Red Wings’ Comeback Falls Short in Loss to Blues

The Detroit Red Wings rallied from a 3-1 third-period deficit Friday night but it wasn’t enough to earn the win, falling in overtime to the St. Louis Blues, 4-3.

Johan Franzen scored twice in the third period to pull the Red Wings even with the Blues and force the extra period.

His first goal came on a Detroit power play with 6:33 remaining in regulation, when he banged the rebound of a Henrik Zetterberg chance out of mid-air and past goalie Manny Legace from the edge of the crease.

Franzen scored again 1:52 later, tapping home a pass from Zetterberg after being left all alone at the far side of the net.

Brad Boyes won the game for the Blues in overtime, putting a shot from the left circle off of Chris Osgood’s pad and into the net.

Boyes had started the game’s scoring with 7:40 left in the first period, smacking the puck past Osgood from the slot on a pass from behind the net by Paul Kariya.

The Blues took a two-goal lead at 4:29 of the second, when Erik Johnson’s power-play blast from the blue line deflected off Franzen’s skate before hitting Osgood’s shoulder and bouncing into the net.

Brian Rafalski pulled Detroit to back within one 38 seconds later with a power play goal of his own.

Andy McDonald made it 3-1 at 9:28 of the third, taking the puck from Jiri Hudler at the Detroit blue line before moving in and snapping a shot on net, bouncing it off of Nicklas Lidstrom and in.

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The game was marked by Darren McCarty’s return to the Detroit lineup. He started the game alongside Kirk Maltby and Kris Draper as the Grind Line was briefly reunited.