday. “I think we’re a younger team,” Quenneville said. “I don’t know if we need the extra time off going into games.”

Tickets, anyone?

Detroit defenceman Chris Chelios is a Chicago native who was once one of the city’s favourite sons when he captained the Blackhawks, but he’s not interested in filling that role anymore.

“I’ll make an announcement now,” Chelios said to all of his Chicago acquaintances. “If you want tickets, you’re on your own. I’m not getting any tickets for anybody, except for you, mom and dad.”

Wings defenceman Brett Lebda, who’s from the Chicago suburb of Buffalo Grove, Ill., issued a similar statement.

“I’m trying not to let anything be a distraction - people asking for tickets, that sort of stuff,” Lebda said. “I’m not taking ticket requests, just trying to keep my mind on the games. It doesn’t go beyond mom, dad, brother and sister. If anyone else wants tickets, they can either scalp them, or try to get them somewhere else.”