Yzerman Calls Game in OT

All-Time Stanley Cup Quarterfinal Bracket

The Detroit Red Wings rebounded from coughing up a 3-1 lead as captain Steve Yzerman potted the game-winner 4:42 into the extra frame to give the Red Wings a 4-3 Game 1 win over the Boston Bruins in the all-time Stanley Cup Quarterfinals. Honorable mention goes to Detroit netminder Terry Sawchuk as the game might have been a foregone conclusion in Boston's favor. Sawchuk made a number of point-blank stops, especially in the first period and some of those are noted on the highlight reel.

Detroit's famed "Production Line" opened the scoring as Gordie Howe fed Sid Abel streaking down the left side, and he snuck one past Gerry Cheevers on the short side. The Bruins' fourth line was a force throughout the game as they were in on all three Boston goals and answered 1:57 later. Center Peter McNab took a feed behind the Red Wings' net from Terry O'Reilly and circled to stuff one past Sawchuk on the far side. Then Detroit's fourth line got into the act as Norm Ullman pounced on a loose puck and backhanded the puck over Cheevers glove to make the score 2-1.

Cashman's game-tying goal

Halfway through the second period Igor Larionov pumped an absolute one-time howitzer over Cheevers' shoulder to stretch Detroit's advantage to 2 goals. Once again the Bruins' fourth line went back into quick-strike mode. Peter McNab cut across the goal mouth to slide his second goal of the game past Sawchuk with 1:54 left in the frame. With one second remaining in the period, NcNab's shot created a rebound in front and was gathered in by winger Wayne Cashman. He flipped a puck under the arm of Sawchuk to tie the proceedings.

The Bruins absolutely blitzed the Red Wings in the third period outshooting them 16-7 but Sawchuk was the difference as he carried Detroit into an extra period.

Steve Yzerman collected a partially blocked shot and avoided a check by Boston's Johnny Bucyk in front of the Bruins' net. He roofed a snapshot over the glove of Cheevers to salvage the game for the Red Wings and send a delirious hometown crowd away ecstatic.

Yzerman's OT winner

Game 1 Summary