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Osgood picks up 400th win, Wings nip Avs in OT

Dec 28, 2010 - 6:46 AM Denver, CO (Sports Network) - Niklas Kronwall's power-play blast with 1:18 left in overtime provided an exclamation point on a 46-save performance from Chris Osgood, as Detroit nipped Colorado, 4-3, at Pepsi Center.

Osgood recorded his 400th career victory after being denied in his previous two attempts, and became the 10th netminder in NHL history to reach the plateau.

"I'm happy to get that one done with," Osgood said of the 400th win. "I've worked hard to stay in the league, changing my style and staying in shape. That's what I'm most proud of."

Nicklas Lidstrom notched a goal and three assists for the Red Wings, who have won three of four.

Jiri Hudler and Kronwall added a score and a helper each, with Johan Franzen adding another goal for Detroit, which has won three of its last four at Colorado and widened its cushion atop the Western Conference standings to three points over idle Vancouver.

Matt Duchene tallied twice and T.J. Galiardi once for the Avalanche, losers in three straight contests after winning six in a row.

Peter Budaj suffered the loss after yielding four goals on 30 shots.

Colorado needed less than 3 1/2 minutes to hit the scoreboard, as Duchene pushed home a Tomas Fleischmann rebound from in front.

Detroit responded on the power play at 5:35 when Hudler gathered his own rebound and shot a rolling puck from the right circle over Budaj's glove.

The Avs answered at 6:21 when Galiardi's knuckling chance on the left wing dipped under Osgood's pad, but the Wings counterpunched on Franzen's man- advantage goal with 7:28 left in the first.

Osgood made nearly a dozen quality saves in the second period as the Avalanche unloaded a 23-shot barrage, but the home team failed to break the deadlock.

It appeared that the visitors seized the momentum when Lidstrom rippled the net with 5:23 remaining on a power play, taking a pass from Hudler and wristing it under the crossbar for a 3-2 Detroit edge.

However, Duchene converted a Paul Stastny rebound at the right post on Colorado's advantage with 2:36 to go.

In the OT, Budaj was whistled for tripping, leading to Kronwall's winner.

"When you give up a power play in overtime to such good players as [the Red Wings] they're going to [capitalize]," Budaj said.

Game Notes

Osgood's career mark stands at 400-216-29 with 66 ties...His first victory came on October 27, 1993 with Detroit against Los Angeles...Hall-of-Fame goalie Grant Fuhr sits in ninth place with 403 career victories...Prior to the game, Detroit pronounced forward Danny Cleary out for four weeks with a broken left ankle suffered on Sunday...The Red Wings also scratched defenseman Brian Rafalski and recalled forward Jan Mursak from Grand Rapids of the AHL...Avalanche rookie defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk left the game late in the second when he was struck in the head by a puck, but he later returned.