DETROIT, Mich – Todd Marchant netted a wrister from the left face-off dot and beat Chris Osgood for the goal at 1:15 of the third OT that evened the series for the Ducks against the Red Wings.
The goal sparked a celebration from the Anaheim bench that defied all odds given the energy expended in the game by both benches.
“We said in the locker room it would take a simple shot,” Marchant told NBC Sports after the game.
T. Marchant. Photo courtesy of the National Hockey League.
Hours earlier the Red Wings seemed ready to take complete control of the game and the series when they jumped out to 1-0 lead. Brad Stuart was given credit for the first goal of the game at 6:00 of the first on a power play.
But Ryan Getzlaf scored the equalizer just over two minutes later also on the power play.
The Ducks then showed why they are in this series when Chris Pronger’s blast from the right point found the back of the net just 34 seconds after Getzlaf’s for a 2-1 lead.
As an 8th seed in these playoffs the Ducks have little to lose and are showing the second seeded Wings little respect. Unfazed by one red wave after another on Jonas Hiller in the Ducks’ net Anaheim waited for their opportunities.
Mikael Samuelsson picked up the tying goal at 13:54 of the first to send the teams to intermission knotted at 2.
Anaheim’s Ryan Carter potted the Ducks’ second power play goal of the game early in the second to give the Ducks a 3-2 lead they nursed through the remainder of the middle frame and into the third period.
In the third of six eventual periods Johan Franzen beat Hiller on a backhand that the Ducks netminder should have stopped.
The first OT session was fast and furious for both clubs and each seemed intent on ending the affair earlier rather than later in the evening. But Osgood and Hiller were equal to each of the offensive pushes and denied quality scoring attempts.
The second OT period was more reflective of two tired hockey clubs as each was tentative in their efforts and was playing for opportunities given rather than those taken. The lackluster twenty minutes made the ending more exciting and unexpected as Marchant took the winning shot on an otherwise unremarkable play.
The series resumes in Anaheim this week with games 3 and 4 at the Pond.
Osgood is now 4-8 lifetime in overtime playoff games. Hiller raised his mark to 1-1 after losing to the Sharks in OT in the first round.
The Red Wings outshot the Ducks 62-46. The Wings solidly outshot the Ducks in OT.
Contact lou.lafrado@prohockeynews.com
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