Friday NHL Recap: Sharks Avoid Collapse, Hold Off Wings

((HT: NHL/Versus))

Patrick Marleau kinda answered his critics with a goal- even if the effort was all Dan Boyle and Devin Setoguchi, and the San Jose Sharks avoided a Game 7 collapse beating Detroit 3-2 in the last Western Conference Semi-Final game.

San Jose now gets top seed Vancouver in the WCF that starts this weekend.

Here's your highlights- unless, of course, you're a Red Wings fan...

Red Wings comeback takes teeth out of Sharks

Wings vs. Sharks/Courtesy: zimbio.com

Three goals in 10 minutes will do that.

Down 3-1 early in the 3rd and final period, the Detroit Red Wings proceeded to score three straight 3rd period goals to come back and beat the San Jose Sharks 4-3. The game winner coming from Pavel Datsyuk. This despite being outshot 42-22 in the game.

Detroit was already down 3-0 in their best of 7 series to the Sharks, they won the previous game before this. Combine that with Sunday nights antics, and you've now got a 3-2 series and life for Detroit.

Your game story from Freep.com RIGHT HERE

San Jose is a team noted for epic collapses. The locals don't seem to be incredibly concerned, so long as the Sharks can regain their bite in Detroit.

Your San Jose story from the Mercurynews.com RIGHT HERE

Either way, this has become almost as interesting as the Vancouver/Nashville series also in the Western Conference. In the east, Tampa Bay and Boston square off to see who will be the East's representative in this years battle for Lord Stanley's Cup.

Your highlights from NHL.com:

Sunday NHL Recap: Surprising 2-0 Leads...

((HT: NHL/Versus/NBC))

In the western conference, the Sharks got output from Ian White and Niclas Wallin- of all people- to get a 2-0 series lead with a 2-1 win...


But it was the big guns that gave Tampa their 2-0 series lead in a 3-2 overtime win over the Washington Capitals. Vinny Lecavalier scored twice, including the game-winner, and Martin St. Louis netted the other...

NHL Playoffs: Night 1- Pens, Wings, and Caps

((HT: NHL/Versus/CSNWashington))

Alexander Semin kept the Caps-Rangers game from heading into a second overtime...
Good enough for a 1-0 series lead...


CSNWashington's Alan May had a good outburst in studio...


After a slow start, the Red Wings took care of the soon-to-be-moving Phoenix Coyotes 4-2. Johan Franzen was his normally-active self...


Marc-Andre Fleury was in equally good form for the Pens game 1 against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Brooks Orpik had a multiple-point game as the Pens got the shutout...


Highlights from Vancouver and Anaheim when they become available...

A Final Good-Bye To Bob Probert

((HT: WXYZ-TV Detroit))

More than 50 motorcycles led a procession to Windsor Christian Fellowship, in Ontario, where hundreds of mourners gathered to honor Bob Probert- teammates, friends, on-ice foes, NHL dignitaries, and just normal people wanting to say good-bye.

Probert's casket was transported on a sidecar attached to a motorcycle.

He died on his boat Monday after having chest pains and, eventually, a heart attack on Lake St. Clair.

Probert was 45 years old.

Here's Tom Leyden with the procession from Windsor, Ontario...