Faceoff Factor

Western Conference - Playoff Update - 05.27.09

Michael Sepulveda | National Hockey League

May 27, 04:29 PM | Hype this story!

Western Conference Finals

Game 1: DET 5, CHI 2

Game 2: DET 3, CHI 2 (OT)

Game 3: CHI 4, DET 3 (OT)

Game 4: DET 6, CHI 1

Game 5: @ Detroit, Wed. 5/27, 7:30 p.m. ET

*Game 6: @ Chicago, Sat. 5/30, 8:00 p.m. ET

*Game 7: @ Detroit, Mon. 6/1, 7:30 p.m. ET

*if necessary

With their season hanging in the balance, 21-year old Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews will try to rally the troops in the face of the Joe Louis Arena crowd in an effort to defeat the defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings and force a game 6 back home in the friendly confines of the United Center.

Regardless of who wins this series, both teams now know who would be waiting for them in the Stanley Cup Final, as the Pittsburgh Penguins swept the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Finals last night.

Injury Update

Chicago Blackhawks
G Nikolai Khabibulin is expected to miss Wednesday’s game against Detroit due to a lower body injury

RW Martin Havlat is expected to miss Wednesday’s game against Detroit due to a head injury suffered from a hit by Detroit Red Wings D Niklas Kronwall

Detroit Red Wings

Andreas Lilja has been on injured reserve since 02.28.09 and is out indefinitely due to a concussion

Tomas Kopecky has been out since 05.08.09 and will miss the remainder of the playoffs due to facial surgery

C Pavel Datsyuk is expected to miss Wednesday’s game against Chicago due to a bruised/sore foot, or more likely, a bruised thigh

D Nicklas Lidstrom is expected to miss Wednesday’s game against Chicago due to a lower body injury, possibly sustained in practice

C Kris Draper will miss Wednesday’s game against Chicago due to a strained groin (ouch!)

G Chris Osgood is probable for Wednesday’s game against Chicago. Osgood left Sunday’s game due to dehydration/cramping and was replaced by backup netminder Ty Conklin.

Around the West
As it turns out, the Colorado Avalanche did have an offer on the table to bring Hall of Fame netminder Patrick Roy back to the Rocky Mountains, this time as head coach. The Denver Post is reporting that Roy has turned down the offer from former agent and current team president Pierre Lacroix in a phone conversation on Tuesday evening. Roy cites family reasons as his motivation to decline the offer.