Red Wings 3 - 0 Avalanche
Final
  for this game

Conklin helps Wings blank Avs

Oct 9, 2011 - 5:01 AM Denver, CO (Sports Network) - Ty Conklin stopped all 29 shots he faced, as the Detroit Red Wings blanked the Colorado Avalanche, 3-0.

Johan Franzen, Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk each scored for the Red Wings, who opened their season on Friday with a 5-3 win over Ottawa.

The Avalanche honored Peter Forsberg prior to the contest, retiring his No. 21 jersey in a distinguished ceremony. They could have used some of the Swedes' notable vision and playmaking ability, as they managed 10 less shots than the rival Red Wings.

Semyon Varlamov stopped 36 shots for Colorado, which finished last season in 14th place in the Western Conference.

Forsberg spent 10 season of his heralded career with the Avalanche, before retiring following last year's failed comeback attempt. He was a fundamental participant in the bitter Colorado-Detroit rivalries that ignited in the 1990's and have perpetuated since.

"I was looking forward to this day for a long time," Forsberg said prior to the game. "This is unbelievable and I will remember this day."

Still, the Avalanche didn't give Forsberg much to cheer about.

Franzen's one-time snap shot beat Varlamov with 2:19 to play in the second period to break a scoreless tie.

Datsyuk set up Zetterberg's slap shot goal 11:58 into the third period, then capped the scoring with an empty net tally with 2:20 to play.

"The first period they were faster than us," said Zetterberg. "The second period we got back into it and Ty kept us in it."

Game Notes

These teams split the four-game set a season ago...The Avalanche also honored former players Karlis Skrastins and Ruslan Salei, who died in a plane crash in Russia last month...Colorado has gone 15 consecutive home games and 23 games overall without a regulation win.






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