415 posts for Detroit Game 3 Victory

Red Wings' Johan Franzen gets fired up when targeted for physical play

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DETROIT – The officiating in the Detroit-Nashville playoff series has been tight, resulting in a total of 22 power plays in two games, an unexpectedly high number for the two least-penalized clubs in the NHL this season.
But Red Wings forward Johan Franzen feels referees are missing some calls – plays in which the Predators are targeting him for physical abuse.

Franzen was particularly upset about being elbowed in the face by Mike Fisher less than two minutes intoGame 2 Friday. A bloodied Franzen retaliated and was penalized for cross-checking.

“As long as they don't call it, I would do the same,'' Franzen said. “If I could throw an elbow at someone's nose I would probably do it, too.

“I don't know why they're not calling anything, but you know, it's getting a little old right now. I guess you've got to go down and scream loud to get penalties. I don't know."

As is often the case, the player retaliating gets caught.

“I usually do something back,'' Franzen said. “If you get an elbow in the nose, you're not too happy about it and you're going to try to get the other guy and if the ref only sees what I do and not what they do, it's going to get called.

“If they just do their job, everything will be fine."

Franzen doesn't mind getting his nose dirty this time of year.

"Oh yeah, I like that,'' Franzen said. “I like the physical part of the game, either throwing a hit or getting one. That usually fires you up a little bit. I like that part of playoff hockey."

Despite his 6-foot-3, 230-pound frame, Franzen often is the target of physical abuse. Does he ever feel like going off on someone?

“If there's a hit out there, you try to get it, but you know, you don't just focus on running around and finding guys,'' Franzen said. “You try to play your game and make it as hard on them as possible."

Franzen got back at Nashville by scoring what proved to be the winning goal at 9:57 of the second period – albeit accidentally. Brad Stuart's shot deflected in off Franzen's leg.

Coach Mike Babcock's message before the playoffs to his bigger forwards – Franzen, Todd Bertuzzi, Justin Abdelkader, Danny Cleary – was to play more physical.

“Well, (Franzen) was physical, and I think anytime he’s involved physically he’s a better player; when he moves his feet he’s a better player,'' Babcock said. “Those are the two things that we talk about on a constant basis. If he wants to have success, that’s what he has to do.

“He has the ability to be a big-time player. Being a big-time player at this time of year is real simple. A lot of guys have regular-season success and can’t have any in the playoffs, just because they’re not gritty enough and determined enough. They need more space and when there’s no space you’ve got to make your own space, you’ve got to dig in and find a way. <br style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; vertical-align: bottom; ">

"So he has the tool set and he’s always found a way to do that and we need him to do that again this year.”

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