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Cleary, Franzen help Red Wings edge Ducks

Jan 15, 2009 - 7:47 AM ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- Every time the Anaheim Ducks pushed, the resilient Detroit Red Wings shoved back.

Daniel Cleary and Johan Franzen scored 35 seconds apart midway through the third period Wednesday, helping the Red Wings erase a deficit and post a 4-3 victory over the Ducks in a battle of Western Conference heavyweights.

Tomas Holmstrom and Jiri Hudler also tallied while All-Star Pavel Datsyuk and defenseman Niklas Kronwall notched two assists apiece for the Red Wings, who bounced back from Monday's 5-4 overtime loss to the Dallas Stars to win for the seventh time in eight games.

"We really want to win here," Franzen said. "It's always a good game against Anaheim. It's always a battle out there. They played a little bit better than us in the first, and then I think we took over more and more. It was a good win."

All-Star Ryan Getzlaf netted a goal and set up two others and Corey Perry and defenseman Steve Montador each notched a tally and an assists for Anaheim, which fell to 14-1-0 when leading after two periods.

"It was a really highly paced game," Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said. "In the end, we found a way to lose the hockey game. When you score three goals, you should win in your own building. We turned the puck over, specifically in the third period on the two goals, which really provided the margin of victory for them."

Cleary forged a 3-3 tie at 9:32 of the third by firing a wrist shot past All-Star goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere from the right faceoff circle.

"That was a real good goal," Detroit coach Mike Babcock said. "I thought he played well, I thought Pavel was real good - we got some real good efforts out of guys tonight. They have a good hockey team. Their good players are so good - (Chris) Pronger, (Scott) Niedermayer and Getzlaf."

Franzen scored the controversial deciding goal shortly thereafter.

Datsyuk sent a soft shot into traffic from the left faceoff circle with Franzen in front. As the puck bounced up, Franzen deflected it past Giguere with his stick just below the height of the crossbar for his 19th goal of the campaign.

"I tried to stay under the crossbar and I got the goal," Franzen said. "I asked the linesman, and he thought it was going to be a goal."

The tally stood after video review, and Detroit never relinquished the lead.

"I've seen the replay from our TV people," Carlyle said. "It definitely shows the puck above the level of the crossbar and the puck going in."

After Hudler beat Giguere for a power-play goal 2:49 into the second to tie the contest at 2-2, Montador restored Anaheim's one-goal edge with 8:32 remaining in the session.

"It seemed like the tide of game turned in the middle frame, but we were able to battle back," Carlyle said. "Once they scored and tied, we went back and got a goal. In the end, the two goals they got in the third period, we couldn't find a way to get anything."

Holmstrom opened the scoring nine minutes into the first, but Getzlaf and Perry tallied within a span of 1 minute, 48 seconds late in the period to give the Ducks their first advantage.

Getzlaf, who extended his points streak to seven games, received a bit of praise from one of his opponents after the game.

"He's a great player," Cleary said. "He's one of the best players in the world. He's big, talented and plays with an edge. He's a handful, and he was good tonight. We got the two points, and that's really all that matters."

Chris Osgood turned aside 20 shots - including 13 in the opening period - en route to improving to 15-2-5 for the Red Wings.

"We've been sharp on the road, and we tend to get points in most games we play on the road," Osgood said. "We're just confident, whether we're down or leading going into third periods. We seem to have good pushes and play well."

Giguere made 29 saves.

"We just found a way to lose," Giguere said. "Teams that play with confidence, they find ways to win. I think the Red Wings did that tonight. We don't always do that. It's going to be up to us, the veterans especially, to step up and create something here.

"I think we're a pretty confident group, but it could be a little bit better for sure, especially for me."