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Wings advance to Conference Finals

Subscribe to this feed!  Posted by Matt Schwartz 12:35AM - Friday, May 02, 2008

An offensive onslaught of 2002 porportions greeted Colorado in Thursday's Game 4 as the Red Wings defeated the Avalanche 8-2 to complete a four-game sweep and advance to the Western Conference Finals for the second-straight year. Johan Franzen's second hat trick of the series helped him shatter the NHL record for goals in a playoff series with nine. Henrik Zetterberg and Mikael Samuelsson each scored twice.

Franzen's incredible series also made him the fastest player in 15 years to 10 playoff goals and his two hat tricks in one series was the first time since Jari Kurri did it as an Oiler in 1985.

Goaltender Chris Osgood stopped 29 of 31 Avalanche shots to improve to 6-0 in the postseason as Detroit's starter.

Detroit opened the scoring early in the game on Jose Theodore when Mikael Samuelsson's shot from the right feaceoff circle squeaked though the goaltender's arm and skidded into the net. The Avalanche tied the game on the club's first power-play of the night when Tyler Arnason snapped home a quick one-timer from the base of the faceoff circle.

Colorado played a strong opening 18 minutes of the first period -- and then the wheels came off. Detroit took a two goal lead before the end of the period in a pair of 2-on-1 breaks that were finished off by Tomas Holmstrom and Franzen's first of the night as Detroit took a 3-1 lead into the dressing room.

The Red Wings started the second period on a power play -- and had it extended due to a delay-of-game penalty -- which Detroit used to push the lead to 4-1 with a Zetterberg blast from the point.

Zetterberg increased the lead to 5-1 with an incredible 180-degree backhander that found the top corner of the net that will be on highlight reels for years to come. (Check the "Videos" tab on the front page to see when it gets added to YouTube.)

Franzen made it 6-1 with his second of the night while on a shorthanded rush with Zetterberg. Franzen netted the hat trick with a deflection goal with less than three minutes remaining in the second period while on a Detroit power play.

Samuelsson and Colorado's John-Michael Liles traded goals in the third period to close out the scoring.

Jose Theodore lasted the first period before being replaced by Peter Budaj and stopped 12 of 15 Detroit shots. Budaj didn't fair any better, turning aside just 20 of 25.

The Red Wings await the winner of the Dallas/San Jose series, which resumes with Game 5 Friday night. Dallas leads the series 3-1.


LGW.com's 3 Stars

1. Mule (DET) - Hat Trick, +3
2. Henrik Zetterberg (DET) - 2 Goals, 2 Assists, +3
3. Pavel Datsyuk (DET) - 3 Assists, +2

Red Wings Lines

Datsyuk - Zetterberg - Holmstrom
Filppula - Franzen - Samuelsson
Hudler - Draper - Cleary
Drake - Helm - McCarty

Lidstrom - Rafalski
Stuart - Kronwall
Lebda - Lilja

Osgood (Hasek)

 


NHL.com Stats Pack

· Game Summary
· Box Score
· Play-by-Play
· Event Summary
· Team Rosters
· Time on Ice: DET, COL

Total Comments (1)add comment

02:47AM, Friday, May 02, 2008
Textbook said:


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