Detroit's "Race to Four": Red Wings Fend off Sharks in Elimination Game

In the Detroit Red Wings' first-round series of this year, head coach Mike Babcock has talked about the "race to four" in the playoffs and how important it is to win four games as quickly as possible.

After dominating the Phoenix Coyotes, sweeping that series 4-0, Mike Babcock and Detroit looked to be in the driver's seat against any second-round foe that they would run up against because they would be well rested and get top ailing stars, Henrik Zetterberg and Johan Franzen back in the lineup.

To myself—and perhaps other Detroit fans—the Red Wings were the only team who could possibly benefit from such a lengthy break. The combination of Detroit being a veteran team possibly needing more rest, and their dreadful penalty kill in the first round (which killed only 66.7 percent of penalties) could only be better by such a lengthy amount of time off.

Fast forward to May 4th, about 10:00 P.M. Eastern Time, and Detroit found itself in a familiar position: on the brink of getting swept by the San Jose Sharks.

Detroit went on to win Game 4 tonight in Detroit to stave off elimination and force another game in San Jose on Sunday.

Being in a 3-0 or 3-1 series deficit, some fans would think that Babcock would be worried, but Mike Babcock's mood towards the series has not changed.

It's still a race to four; this one might just be a marathon and not a sprint.

Ironically enough, Babcock knows a thing or two about running as he runs along the Detroit River after practices, sometimes before games.

Perhaps that is why Babcock feels so at ease mentally when addressing the media.

He knows that to win a series when down 3-0, one has to focus on winning a game, and then winning the next game, and so on.

So where do the Red Wings go from here?

Just win the next shift, then win the next period, and so on.

We all saw what happened when Detroit won a period tonight. In fact, they didn't just win the period. They almost ran San Jose out of "The Joe" tonight.

With the exception of a Logan Couture tip off of a Ryane Clowe shot that squeaked through Jimmy Howard's pads, the Red Wings would have walked out of the period with a 3-0 lead.

Win the next shift, win the next period.

It's not hard. What's hard is trying to hold off a team that is coming, throwing everything they have in the direction of your goalie. Detroit has nothing to lose, and they must continue to play with that mentality.

Tonight, Detroit again showed signs of letting up in the second period and third period. They did not get some pucks deep. They played somewhat poorly for stretches in front of Jimmy Howard.

But they found a way to win.

Babcock dismissed the idea that winning a one-goal game was not something Detroit was capable of winning after the Game 3 disappointment.

The Red Wings backed up Mike Babcock and won a one-goal decision tonight, but the road, as they know, is a long one still.

The Red Wings have been to the top, and they have been there a few times in recent years. Some would even question if they have the desire to win another championship or are simply playing to play the game.

I, for one, would like to say otherwise.

I have seen this team battle back from impossible deficits this season to salvage something from games that looked completely lopsided and over; I have seen this team before battle through prior playoff adversity to make a run at Lord Stanley's chalice.

I refuse to believe to take off the "homer goggles" and own up to the fact that any game could be the Red Wings last game this season.

How is Detroit going to come back in this series?

By remembering that it is a marathon:

One shift at a time...one hit at a time...one blocked shot at a time...one goal at a time...one period at a time...you get the picture.

Go Wings