Round 2
VS
DETROIT WINS SERIES 4-0
Game 4:
MAY 1, 2008 -- DENVER -- Johan Franzen had a hat
trick, pacing the Detroit Red Wings to a series sweep over the Colorado
Avalanche in game four of their second round series Thursday night at
Pepsi Center.
Franzen, whose 11 postseason goals lead the NHL, scored at even strength
late in the first period to give the Wings a 3-1 lead. At 11:37 of the
second, Franzen scored shorthanded on a backhand shot. At 17:15, he
redirected Nick Lidstrom's shot on the power play.
It was a night of total domination by the swift, skilled Wings over an
injury-riddled Avs lineup. Ryan Smyth, Peter Forsberg, Paul Stastny and
Wojtek Wolski all missed the game to injury.
The Wings jumped out to a 1-0 lead at 4:33 of the first on a goal by
Mikael Samuelsson, who scored two on the night.
Tyler Arnason scored on a power play to tie it at one with help from
Andrew Brunette (the Avs' best forward in the series, Brunette finished
the postseason with 5 goals and 3 assists).
After that, the Wings tore into the Avs in a dazzling, opportunistic
skill display.
Henrik Zetterberg had two goals in the span of 3:30 in the second period
to put the game out of reach at 5-1.
Michael Samuelsson scored the Wings' eighth goal at 8:02 of the third.
John-Michael Liles finished the scoring at 10:26 of the third on the
power play for Colorado.
The Wings outshot the Avs, 40-31.
Jose Theodore was pulled in favor of Peter Budaj after Johan Franzen's
first of the night put the Wings up, 3-1.
DETROIT WINS SERIES 4-0
Game 3:
APRIL 29, 2008 -- DENVER -- The Detroit Red Wings dominated play Tuesday night at Pepsi Center, pushing the Avalanche to the brink of elimination with a 5-3 victory. The Wings lead the series 3-0.
In the second period, Colorado's Peter Forsberg was assessed a 4-minute penalty for high-sticking Mikael Samuelsson, who lost a tooth on the play. Detroit's Henrik Zetterberg scored the game winning goal on the man advantage at 12:24 to make the score 4-2.
In the third, Joe Sakic would feed Andrew Brunette for his second goal of the night at 5:19, but the Avs could not pull any closer and the Wings' top forwards dominated play.
After Cody McLeod scored for the Avs at 5:17 of the first, Pavel Datsyuk and Johan Franzen responded with goals just 58 seconds apart, at 12:14 and 13:12 of the first.
Also in the second period, Datsyuk added his second of the night at 6:36 of the second period, making it 3-1, but Brunette cut the lead for Colorado with his first of two on the night at 8:08.
The infirmary list grew for the Avs on Tuesday. Avs forward Paul Stastny left the game with a knee injury in the first period. Avs forward Ryan Smyth was out with a foot injury as well, and Wojtek Wolski has been out the entire series with a shoulder injury.
Chris Osgood made 30 saves, including some big ones late in the third period, and Jose Theodore had 31.
Detroit was 2-7 with the man advantage; Colorado, 2-5.
Detroit leads 3-0
Game 2:
April 26, 2008 -- DETROIT -- Johan
Franzen had a hat trick to power the Detroit Red Wings over the Colorado
Avalanche, 5-1. The Wings took a commanding 2-0 series lead at Joe Louis
Arena Saturday afternoon.
Franzen scored two power play goals, one in each of the first two
periods, then Valteri Filppula scored at 5:42, even strength, to give
the Wings a 3-0 lead.
Henrik Zetterberg chased Jose Theodore from Colorado's net at 10:11 of
the second, making it 4-0. Theodore allowed 4 goals on 20 Detroit shots,
Peter Budaj, 19 of 20. The Wings outshot the Avs, 40-20.
Seven second period penalties by the Avs led to their demise, as the
Wings were 2-7 on the power play.
It was the second time in a row that Theodore was pulled.
Franzen potted a shorthanded marker at 8:47 of the third, bringing a
raign of hats in commemoration of his hat trick.
Chris Osgood stopped 19 of 20 shots.
Detroit leads 2-0
Game 1:
Red Wings slide by Avalanche on a pair from Franzen
April 24, 2008 -- DETROIT -- Johan Franzen flies below the radar on a Detroit team loaded with some of the biggest names in the game. After Thursday nights game Avalanche Coach Joel Quennville will always know where Franzen is.
Franzen’s pair of tallies helped stake the Wings to a 4-1 lead and netminer Chris Osgood, who received the starting nod over Dominik Hasek, played well between the pipes. Osgood was the reason Colorado couldn’t tie the game up in the third period and his point-blank, sliding stop of John Michael Liles (with no rebound), 10 feet out in the slot with 10 ticks on the clock was easily the highlight of the game.
DETROIT LEADS 1-0