Franzen, Red Wings bury Avalanche

DETROIT -- The only thing better than snapping a six-game losing streak is to create a two-game winning streak. Thanks to three goals from Johan Franzen, who now leads the Red Wings with eight, the Wings defeated the Colorado Avalanche, 5-2, at Joe Louis Arena Tuesday night. "It's huge," said goaltender Jimmy Howard, who made 24 saves for his sixth win. "It's such a confidence booster for us. To build off that momentum that we had against the Ducks and to bring it into tonight, it was key for us." For one period, however, captain Nick Lidstrom, the ageless 41-year-old defenseman, led the team in goals after scoring his sixth when he got a rebound in the slot past Avalanche goaltender Semyon Varlamov. "I was kind of, not going towards the net but coming into the zone, and when the puck came out their forward was kind of flat-footed and was looking the other way, so I just jumped in there and their 'D' was still standing in front of the net so I was just trying to read it and get in at the right moment," Lidstrom said. Lidstrom is currently on pace for 36 goals. His career high is 20. "Nick's playing -- he's playing great, isn't he?" Danny Cleary said. "I mean, even the other guys are talking in face-offs, the guy hasn't lost a step in years. It's amazing." Franzen's first goal was originally credited to Valtteri Filppula, a power-play marker at 2:36 of the second. But Franzen knew it was his. "Filppula shot it and it hit the tip of my blade," Franzen said. "I didn't mean to touch it, it just happened. I said I was sorry, I had to take it." Filppula, known far more for his passing than his shooting, was fine with it. "I didn't know before he told me but I don't really care," Filppula said. "It's good that we got a goal." After netting only six goals in six games during their skid, the Wings now have 10 in two games. "After we had six in six, it's a step in the right direction," coach Mike Babcock said. "I thought our guys played with quite a bit of tempo tonight, the power play was real good. I didn't like the penalty kill goal we gave up at the end but all in all it was a good night for us." Franzen's third goal was an empty-netter that he flipped over one of the Avalanche players, who jumped to try to block it. "That's the one I was most proud of," Franzen said. "That was a tough one. I usually don't have a very good backhand. I think it started wide but it started drifting sideways. I don't know how it happened. It was a good one." And it was good enough to put some distance between Franzen and Lidstrom for the team lead in goals. "I didn't like him, one of the defensemen, leading over the forwards, it could ruin our confidence completely," Franzen joked. "I was lucky to get a few tonight." Cleary also scored, on a rebound of Pavel Datsyuk's shot, giving him two this season. It was his 100th goal as a Red Wing. "Been trying to shoot as much as I can," Cleary said. "You know, it was good to get one. Pav shooting the puck, so it was good." Cleary had no idea where the puck ended up but was happy to hear about his milestone. "They said it to me in the locker room," Cleary said. "It's cool. It's been a great place for me to play hockey, for sure." It's a great place for anyone to play hockey with the success the Wings have had over the years. It's what they've come to expect, even when they have a rare stumble as they did in the six-game losing streak. "We've been at the top together and we've won a lot of games, been through a lot of stuff together as a group of guys," Cleary said. "The one thing, when things are not going as well as you're used to or you expect, you need to stay positive, you need to work even harder, keep sticking to the system and that's what we did."