Here are five potentially key factors for the Detroit Red Wings, a No. 7 seed, in trying to eliminate the No. 1 seed Chicago Blackhawks Wednesday night in a Western Conference semifinal series:
1. Goalie Jimmy Howard must be the No. 1 star. There is no other way that the Wings are going to pull off the upset at this point.
The Blackhawks have more experience, more depth and a raucous crowd behind them. They are the better team, especially now that they're charged up and taking the Wings more seriously than they did following a Game 1 rout when they got a little cocky and lost the next three.
The Red Wings simply won't be the best team on the ice, but that doesn't mean they can't win. Howard has to steal it.
He did that in Game 3 in Detroit when he made 40 saves in a 3-1 victory. He followed that up with a 28-save shutout in Game 4.
Chicago has since come to life, scoring eight goals in its last two victories.
Either Howard is absolutely spectacular - another 40-save night - or the Wings' season is over.
2. Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk had point-blank chances against Chicago goalie Corey Crawford in the last game, but they didn't finish.
That can't happen again. The Wings' stars have to live up to their reputations.
When they find a little room, which is so rare in this series, and a quality scoring opportunity develops, they have to bury it.
Zetterberg has been fantastic in elimination games this year. He was selected the No. 1 star in both of the final two games last round against Anaheim, getting two goals and an assist in Game 6 and a goal and an assist in Game 7.
In five Game 7's in his career, three of them victories, Zetterberg has two goals and six assists. Datsyuk has four goals in six Game 7 appearances.
They can't just play well, they have to score. They have to make the difference.
3. If the Red Wings are able to get ahead, you can be guaranteed the Blackhawks will respond fiercely, just like they did the other night when they trailed by a goal after two periods.
Can the Wings hang on to a third-period lead if they get one?
They've been outscored 20-10 in the third period over 13 playoff games. It's unquestionably been a large factor in this series.
In their three victories, the Wings outscored the Blackhawks, 4-1, in the third period.
In three losses, Detroit has been outscored, 7-1, in the third period.
The Red Wings have to be prepared for a relentless push-back from the Blackhawks down the stretch. Don't be tentative or scared. Be smart but stay aggressive and just keep playing to win.
4. Expectations soared for the Red Wings after they took the three-games-to-one lead in the series.
Suddenly, they were supposed to advance to the conference final in a year they almost didn't even make the playoffs.
The Wings didn't handle that pressure too well, but now they can re-embrace the role of underdog.
The Blackhawks are prohibitive favorites in Game 7, and rightfully so. Almost nobody expects Detroit to go into the United Center and win this game and this series now.
Maybe that will help take some of the pressure off.
5. Youthful mistakes, mostly by rookie defenseman Brendan Smith, were extremely costly for Detroit in the Blackhawks' comeback in Game 6.
If it happens again, the Red Wings will have no chance.
Detroit's youngsters and the other role players won't be expected to win this game. That's the job of Howard, Zetterberg and Datsyuk.
But the young guys - particularly Smith, who has had a terrible series - can't lose it for them. Be solid, be responsible. Don't be a rookie.
--FOXSportsDetroit.com
1. Goalie Jimmy Howard must be the No. 1 star. There is no other way that the Wings are going to pull off the upset at this point.
The Blackhawks have more experience, more depth and a raucous crowd behind them. They are the better team, especially now that they're charged up and taking the Wings more seriously than they did following a Game 1 rout when they got a little cocky and lost the next three.
The Red Wings simply won't be the best team on the ice, but that doesn't mean they can't win. Howard has to steal it.
He did that in Game 3 in Detroit when he made 40 saves in a 3-1 victory. He followed that up with a 28-save shutout in Game 4.
Chicago has since come to life, scoring eight goals in its last two victories.
Either Howard is absolutely spectacular - another 40-save night - or the Wings' season is over.
2. Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk had point-blank chances against Chicago goalie Corey Crawford in the last game, but they didn't finish.
That can't happen again. The Wings' stars have to live up to their reputations.
When they find a little room, which is so rare in this series, and a quality scoring opportunity develops, they have to bury it.
Zetterberg has been fantastic in elimination games this year. He was selected the No. 1 star in both of the final two games last round against Anaheim, getting two goals and an assist in Game 6 and a goal and an assist in Game 7.
In five Game 7's in his career, three of them victories, Zetterberg has two goals and six assists. Datsyuk has four goals in six Game 7 appearances.
They can't just play well, they have to score. They have to make the difference.
3. If the Red Wings are able to get ahead, you can be guaranteed the Blackhawks will respond fiercely, just like they did the other night when they trailed by a goal after two periods.
Can the Wings hang on to a third-period lead if they get one?
They've been outscored 20-10 in the third period over 13 playoff games. It's unquestionably been a large factor in this series.
In their three victories, the Wings outscored the Blackhawks, 4-1, in the third period.
In three losses, Detroit has been outscored, 7-1, in the third period.
The Red Wings have to be prepared for a relentless push-back from the Blackhawks down the stretch. Don't be tentative or scared. Be smart but stay aggressive and just keep playing to win.
4. Expectations soared for the Red Wings after they took the three-games-to-one lead in the series.
Suddenly, they were supposed to advance to the conference final in a year they almost didn't even make the playoffs.
The Wings didn't handle that pressure too well, but now they can re-embrace the role of underdog.
The Blackhawks are prohibitive favorites in Game 7, and rightfully so. Almost nobody expects Detroit to go into the United Center and win this game and this series now.
Maybe that will help take some of the pressure off.
5. Youthful mistakes, mostly by rookie defenseman Brendan Smith, were extremely costly for Detroit in the Blackhawks' comeback in Game 6.
If it happens again, the Red Wings will have no chance.
Detroit's youngsters and the other role players won't be expected to win this game. That's the job of Howard, Zetterberg and Datsyuk.
But the young guys - particularly Smith, who has had a terrible series - can't lose it for them. Be solid, be responsible. Don't be a rookie.
--FOXSportsDetroit.com
