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Osgood Has Been Solid In Goal

By LARRY LAGE

The Associated Press

Published: June 3, 2008

Updated: 06/03/2008 12:22 am

DETROIT - Plan B has worked out pretty well for the Detroit Red Wings.

The NHL's top-seeded team planned on putting Dominik Hasek in goal during the playoffs and keeping him there.

"Dom is not going to struggle," Detroit coach Mike Babcock said the day before the postseason started, attempting to shoot down a question about the possibility of playing Chris Osgood.

But when Hasek struggled against the Nashville Predators, Babcock benched the six-time Vezina Trophy winner in favor of Osgood during Game 4 of the first round.

So far, so good.

Osgood is 13-3 with three shutouts and a 1.45 goals-against average, helping Detroit pull within one win of hoisting the Stanley Cup.

The Red Wings had their first of three chances to win their fourth title in 11 seasons - and 11th in franchise history - Monday at home against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Osgood insisted he's not thinking about the ramifications.

"Sounds boring, but that's the way I've approached it all playoffs," Osgood said after one of his best performances lifted Detroit to a 2-1 win Saturday night at Pittsburgh and a 3-1 series lead. "It's fun for me when the game starts. That's my most enjoyable time of the entire playoffs is when I get out there, have my mind free and just play."

Osgood has had to make an average of just 22 saves a game behind a defense led by five-time Norris Trophy-winner Nicklas Lidstrom and backchecking forwards such as Selke Trophy finalists Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk.

The Red Wings blocked as many shots (nine) as they gave up in the first period against the Penguins.

Detroit drafted the native of Peace River, Alberta, in the third round of the 1991 draft and after he helped the franchise reach the conference finals in 1996, he was Mike Vernon's backup the next season when it won the Stanley Cup.

The Red Wings signed Osgood to a three-year contract extension in January: $1.7 million next season, $1.45 million in 2009-10 and $1.1 million for 2010-11.

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