| Chicago Blackhawks – Detroit Red Wings | |
|---|---|
| History | |
| 1st Meeting | November 24, 1926 |
| 1st Result | DET 1-0 |
| Location | Chicago Coliseum |
| Last Meeting | December 30,2011 |
| Last Result | CHI 3-2 |
| Location | United Center |
| Next Meeting | January 8, 2012 |
| Location | United Center |
| Number of Meetings | |
| Regular Season Meetings | |
| All-Time Series | |
| Regular Season Series | |
| Longest CHI Win Streak | |
| Longest DET Win Streak | |
| Post Season History | |
| Post Season Meetings | |
| Post Season Series | |
The rivalry between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League is the most intense rivalry in the Central Division.[1] It has existed since 1926–27 and continued ever since through the Original Six days into the present. These two clubs have faced each other in more regular season games than any other two clubs in NHL history, except for the total number of regular season and playoff matches between the Bruins and Canadiens.[1]
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The rivalry began on November 24, 1926, when the NHL's two Midwest expansion teams met for the first time, and the Detroit Cougars (they didn't become Red Wings until 1932) earned a 1-0 victory against the Chicago Black Hawks (they didn't become Blackhawks until 1986) at Chicago Coliseum, the arena that preceded Chicago Stadium, the "Madhouse on Madison."[1] In that game, Frank Frederickson of the Cougars scored the only goal with five minutes remaining in the third period, assisted by defenseman Hobie Kitchen, and goaltender Hap Holmes recorded the first shutout of his rookie season. It was the first win in Detroit franchise history, and the first loss in Chicago franchise history.[1]
During the 2008–09 season, the teams faced off against each other at the 2009 NHL Winter Classic at Wrigley Field in Chicago.
In the 2009–10 season, the Blackhawks finished the regular season as the Central Division champions with 112 points and was second in the Western Conference. This was the fourteenth division title in franchise history for the Chicago Blackhawks but the first since 1992–93 when it was called the Norris Division. The Red Wings finished second in the standings to the Blackhawks, and entered the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs seeded fifth in the conference. Both teams reached the second round of the playoffs. The Blackhakws won their second round series against the Vancouver Canucks in six games, but with the Red Wings losing their second round series to the San Jose Sharks, the road to ending the longest active Stanley Cup drought became much easier.[2]
Unlike the 2008 and 2009 Finals, which featured the Red Wings and the Pittsburgh Penguins, the 2010 Final was a showdown between their respective biggest rivals, the Blackhawks and the Philadelphia Flyers, in-state rivals of the Penguins, though they needed a shootout on the final day of the season to make the playoffs.[3][4] The Blackhawks won their first Stanley Cup since beating the Red Wings in the 1961 Final, and like the Red Wings in 2008, won it in six games and on the road.[5]