2008 Western Conference Quarterfinal Game 6 vs Red Wings
Dan Ellis — the guy no one was watching — makes the save of the night, stuns the Red Wings, forces Game 7.
April 19, 2008, Bridgestone Arena, and the building is close to losing its roof. Instead, Nashville did something it had never done before in a playoff run — dragged a series all the way to six games. Detroit still took the next one and closed out the series, sure. But watching a young Predators crew trade hits and blocks with a stacked roster full of Cup vets, on a night when the crowd actually made the glass shake? That's the game in this franchise's early years where the fans in the third row grabbed each other's arms and went, 'Yep, we belong up here.'
- Series
- Western Conference Quarterfinal
- Opponent
- Detroit Red Wings
- Venue
- Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN
- Result
- Predators win 3-1
- Key Player
- Dan Ellis (goaltender, 37 saves)
- Significance
- First Game 6 in Predators playoff history
Lore & Background
The 2008 playoffs were a coming-out party for the Nashville Predators, who had only made the postseason twice before. Facing the Detroit Red Wings—a team with a storied history and the best record in the Western Conference—the Predators were heavy underdogs. After losing the first two games in Detroit, Nashville rallied to win Game 3 at home, then dropped Game 4. Facing elimination in Game 5, they won a thrilling overtime contest to send the series back to Nashville for Game 6.
In Their Own Story
The Bridgestone Arena was a cauldron of noise as the Predators took the ice for Game 6, knowing a win would force a decisive Game 7 in Detroit. Goaltender Dan Ellis, a rookie who had clawed his way into the starting role mid-season, became the undisputed hero, stopping 37 of 38 shots with a mix of desperation and poise that left Red Wings snipers shaking their heads. The Predators struck twice in a frantic second period—Martin Erat snapping a wrister past Dominik Hasek, then J.P. Dumont burying a rebound on the power play. Detroit pressed with increasing fury in the third, but Ellis stood tall, robbing Henrik Zetterberg with a lunging glove save and swallowing a Nicklas Lidstrom blast from the point. An empty-netter sealed the 3-1 win, and the final buzzer unleashed a tidal wave of gold jerseys and ear-splitting cheers, as Nashville celebrated its first-ever Game 6 victory—a night that transformed a hockey town.
Reader's Guide
The occasion was Game 6 of the 2008 Western Conference Quarterfinal, with the Predators facing elimination against the top-seeded Detroit Red Wings. The Predators, led by rookie goaltender Dan Ellis, played a disciplined defensive game, limiting the Red Wings' high-powered offense to perimeter chances. Ellis made 37 saves, including a spectacular third-period robbery of Pavel Datsyuk and a sprawling pad stop on Johan Franzén. Goals from Martin Erat (a snipe from the slot) and J.P. Dumont (a power-play tip-in), plus an empty-netter, secured a 3-1 win. This game is remembered as a testament to the Predators' resilience and the birth of a passionate playoff culture in Nashville, where catfish first rained from the rafters.
Did You Know?
- Dan Ellis's 37 saves in Game 6 set a franchise record for most saves in a playoff game at the time.
- This was the first time the Predators had forced a Game 6 in any playoff series.
- The Red Wings went on to win the Stanley Cup in 2008, making this series closer than many expected.
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