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San Jose Sharks center Joe Thornton, right, scores past Detroit Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard during the second period of of Game 5 of an NHL hockey Western Conference second-round playoff series in San Jose, Calif., Saturday, May 8, 2010.(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Sharks eliminate Red Wings with 2-1 victory

By JOSH DUBOW
AP Sports Writer

Patrick Marleau scored the tiebreaking goal 6:59 into the third period and the San Jose Sharks eliminated the two-time defending Western Conference champion Detroit Red Wings with a 2-1 victory Saturday night in Game 5 of their second-round series.

Joe Thornton scored the first goal for San Jose and then set up Marleau's tally with a pass from behind the net to help the Sharks advance to the conference final for the second time in franchise history by beating Detroit 4-1 in the series.

Marleau and goalie Evgeni Nabokov are the only two players remaining from the 2004 team that lost to Calgary in six games, and both came up big in the series clincher against their nemesis, the Red Wings.

Nabokov survived a blitz late in the second period to keep it tied at 1. Marleau then came through with his second game-winning goal of this series when Thornton found him all alone in the slot and he beat Jimmy Howard. The goal set off a raucous celebration at the Shark Tank.

Marleau also scored in overtime to win Game 3, also off a feed from Thornton. The duo has come under heavy criticism for San Jose's postseason failings in recent years, but delivered at key moments all series.

Thornton got his first goal of the postseason when he scored the winner in Game 2, started a third-period comeback with a goal in Game 3 and was involved in both of San Jose's goals in the clincher.

The Sharks have had the second-best record in the NHL the past five seasons, but hadn't made it past the second round in that span until now. They will play either Chicago or Vancouver in the conference finals.

Detroit is the only team better in the regular season than the Sharks since the start of the 2005-06 season and the Red Wings have been even better in the postseason. They eliminated the Sharks in the second round in 2007 and went to the last two Stanley Cup finals, winning it all in 2008.

Now a season that got off to a slow start because of injuries but seemed to be peaking at the right time has come to an early end for the Red Wings. Detroit fell behind 3-0 in this series before winning Game 4 at home 7-1 and putting up a good fight in the finale.

Detroit seemed to have the momentum after dominating the second period and surviving a missed penalty shot by Joe Pavelski early in the third. But the Sharks battled back and earned a very satisfying series win.

Detroit got its first goal early in the second when Brian Rafalski's point shot sneaked through to make it 1-0. Johan Franzen assisted on that goal, tying Gordie Howe's franchise record set in 1964 by recording a point in 12 straight playoff games.

Nabokov didn't allow anything else all game, finishing with 33 saves. He was at his best on a power play late in the second when he stopped a few tough deflections. Detroit couldn't get a good shot in the final minute even after Dan Boyle was sent off for holding with 52.2 seconds to go.

Thornton tied it just 7 seconds after Brad Stuart was sent off for elbowing Pavelski. The Sharks didn't get another shot off in the final 15:06 of the second period.

The Sharks showed no lingering effects from their Game 4 debacle, getting the best of the play in the opening period even though they were unable to break through with a goal.

Pavelski missed two good chances on one shift, Thornton hit a post later in the period and San Jose was unable to capitalize on a pair of penalties to Franzen. Howard made 15 saves in the opening period to keep the Red Wings in it.

NOTES: Both teams dressed seven defensemen, with Brad Stuart playing for Detroit despite leaving in the first period Thursday with a lower body injury and Brett Lebda also getting the nod for the Red Wings. Niclas Wallin, who hadn't played since Game 1 of the first round for San Jose, returned from a lower body injury. ... Detroit captain Nicklas Lidstrom played his 247th career playoff game, tying Patrick Roy for the second-most ever. Chris Chelios holds the record with 266.


 

Cabrera sparks Tigers past Indians


Detroit rallies off Wood to earn victory for Verlander

CLEVELAND -- The Tigers made the best of a miserable afternoon, spoiling Kerry Wood's season debut in the process.

Wood came off the disabled list for this series, and the Tigers tagged him for two runs Saturday, battling through occasional rain and wind gusts over 40 mph in a 6-4 win over the Indians at Progressive Field.

The victory made it 10 straight for the Tigers over the Tribe, breaking a record that stood for 75 years.

Bad as the weather was Saturday, it was an improvement from Friday's game, which was postponed with four innings in the books.

"Well, both teams battled hard under the conditions," manager Jim Leyland said. "It was tough. Both teams really showed me something [playing in the conditions]. That was a miserable day to play."

Wood, normally the closer, came in to face Detroit in the seventh inning Saturday, retiring the first two batters he faced before Austin Jackson got the Tigers going.

Jackson, who has reached base safely in 24 consecutive games, doubled down the right-field line, knocking Wood out of his rhythm. Wood (0-1) then walked Johnny Damon and Magglio Ordonez, bringing American League batting leader Miguel Cabrera to the plate with the bases loaded.

Cabrera singled, driving in Jackson and Damon to make a winner of Detroit starter Justin Verlander.

Wood made some good pitches, and his velocity was up, but he couldn't shut down the top of the order.

"I just got a fastball I could handle, it was a little down in the zone," Jackson said. "He definitely had velocity, threw it hard. You don't really have too much time to think."

Time to think wasn't sought after much Saturday, at least by Verlander. Once the right-hander's rhythm got slowed down, his early dominance faded.

Verlander (3-2) started strong, retiring the first 10 batters he faced, including five straight by strikeout. Verlander didn't give up a hit till the fourth inning.

"The first few innings, I was in a great rhythm, throwing the ball the way I wanted, hitting my locations," Verlander said. "Then, I just came out that one inning and didn't feel right, kind of reverted to the way I had been throwing."

Verlander said the conditions were the most challenging aspect of Saturday's game.

"It was definitely tough on hitters, but on the flipside, it was tough on us too," he said. "I know my changeup had more depth today than it usually does, but my curveball wasn't breaking the same, then my fastball was running a little more."

Verlander, who has won three of his past four starts, gave up three runs on four hits and four walks over six innings. He punched out nine Cleveland batters.

"Sizemore got the big hit, obviously, and Cabrera got a big one," Leyland said. "But two outs and bases loaded, when they could get out of it, he puts one in the gap. That's tough. Sizemore was the huge at-bat of the game, I thought."

Cabrera put the Tigers back on top in the next frame, and Detroit added an insurance run in the eighth. Jackson grounded to shortstop, but Luis Valbuena struggled getting the ball out of his glove and couldn't make the throw in time, scoring Sizemore.

Detroit's bullpen protected the lead, although Joel Zumaya gave up a run in the bottom of the eighth. Zumaya hit triple digits regularly, striking out five in two innings of work, allowing a run on three hits.

Jose Valverde pitched a scoreless ninth inning, earning his eighth save.
 

NATIVE SON SPARKLES IN HOCKEY

By Raymond Rolak/Tell Us Detroit

DETROIT -- It will be a homecoming for Rochester Institute of Technology sophomore, forward, Cameron Burt. The NCAA Men’s Frozen Four will be held at Ford Field and RIT will be making their first appearance against Wisconsin, Thursday at 5:00 PM. The game will be broadcast on ESPN. Miami and Boston College will square off in the 8:30 PM game.

This will be a first for Ford Field also. It is the first sanctioned hockey game ever to be played at Ford Field.   More

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