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DETROIT (Ticker) -- The Detroit Red Wings look to capture their 10th NHL championship Thursday when they host the Carolina Hurricanes in Game Five of the Stanley Cup Finals. Dominik Hasek stopped 17 shots for his sixth playoff shutout and Brett Hull scored his 100th career postseason goal as the Red Wings blanked the Hurricanes, 3-0, in Game Four on Monday to take a three games to one series lead. Hasek, who became the first goaltender to record five shutouts in one playoff season when he blanked Colorado in Game Seven of the Western Conference finals, is on the verge of the one trophy that has eluded him in his illustrious career. The 37-year old Czech has won six Vezina Trophies, two Hart Trophies and an Olympic gold medal, but fell short in his first attempt at the Stanley Cup. In 1999, Hasek's Buffalo Sabres lost a six-game Finals series to the Dallas Stars as Hull netted the controversial game-winner in triple overtime. Scotty Bowman looks to become the first coach in NHL history to win nine championships. Bowman is currently tied with his mentor, Toe Blake, with eight titles, including two with Detroit in the late 1990's. If successful, Bowman, who also won a Stanley Cup while in Pittsburgh's front office in 1991, will join the NBA's Red Auerbach and Phil Jackson as the only coaches with nine championships. Auerbach won nine NBA titles with the Boston Celtics while Jackson captured his third consecutive championship with the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday after winning six titles with the Chicago Bulls in the 1990's. Bowman won five Stanley Cups while behind the bench with the Montreal Canadiens in the 1970s before leading the Pittsburgh Penguins to their second consecutive championship in 1992 after Bob Johnson passed away. Game Five begins Carolina's quest to do the nearly impossible. The 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs, who lost the first three games of their series with Detroit, are the only team in league history to overcome a three games to one deficit in the Finals. The 1994 Vancouver Canucks, the 1987 Philadelphia Flyers, the 1954 Montreal Canadiens and the 1945 Detroit Red Wings all came back to even their Finals series after trailing 3-1, but fell short, losing Game Seven. If necessary, Game Six would be Saturday in Carolina. |
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