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Robert Lang and Johan Franzen helped end Calgary’s season
Larry MacDougal - AP Photo

You know what they say about payback. Johan Franzen buried the game-winning, series-clinching goal in the second overtime to help the Red Wings beat the Calgary Flames 2-1 in the sixth and final game of the series. The goal couldn’t have come from a more deserving player after backup netminder Jamie McLennan attacked Franzen by hitting him several times with his goalie stick in Detroit’s 5-1 romp in Game 5.

The game was scoreless through the first 20 minutes. The teams seemed to play a little tentatively given all of the drama that unfolded late in the game on the previous afternoon. Calgary captain Jarome Iginla said that his team’s antics were designed to help his team play with more emotion in Game 6. Early on it didn’t seem to work.

But Iginla sparked his team in a more traditional fashion when he beat Dominik Hasek at the 3:09 mark of the second period. From that point until about the 15:00 mark the Flames really seemed to have the wind in their sails, as they played a physical game and really pushed to try and get the second goal. But Dominik Hasek wasn’t having any of that and kept the Red Wings within one goal by making several big stops.

Detroit made a concerted effort to get back into the game at the 15:00 mark of the second period. Robert Lang had a great chance off a rebound to beat Miikka Kiprusoff but shot the puck off the side of the net. Tomas Holmstrom made a big hit along the end boards in the offensive zone, and then Robert Lang scored his first goal of the series at the 16:53 mark to knot the score at 1-1. Shortly after that Dan Cleary had a great chance when he went in all alone on Kiprusoff but Kipper made the save.

Homer makes himself at home in Kipper’s Kitchen

The second period would end with the score tied 1-1 and the third period was played largely to a standstill. Dan Cleary had a great chance to put Detroit ahead with about 3:00 left in regulation but he hit the post. In the first overtime there were 4 minutes of penalties called against each team. First Todd Bertuzzi was called holding at the 0:32 mark of the first overtime. Detroit was able to kill that penalty.


The rent is steep in Homer’s neighborhood
Jeff McIntosh - AP Photo

Then Craig Conroy caught Tomas Holmstrom with a high stick. It was a 4:00 penalty and I heard that Holmstrom was taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure. Sounds like it is worse than just getting stitched up so hopefully he is okay. Calgary got a big kill on that power play before Robert Lang took a hooking penalty at the 11:43 mark of the first overtime. Detroit was able to kill that penalty.

Johan Franzen ended the game when he carried the puck up the right wing and then cut towards center ice to get a screen from a Detroit and Calgary player. He let rip with a high shot to the glove side that cleanly beat Kiprusoff and shot right back out of the goal.

There were no Flames in the middle of this scrum
Tim Smith - Getty Images

As a Detroit fan, I am happy that Jamie McLennan was the only player suspended for Calgary prior to this game. Beating Calgary on their home ice with both Daymond Langkow and Jarome Iginla in the lineup and then having those players take part in the handshake at the end of the series was the best form of justice you could ask for. They’re done and the Wings will face either San Jose or Dallas in the next round. Their foe will be determined by tomorrow night’s game between Vancouver and Dallas.

UPDATE: Here’s the series clinching goal. I just saw it over at Kukla’s Korner.

Johan Franzen Red Wings Robert Lang

April 22nd, 2007
Categories: Red Wings . Author: Dave

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