Blackhawks-Red Wings: Joe Louis Arena Erupts as Punches Fly

(Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)

Metaphors linking hockey to boxing are made daily.

It is a sport not shy about fights, and sometimes watched by fans waiting excitedly for them.

However, that is not the reason that parallel is made right now.

In boxing, the first punch is huge for gaining momentum and control of the fight. The little jabs before that are irrelevant—it's that first big haymaker which can win a fight rounds before the final bell sounds.

And as I turned off the TV last night after watching the Hawks fall to the Wings 5-2, I found myself wondering if the howitzer the Wings tried to KO the Hawks with ever landed.

Sure, 5-2 sounds like a dominating game for the Wings—but when you consider that one goal should have been stopped by a freshman college netminder, and that one was a feel-good empty-netter for a Henrik Zetterburg, who has struggled to score since the beginning of the Anaheim series, you have to ask: Was it really so dominating?

I'm not being a 'homer', and saying that it meant nothing that the Blackhawks lost Game One of the Western Conference Finals..  And in no way am I saying that Detroit did not earn their win.

However, even into the early third period, the Blackhawks commanded the tempo of the game and the offensive zone, and the Bulin Wall stood tall and made enough great stops to fill the entire 'Saves of the Week' list.

And going back to boxing—these two contenders went jab for jab, shot for shot, and hit for hit, with no clear winner in Round One. Sure, the Red Wings got the victory, but they did nothing to make at least me believe that this won't be a long and hard fought series.

So here's are the reality of it all:

Detroit are the reigning owners of Lord Stanley's Cup, and they still play like it. They play hard without compromising speed, and their defensive pairings are probably the best in the NHL. They are constantly in shooting lanes, and breaking up key passes.

However, they are old, and Sunday night they looked tired. Osgood was reaching for where he hope pucks might end up, and is at the end of his illustrious career without really knowing how much is in the tank. That being said, he still comes up with save after save with no real explanation as to how he continues to be simply the third-best playoff goaltender of his generation, behind Patrick Roy and Martin Brodeur of course.

Chicago is young and hungry, but with that comes inexperience. They make blind passes hoping for the highlight reel as they watch the puck skitter into the corner to be turned over, killing any scoring chance. They cannot generate anything resembling an odd-man rush, and they largely fail to utilize their speed—which is one of their best weapons.

However, their offensive ability is unprecedented, and they play around six to eight different styles of offense effectively over all four lines. Their talent runs deep from line to line, and they are young and resilient. Add to that the explosiveness of Khabibulin's resurgent goaltending, and you may have the formula for a championship.

The result of Game One is in the books, but the outcome of the series is yet to be seen. I still think the Red Wings only delivered a glancing blow when they tried for the early-round KO, but even that can help them carry momentum into Game 2 where they can do serious damage.

If the Blackhawks can bounce back though and keep going punch for punch, and goal for goal with Detroit, this could be one of the more classic playoff series in the modern NHL.

One thing is for sure—hockey pride is back in Chicago and across the country, ESPN is buzzing about these series, and everyone will be excited Tuesday night for Game Two.

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