BIG MOMENTS - May 7, 2009: VAN @ CHI

The plays that turn the tide in every game of playoff action -- that is what the beauty of hockey history is built on.

Check back every night following all the 2009 playoff action to witness NHL.com's game-changing moment from each game, as well as the rest of each game's goals, saves and hits.

You can vote on the night's best Big Moment.  Cast your votes after the night's action.

Thanks to all who voted -- and enjoy the 2009 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs!

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Vancouver at Chicago - Game 4

A) With the game still scoreless, Chicago began to make things interesting. The Blackhawks were controlling the puck for an extended period in the Vancouver zone when Jonathan Toews made a shot on net. Roberto Luongo made the stop but the puck rolled out to Troy Brouwer, who should have been able to easily put it in the net for the game's first goal. But Luongo quickly moved to his left and was able to get his left leg out for the save.

Luongo's stoning of Brouwer kept the game scoreless until the Canucks took the lead moments later on Darcy Hordichuk's go-ahead tally.

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B) The Blackhawks were dominating the Canucks for most of the second period, and came close to scoring time after time.

But one blocked shot and one brilliant play later the Canucks had turned the momentum, and the game, on its head. Ryan Johnson blocked a Jonathan Toews shot, and Rick Rypien skated hard down the center of the ice. As he was being checked to the ice he spun around -- Savardian-like -- and swept a brilliant pass ahead to Darcy Hordichuk, who rifled a low shot past Nikolai Khabiliulin and give Vancouver the lead for the fourth straight game in this series.

Hordichuk's first goal of the playoffs was huge as it gave the Canucks a lead in a game they were being thoroughly outplayed in, and it provided a lift that Vancouver sorely needed.

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C) After Darcy Hordichuk had just tallied to give Vancouver the first goal of the night, Patrick Sharp took the puck from the neutral zone and made a play to go one-on-one with Roberto Luongo for a golden opportunity to tie the game. But after stopping Cam Barker with his left pad moments earlier, Luongo once again put out his left leg to make the save as Sharp attempted to backhand the puck into the net.

Luongo's second big pad save in the second period preserved the Canucks' one-goal lead and stymied another big chance for Chicago.

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D) With another brilliant performance by Roberto Luongo leading the way, Vancouver was moments away from taking a 3-1 series lead back to GM Place for a potential series-clincher Saturday night. But as the Hawks and Canucks scrambled for the puck along the boards in the Vancouver zone, Martin Havlat came up with the rubber and wheeled in between the faceoff circles, where he would wrist a shot past Luongo with 2:44 left.

Havlat's goal woke up a quiet United Center and forced overtime in the Hawks' eventual Game 4 win.

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E) After Martin Havlat's tally with 2:44 left in regulation forced overtime, both teams traded quality chances in what would be a surprisingly short extra period. Just moments in, Nikolai Khabibulin made a series of remarkable saves as the Canucks had their best scoring chances of the night. The Hawks responded with a series of opportunities on the ensuing possession, winning the game as Dave Bolland's shot from the point was tipped by Andrew Ladd past Roberto Luongo just 2:52 in.

Ladd's goal tied up the series at two games apiece, as the teams head to Vancouver for Game 5.


FINAL SCORE: Blackhawks 2, Canucks 1 (OT)

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