It is no big surprise the Chicago Blackhawks would be the team to finally end the Detroit Red Wings winning streak at nine games. And I am not saying that because this years Chicago is way better than they have been in years. No, I am saying that because the Blackhawk-Red Wings rivalry is alive and well and has been for years. Eventhough the Hawks game in resent years has been mediocre at best, they have always found a way to give their central division neighbor a good fight.*
In the Wing's cup-winning 2001-02 season I was at the Joe Louis Arena to watch Detroit take on the visiting Blackhawks. The Red Wings, boasting more future Hall of famers than I can count, managed to get away with a 3-3 draw. In goal for Chicago that time was backup Steve Passmore, and the reason was simply that the Red Wings would always have trouble facing him. And why mess with what works? Passmore played all games against Detroit that season.
Even though they ended the Red Wing's winning streak, it is great to see that Chicago has finally turned the corner, and I am looking forward to more great games between the two classic teams.
The Detroit winning streak may have ended, but the point streak of Henrik Zetterberg just keeps going. His assist against Chicago took his streak to 17 games.
* In 1934 the Chicago Blackhawks won the first of three Stanley Cups, defeating the Detroit Red Wings in the final.
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