Blackhawks Confidential

This is Mike Kiley of ChicagoNow. I'll be posting my thoughts as the Hawks face elimination and welcome you joining in. Puck drops at 6:30 p.m.

Hawks need to come out with a strong flurry as they did in Game 1 in Detroit. Only better and with more effectiveness. They need to show Detroit right away it's going to be a battle and not fall into a 2-0 hole in the first period like Game 4.

UPDATED: 9:20 p. m.

It's over. The Detroit pressure was too much in overtime. There will be no Game 6 in Chicago. Cristobal Huet was great, but lost. Darren Helm scores.

UPDATED: 9:11 p. m.

Who's the Hawk most likely to score in overtime? I'll pick Colin Fraser, who has been pounding on the door all night.

UPDATED: 9:05 p. m.

"It's all about second efforts right now," Jonathan Toews said before going into overtime.

UPDATED: 9 p. m. 

Dave Bolland and Adam Burish both had chances to score in the closing two minutes. Kane fed Bolland. Johan Franzen was stopped on the rebound by Cristobal Huet's right pad as the Hawks goalie laid flat out on his stomach.

The Wings thought they had the victory. But it's going to overtime. Huet made the save of the season against Franzen. It'll be shown again and again and again.

UPDATED: 8:49 p. m.

Patrick Kane finally scores for the first time in this series. He found some space to use his speed skating down the right side and lifted a pretty backhand over the left shoulder of Chris Osgood.

At the last, the young star stepped up as the season was in danger of slipping away. There was just a little more than 7 minutes to play in regulation when Kane got on the board.

UPDATED: 8:38 p. m.

Daniel Cleary, former Hawk first rounder, has been one of the major stars in the series for Detroit. So it was not surprising when he scored the game's first goal with 13:52 left, deflecting a shot by defenseman Brett Lebda.

Andrew Ladd turned over the puck to give Detroit that chance. Then Ladd had a chance a short time later to make up by tying the score. Chris Osgood made a great save to reject him.

The Hawks need a miracle.

UPDATED: 8:31 p. m.

The action is fast and furious to start the third. Wings defenseman Chris Chelios coughs it up at the net and Troy Brouwer misses a great chance to score. Then Colin Fraser has another scoring chance and can't get in the net.

Fraser is playing for Chicago for the first time since the first round against Calgary. With Martin Havlat out with an injury, Fraser is making the most of his opportunity.

Kris Versteeg almost scores, as well. He gets his own rebound, but can't score on two shots at Chris Osgood.

UPDATED: 8:22 p. m.

Marion Hossa, Detroit's two-goal star in Game 4, is on the attack again late in the second period. But Cristobal Huet doesn't let down. Darren Helm seems on his way to being the star of the game, pressuring in the offensive zone time and again for the Wings.

But after two periods, with Huet playing the game of his life, neither team has scored. This is going to come down to a big play turning the tide.

UPDATED: 7:56 p. m.

Finally, a physical confrontation, Detroit's Tomas Holmstrom was the aggressor, taking down Colin Fraser. They both get roughing. Holmstron was frustrated he couldn't score in front of the net on a deflection. The Hawks then go to a 4-on-3 power play when Detroit gets a penalty.

The Hawks play well, but can't score. They get another power play to try again. Chris Osgood is stoning them.

Darren Helm plays great for Detroit shorthanded and almost scores. He holds the puck almost half a minute.

UPDATED: 7:39 p. m.

Detroit had the first-period momentum. The Hawks had to immediately stop the flow going in the wrong direction or it looked like a matter of time until the Wings scored first.

 The Hawks so far are concentrating on playing the game and not getting involved in any extra physical play. When they have had the chance to give an extra push after a Huet save, the Hawks haven't gotten involved after giving in to their emotions in Game 4 and meting doww.

Colin Fraser and Andrew Ladd challenge goalie Chris Osgood with good shots, but they can't break through. The momentum has swung to Chicago.

UPDATED: 7:18 p. m.

The first period ends scorless thanks to Cristobal Huet. Although many worried about him returning to the net after his Game 4 struggles, Huet turned aside 21 shots as Detroit carried the action for the first 20 minutes.

The Hawks have to feel fortunate to be even at this point. They need to find a way during the first intermission to come out and match the Red Wings' offensive energy. Kudos to Niklas Hjalmarsson for blocking a shot that never reached Huet. He absorbed a physical blow doing it.

"Ir's not acceptable giving up 20 shots in the first period," Patrick Kane. "We have to play better in front of him. We got to get some clear shots on Osgood." 

UPDATED: 7:08 p. m.

"This is the fastest pace of the series yet," coach Joel Quenneville said on Versus. "We have to pick it up a little bit."

Why all the two many men penalties on the Hawks in this series. That's a breakdown that can't happen over and over, but Detroit now goes on its second straight power play of the first period.

UPDATED: 6:55 p. m.

It could be a big night for Patrick Kane. He moved well in the neutral zone, slid right of the net and pushed a beautiful pass to Colin Fraser, whose shot was rejected by Chris Osgood. But Kane is suddenly alive after being wandering around the first four games with little to show for himself.

UPDATED: 6:50 p. m.

Brent Seabrook being stunned by blocking a shot early was worrisome, but he soon returned to the ice. The Hawks offense showed life early with a Dave Bolland shot and Patrick Kane passing well.

But here comes the Wings, peppering Cristobal Huet hard. But even a 2-1 attack at Huet doesn't get Detroit a goal. The Hawks are surviving. They need to turn the pressure the other way.