Nicklas Lidstrom's 10 Biggest NHL Playoff Goals for the Detroit Red Wings

Nicklas Lidstrom could be lacing up the skates for the last time Friday, as Detroit faces playoff elimination against the San Jose Sharks. The 41-year-old defenseman has repeatedly said that he hasn’t made up his mind about playing again next season—his level of play this year indicates that he's still got some jump in the legs, but with 19 NHL seasons under his belt, Lidstrom could be leaning towards walking away.

During his illustrious career with the Red Wings, the future Hall of Famer has scored 52 playoff goals. Here’s a look back at his 10 biggest.

No. 10: 1997 Western Conference Semis, Game 4 at Anaheim

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22 May 1997: Defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom of the Detroit Red Wings moves down the ice during a playoff game against the Colorado Avalanche at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan. The Red Wings won the game, 6-0.

About a month after this game, the Red Wings hoisted their first Stanley Cup since the 1954-55 season. Detroit had this series with the then-Mighty Ducks in complete control, but trailed 2-1 in Game 4.

Lidstrom knotted the game at two off a feed from Darren McCarty in the third period. Brendan Shanahan later scored in double OT to ice the Ducks and send the Wings to the conference finals.

No. 9: 2007 Western Conference Quarterfinals, Games 1 and 2 vs. Calgary

The year before, Detroit shockingly bowed out in Round 1 against the upstart Edmonton Oilers. Lidstrom helped make sure the Wings avoided a similar fate against the Flames in 2007.

He netted the game-winner early in a 4-1 Game 1 victory, then pulled the trick again in a 3-2 Game 2 win. Detroit went on to eliminate Calgary in six games and make it to the Western Conference finals.

No. 8: 2002 Western Conference Quarterfinals, Game 6 at Vancouver

Another Lidstrom goal in this series ranks higher on the list, but the one he scored in Game 6 was crucial too. In a wild back-and-forth game, Lidstrom put Detroit ahead to stay at 3-2—the Wings eventually extended their lead to 5-2, then held on for a 6-4 win to knock Vancouver out of the postseason.

Detroit went on to win the Stanley Cup.

No. 7: 2008 Western Conference Quarterfinals, Game 6 at Nashville

This isn’t the best known of Lidstrom’s long-range, postseason goals, but it was a huge one. With Detroit killing off a penalty in a scoreless Game 6 against a scrappy Predators team, Lidstrom fired a slap shot from center ice on Nashville goalie Dan Ellis.

The puck skipped just in front of Ellis and hopped over his shoulder into the top corner to give Detroit a 1-0 lead. The Wings went on to win, 3-0, sending Nashville packing en route to another Stanley Cup triumph.

No. 6: 1998 Stanley Cup Finals, Game 1 vs. Washington

Lidstrom got Detroit off on the right foot in its bid to claim a second consecutive Stanley Cup, drilling one home late in the first period to stake the Wings to a 2-0 lead over the Eastern Conference champion Capitals.

Lidstrom’s goal stood up as the game-winner in a 2-1 Wings win that sparked Detroit to a sweep.

No. 5: 2008 Stanley Cup Finals, Game 4 at Pittsburgh

The Red Wings jumped out to a 2-0 series lead on Pittsburgh in the ’08 Cup Finals, but the Penguins responded with a win in Game 3 and took an early lead in Game 4.

Lidstrom erased that deficit with a wicked slap shot past Marc-Andre Fleury to tie the game at one. Jiri Hudler later scored the game-winner to move Detroit within a victory of the title.

No. 4: 2009 Western Conference Quarterfinals, Game 1 vs. Anaheim

Thanks to Lidstrom, the Wings drew first blood in what would be a rugged seven-game series.

With 50 seconds left in the third period of Game 1 and the teams deadlocked at two, Lidstrom fired a shot that Ducks goalie Jonas Hiller kicked out. But Lidstrom followed up his own rebound and tucked it under Hiller for his second goal of the night to give Detroit a 1-0 series lead.

No. 3: 2002 Stanley Cup Finals, Game 2 vs. Carolina

Detroit was a heavy favorite heading into the 2002 Cup Finals, but Carolina came into Joe Louis and stole Game 1, then pushed the Wings to their limit in Game 2.

With the Wings on a power play late in the third period, though, Lidstrom uncorked a slap shot top shelf to put Detroit ahead 2-1. The Wings would win the game, 3-1, then claim victories in the next three contests to take the Cup.

No. 2: 1997 Stanley Cup Finals, Game 4 vs. Philadelphia

If not for a late Flyers goal, Lidstrom’s first-period marker would have gone down in history as the game-winner in Detroit’s Cup-clinching victory.

Nevertheless, Lidstrom’s goal set the table for one of the greatest nights in Detroit hockey history.

No. 1: 2002 Western Conference Quarterfinals, Game 3 at Vancouver

Detroit’s ride to the Stanley Cup crown in 2002 almost never got going. The Red Wings lost Games 1 and 2 in the opening round at home to Vancouver and faced a huge challenge just to make it a series.

But the entire series—and Detroit’s 2002 playoff fate—turned late in the second period of Game 3 when Lidstrom skipped a long bomb past Canucks goalie Dan Cloutier. The goal gave Detroit the lead in that game, which the Wings eventually won, and Cloutier was never the same after. The Wings ran off four straight wins to stun Vancouver, then rolled through the rest of the playoffs to win the Cup.

This post was originally featured on The Detroit Sports Site.