Red Wings vs. Blackhawks Game 7: Score, Twitter Reaction and Analysis

The Chicago Blackhawks are going on to the Western Conference Finals after a 2-1 overtime victory over the Detroit Red Wings in Game 7 on Wednesday at United Center.

Brent Seabrook was the hero.

The first period was evenly played. The Blackhawks held a slight advantage in shots on goal (13-11) and blocks (6-5), while the Red Wings posted more hits (14-11).

At the 5:20 mark in the first period, Chicago's Duncan Keith was given two minutes for tripping Justin Abdelkader. The Red Wings were able to get off three shots on goal, but Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford saved all three attempts.

Jesse Spector of TSN.com posed an interesting question:

At the 9:22 mark, Detroit center Joakim Andersson was given two minutes for interference. On the ensuing power play, the Blackhawks got off one shot on goal, a 38-foot wrist shot by Brandon Saad.

Both teams battled back and forth but both teams headed into the second period scoreless, as the one and only Scottie Pippen enjoyed the game in a Blackhawks jersey, via C.J. Fogler:

At the 1:08 mark in the second period, Chicago's Patrick Sharp swung home a 14-foot wrist shot, assisted by Marian Hossa and Michal Handzus. The home crowd roared as the Blackhawks took a 1-0 lead.

TheScore.com treated us with a wonderful GIF:

At the 6:03 mark, the Red Wings were awarded another power play when Andrew Shaw was whistled for interference. But Chicago ultimately wasn't able to capitalize, watching two shots on goal stopped by Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard.

At the 9:09 mark, Abdelkader was given two minutes for tripping Patrick Kane. But, once again, no one was able to convert on the power play, as Chicago failed to get off a shot on goal.

Allyson Gronowitz, who covers the New York Rangers for BlueShirtBulletin.com, quipped:

Still, the scoreboard said the Blackhawks had a 1-0 lead after two periods, and that's all they cared about.

That soon changed. A mere 26 seconds into the third period, the Red Wings struck, as Henrik Zetterberg scored on a 15-foot wrist shot off assists from Gustav Nyquist and Daniel Cleary to knot it at 1-1.

World of Isaac hit us with the GIF:

The Blackhawks were awarded another power play at the 6:07 mark when Jonathan Ericsson was given two minutes for hooking Sharp. But, once again, Chicago managed only one shot on goal (a 38-footer by Sharp) and failed to score on the man advantage.

Late in the period, Chicago's Niklas Hjalmarsson appeared to score a goal, but the goal was waved off, as Kyle Quincey and Brandon Saad were whistled for controversial roughing penalties during the play.

Not only did some think the official should have let the play go, many didn't understand what Saad did to deserve the roughing penalty. 

Matt Spiegel of The McNeil & Spiegel Show in Chicago started the barrage of tweets that followed:

B/R's Tom Kinslow added:

Apparently an angry Blackhawks fan threw a towel at the referee, via Guyism.com:

Jerry Palm of CBSSports.com questioned:

But the Blackhawks weren't about to let a controversial call dictate the final outcome.

At the 3:35 mark in overtime, Brent Seabrook swung home the game-winning goal, a 32-footer off an assist by Dave Bolland that sent Chicago to the conference finals to meet the defending champion Los Angeles Kings.