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NHL: Franzen hat trick pushes Red Wings over Colorado

Johan Franzen recorded a hat trick and Henrik Zetterberg added a goal and an assist as Detroit seized control of their quarter-final playoff series with Colorado by posting a 5-1 win on Saturday.

Valtteri Filppula also scored and defenseman Niklas Kronwall added a pair of assists for the Red Wings, who grabbed a two-games-to-none lead in the series.

“Unlike the game before, we kept playing,” Detroit coach Mike Babcock said. “The previous game, we stopped playing and they took it to us and had us on our heels. Today, we were able to keep going and get the next goal and stay on top of their D.”

Chris Osgood made 19 saves for Detroit, which scored three times in the second period while outshooting Colorado, 22-6, in the session.

Ian Laperriere netted the lone goal for the Avalanche, who host game three on Tuesday.

“I don’t think we need to say too much,” Laperriere said. “We’ve got to go out and do it. The good thing is, we’re going back home. Hopefully, we’ll get a boost from that.”

Avalanche left wing Ryan Smyth knows his club needs to turn the tide in the series or it will be over quickly.

“We’ve got to find ways to get a break, whatever it is,” Smyth said.

Entering as the Red Wings’ leader in goals (four), game-winners (two) and points (seven) this postseason, Franzen opened the scoring just 4:22 into the contest with his ninth career playofftally.

Franzen, who also netted Detroit’s final two goals of game one, made it four in a row just over four minutes into the middle period.

After Laperriere ended Osgood’s shutout bid at 2:38 of the third, Franzen completed his hat trick to give Detroit a 5-1 cushion.

Franzen’s hat trick was the first in the playoffs by a Red Wing since teammate Darren McCarty accomplished the feat in 2002.

In the other playoff games Saturday, R.J. Umberger scored two goals and Martin Biron made 34 saves as Philadelphia Flyers leveled their quarterfinal series with the top-seeded Montreal Canadiens at one game apiece with a 4-2 win.

Saku Koivu and Andrei Markov netted goals for the Canadiens.
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