Looks like the Detroit Red Wings and San Jose Sharks are making another trip to the West Coast for Game 5. On the brink of elimination, the Wings jumped out to a 3-0 lead and held off a comeback attempt by the San Jose Sharks and won Game 4 of their Western Conference series by a 4-3 score.

After the Sharks came back to tie the game 3-3 in the third period, forward Darren Helm sent a wrist shot past sprawling goaltender Antti Niemi with 1:27 left in regulation sending the sellout crowd at The Joe into a frenzy.

These games have been tight with all four being decided by one goal and two of those in sudden death overtime.

The Wings were led by Norris Trophy nominee and All-Star defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom who had two goals, Todd Bertuzzi (1g, 1a) and Henrik Zetterberg (2a) while the Sharks got goals from rookie sensation Logan Couture, Dan Boyle and Dany Heatley.  Ryane Clowe added three assists.

Between the pipes, Niemi stopped 26-of-30 shots and Detroit’s Jimmy Howard made 25 saves in the win.

The Red Wings are trying to become just the fourth NHL team to win a series after trailing 3-0.

The Philadelphia Flyers did it last season after trailing the Boston Bruins 3-0 in an Eastern Conference playoff series but the Bruins assured that history would not be repeated and swept the Flyers 4-0 after their 5-1 win last night.

Bruins forward Milan Lucic was named first star of the game after lighting the lamp twice and goalie Tim Thomas stopped 22-of-23 shots in the clinching game.

The NHL semis saw another sweep earlier this week when the rejuvenated Tampa Bay Lightning sent the Washington Capitals packing with a 4-0 sweep. The Caps are notorious for struggling in the playoffs. Last season after winning the NHL President’s Trophy with 121 points, the team folded and saw another early exit.

In the other semi match-up, the Nashville Predators and Vancouver Canucks continue to battle it out with the ‘nucks one game from advancing after jumping to a 3-1 lead in their series. The ‘nucks and their Green Men will try to get that job done at home this weekend.

Used with permission of the author.

Jay Donetelli is a Tampa-based freelance sportswriter and contributor to Sports Climax. With an opinion sharper than an Ovechkin skate blade with the sting of an Ali jab, Donetelli has a loyal cult of readers who have found a way to love him.

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