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Franzen's hat trick leads Red Wings

Apr 27, 2008 - 12:39 AM DETROIT (Ticker) -- "The Mule" put the Detroit Red Wings on his back and carried them to a convincing victory.

Johan Franzen recorded a hat trick and Henrik Zetterberg added a goal and an assist as the top-seeded Red Wings seized control of their Western Conference semifinal series with the sixth-seeded Colorado Avalanche by posting a 5-1 triumph in Game Two on Saturday.

Valtteri Filppula also scored and defenseman Niklas Kronwall added a pair of assists for the Red Wings, who grabbed a two-games-to-none lead in the series.

"Unlike the game before, we kept playing," Detroit coach Mike Babcock said. "The previous game, we stopped playing and they took it to us and had us on our heels. ... Today, we were able to keep going and get the next goal and stay on top of their D."

Babcock is aware that his club cannot relax.

"All we have to do is go back to the last series," he said. "We were in the same scenario, and we went to Nashville and didn't win a game (until the clinching Game Six)."

"They played two games on the road. They've got two in their building now," Zetterberg added. "I think they'll refocus and play good, solid games at home. We have to play good road games. ... It'll be tough because they play real good at home."

Chris Osgood made 19 saves for Detroit, which scored three times in the second period while outshooting Colorado, 22-6, in the session.

Ian Laperriere netted the lone goal for the Avalanche, who host Game Three on Tuesday.

"I don't think we need to say too much," Laperriere said. "We've got to go out and do it. The good thing is, we're going back home. Hopefully, we'll get a boost from that."

"We'll get to regroup after a tough couple games here," said Colorado coach Joel Quenneville, whose team was without injured regulars Peter Forsberg, Wojtek Wolski and defenseman Scott Hannan on Saturday. "Hopefully, going home and having a couple days (off) will give us some momentum. Just winning Game Three is our objective."

Avalanche left wing Ryan Smyth knows his club needs to turn the tide in the series or it will be over quickly.

"We've got to find ways to get a break, whatever it is," Smyth said. "A big save, a big goal, a big hit, whatever we need to change the momentum. We've got to get it back, and hopefully we can get it in Game Three."

Entering as the Red Wings' leader in goals (four), game-winners (two) and points (seven) this postseason, Franzen opened the scoring just 4:22 into the contest with his ninth career playoff tally.

From above the left faceoff circle, Mikael Samuelsson unleashed a slap shot that was headed wide of the left goalpost. Standing on the doorstep, Franzen made a beautiful redirection, guiding the puck past goaltender Jose Theodore for a 1-0 edge.

"It feels like when I get out there, I want to score," Franzen said. "I try to get in front of the net and get rebounds and just keep playing the same way I've been playing. Hard work comes first, for sure. You start with that and the opportunities come."

"He's got all the attributes to be a complete player," Detroit captain Nicklas Lidstrom said. "He's made huge strides here in the last month with some of the ice time he's been given. ... He's hanging on to the puck, he's got his head up and he knows where the other players are. That's why he's able to do some of those things."

Franzen claimed the goal came as a result of a planned play between himself and Samuelsson.

"A great pass by Sammie," Franzen said. "He didn't have a lane to the net, so he shot at my stick a little outside the net for an easy tip-in."

The Red Wings nearly doubled the advantage with less than nine minutes remaining in the first period, but Kris Draper's blast during a 3-on-1 rush was blocked by defenseman Jordan Leopold.

Franzen, who also netted Detroit's final two goals of Game One, made it four in a row just over four minutes into the middle period.

The 28-year-old Swede gained possession of the puck in the right corner and skated behind the net before coming out on the left side and lifting a backhander by Theodore at 4:04 for a 2-0 bulge.

"I had to work a little bit on the second one," Franzen said. "I got a good backhand under the bar, so it was a good one."

"He's a good player," Colorado defenseman Adam Foote said. "He's big and strong. He plays the right way and goes to the net, and he's getting rewarded right now."

After Laperriere ended Osgood's shutout bid at 2:38 of the third, Franzen completed his hat trick to give Detroit a 5-1 cushion.

"He's got a hot stick right now," Quenneville said. "Everything he touches seems to be going in. We have to be a little more tighter to him."

With the Red Wings shorthanded, Zetterberg led a 2-on-1 but had his shot stopped by Peter Budaj. However, Franzen backhanded the rebound out of the air and past the netminder at 8:47 for his seventh goal of the playoffs, temporarily moving him past Philadelphia's Daniel Briere for the league lead.

Briere netted his seventh of the postseason in Game Two of the Eastern Conference semifinals against Montreal on Saturday night.

"Hank had a great play, nice toe drag on (Joe) Sakic, and I got the rebound and I got it in there the second time," Franzen said. "I thought I was going to pick up the scraps because the second guy (for Colorado) was working hard to get back to me. (Zetterberg) didn't really have a passing opportunity, so he made a great toe drag instead, and good for me that he didn't score because I got the rebound."

Franzen's hat trick was the first in the playoffs by a Red Wing since teammate Darren McCarty accomplished the feat in Game One of the 2002 conference finals - also against the Avalanche.

"It was a great play by Sammy, (and by Franzen) tipping in that one for the first goal," Zetterberg said. "The second, he was big and strong coming out front and the third one, he went to the front of the net and scored an odd goal. I think he batted it in. ... He's staying hot, he's got that confidence in him now. He really makes the right plays out there. He's holding pucks, he's getting tip-ins. It's great to see."

In his third campaign in the NHL, Franzen ended the regular season on a hot streak, scoring 15 of his career-high 27 goals in the final 16 games.

"I haven't had (a stretch like this) since I was 18 or 19, when I was in Sweden in the way-lower leagues," he said. "I have great confidence out there. The puck keeps coming and I'm getting great opportunities almost every game here. It's working right now."

"He was playing real well the last month and a half, and he's playing real well now, making the most of his opportunity," Babcock said. "He's a big man with a lot of skill and good hands. When you can't get the puck off the guy and he gets in tight, he's tough for the goalie to handle."

Filppula ended Franzen's run of four consecutive goals for Detroit at 5:42 of the second.

Dallas Drake's slapper from above the right circle was kicked away by Theodore. But the puck caromed off the end boards to Filppula, who buried it from the bottom of the right circle at 5:42 for his second goal of the postseason and a 3-0 lead.

Midway through the second, Zetterberg made it 4-0. Leading another odd-man rush down the right wing, the Selke Trophy finalist moved into the low slot and put a shot past Theodore at 10:11 for his fourth of the postseason.

That ended the afternoon for Theodore, who was pulled for the second straight time after yielding four goals on 20 shots. Budaj, who also replaced a flu-ridden Theodore in Game One, turned aside 19-of-20 shots in relief in this one.

"You never know what's going to happen in a game, so you always have to be ready whenever you get a chance to help your team," Budaj said. "It's not the scenario you want to play in because your team is losing, but that's how it was."

"We'll talk about everything, but Jose has been our guy," Quenneville said regarding the possibility of a change in starting goalies. "Coming off what he went through was not easy. Budaj did a nice job in relief."

Neither netminder is sure who will get the call on Tuesday.

"It's not my call," Theodore said. "I'm going to be ready, but it's not my call."

"You've got to ask coach," Budaj added. "I don't like questions like that because I'm here to do my job, and whenever I get called upon, I'm going to be ready. It's not my call."