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Red Wings blank Avalanche, lose Lidstrom

Feb 19, 2008 - 4:56 AM By Dave Reed PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

DENVER (Ticker) - The Detroit Red Wings snapped its six-game winless streak with a 4-0 victory over the Colorado Avalanche on Monday night, but they may have lost captain Nicklas Lidstrom for a few games in the process.

Henrik Zetterberg scored two goals, Pavel Datsyuk had three assists and Chris Osgood needed just 18 saves to record his fourth shutout of the season for the Red Wings, who have completed the four-game season sweep of the Avalanche with three consecutive blankings.

One of the NHL's most bitter rivalries had cooled in recent years, but it got an instant dose of intensity early in the game when Ian Laperriere checked defenseman Lidstrom into the boards.

The five-time Norris Trophy winner left with an injury to his right knee just 6:10 into the first period and did not return.

"I hope Lidstrom is not hurt," Laperriere said. "I don't think the hit was illegal. Everybody saw it. The referees saw and they didn't think it was illegal. I play hard and clean."

Red Wings enforcer Aaron Downey instigated a fight with Laperriere later in the period, and the two went at it again just 35 seconds into the third period.

"We're tying to grow the game in the United States," Downey said. "We can't be running our superstars of the game. It's a joke in my mind. If you want play good clean hockey, I play good clean hockey. I'm not going to run one of their guys. I'll go out there and get him back. That's the way the game should be played."

The second confrontation started a melee in front of both benches, and a heated argument broke out between Detroit coach Mike Babcock and Colorado assistant Tony Granato.

"We were just having a little discussion, a disagreement" Babcock said. "I thought the hit was high and it finished to his head. To me, the league is about protecting the guys' heads. A five-time Norris Trophy winner shouldn't have to protect his head.

Defenseman Chris Chelios opened the scoring when he beat goaltender Jose Theodore with a slap shot from the high slot with 7:57 remaining in the opening session. Pavel Datsyuk sent a pass from behind the left post to the 46-year-old, who waited for Johan Franzen to create a screen before letting go of the shot.

Valtteri Filppula made it 2-0 when he lifted a sharp-angle wrist shot over the left pad of Theodore with 56 seconds left in the period.

Zetterberg struck twice within a span 2:42 midway through the second period. He netted his first goal on a 5-on-3 advantage at 7:42 when he one-timed a feed from Datsyuk from the right circle.

"When you get a 5-on-3, you have to get a goal and we did," Zetterberg said. "It was a nice play by Pavel fining me back door and I put it in an open net."

Datsyuk set up the next goal from the same spot, this time passing back to Zetterberg, who deked in the slot and scored into an open net at the left edge of the crease.

Osgood stopped 11 shots in the first period, just two in the next and five more in the third to secure his 47th career shutout.

"They tried to make a lot of great plays against us," Osgood said. "They had a lot of opportunities but didn't shoot it for one reason or another. We did a real good job of knocking down passes, clogged up the middle."

Colorado managed just two tallies against Detroit this season and has not scored against the Red Wings for over 214 minutes.

"For us, obviously frustration sets in a little bit," Andrew Brunette said. "You think you have to score. When you play a team like this, you start cheating to score, it's going to end up in the back of your net."

The Red Wings had posted an 0-5-1 record over their previous six contests but now hold an eight-point advantage over the Dallas Stars in the race for the Presidents' Trophy.

"We really needed a win," Zetterberg said. "We played a good game in Dallas. We just wanted to build on that and we did. We came out strong, and even though we lost one of our best players, we played a good game."

Theodore turned aside 36 shots for the Avalanche, who have lost four consecutive games.

"We didn't play the kind of game we want to play, especially against these guys," Theodore said. "When they play a solid game and we're not sharp, it can be long out there. And tonight I got to say that it was a long 60 minutes."