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Franzen's Absence Can't Slow Wings

The Associated Press

Published: May 11, 2008

DETROIT - The Detroit Red Wings kept rolling without their hottest player.

Darren Helm and Henrik Zetterberg scored first-period goals to help make up for the loss of Johan Franzen, and Detroit held on for a 2-1 win Saturday night against the Dallas Stars and a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference finals.
Stephane Robidas tied it at 1 midway through the first period, but the Stars struggled to get shots to or past Chris Osgood.

Dallas' Marty Turco made 32 saves and fell to 0-9-2 in the NHL at Joe Louis Arena. Osgood needed to stop just 17 shots, improving to 8-0 in the playoffs this season.

The game at Joe Louis Arena ended in ugly fashion as Osgood used the handle of his stick to poke at Dallas' Mike Ribeiro when he skated past the net. Ribeiro then slashed Osgood across the chest from behind the net.

"Even if I did butt-end him, it was an accident," Osgood said. "I was trying to protect our best player, Nick Lidstrom, so he didn't get run."

After watching a replay, Dallas coach Dave Tippett blamed Osgood for the fracas.

"Ribeiro is actually letting up on the guy and Osgood just sticks his stick out and butt-ends him," Tippett said. "Ribeiro is not going to turn around and chop the goalie like that without having something happening."

Tippett was asked if he expected the NHL to suspend Osgood.

"That's for the higher powers to figure out," Tippett said.

Following some scuffling, Ribeiro was called for a match penalty.

The Red Wings had earlier announced Franzen was scratched from the lineup and would miss the following game because of concussion-like symptoms.

Dallas	1	0	0	-	1
Detroit	2	0	0	-	2

First Period-1, Detroit, Helm 1 (Hudler), 5:56. 2, Dallas, Robidas 2 (Ribeiro, Morrow), 10:41 (pp). 3, Detroit, Zetterberg 8 (Datsyuk, Holmstrom), 15:13 (pp). Penalties-Lidstrom, Det (delay of game), 10:27; Zubov, Dal (hooking), 14:49.

Second Period-None. Penalties-Zetterberg, Det (tripping), 2:08; Chelios, Det (holding), 6:44; Stuart, Det (tripping), 8:36; Richards, Dal (holding), 9:57; Turco, Dal, served by Ott (slashing), 11:45; Modano, Dal (cross-checking), 13:50; Holmstrom, Det (diving), 13:50; Chelios, Det (high-sticking), 17:32.

Third Period-None. Penalties-Niskanen, Dal (interference), 8:43; Morrow, Dal (holding), 19:42; Ott, Dal, minor-misconduct (roughing), 19:55; Ribeiro, Dal, match penalty, 20:00.

Shots on Goal-Dallas 4-8-6-18. Detroit 12-9-13-34. Power-play opportunities-Dallas 1 of 5; Detroit 1 of 6. Goalies-Dallas, Turco 8-6 (34 shots-32 saves). Detroit, Osgood 8-0 (18-17). A-20,066 (20,066). T-2:25.