Franzen Returns to Score Game-Winner as Red Wings Beat Flames

Johan Franzen returned to the Detroit lineup from the head injury that kept him out of last Saturday’s matchup with the Phoenix Coyotes and scored the third period goal that lifted the Red Wings over Calgary Flames Thursday night.

At 7:55 of the third period, Franzen flipped the puck onto Miikka Kiprusoff’s shoulder. It rolled down the Calgary goalie’s back and into the net to give the Red Wings a 3-2 lead.

Todd Bertuzzi snapped a shot over that same shoulder on a partial breakaway with 3:17 remaining to wrap up the 4-2 win.

The Flames had opened the scoring with 4:36 left in the first period. Mikael Backlund jumped into the slot uncovered and took a pass from behind the net from Curtis Glencross, banging the puck past Detroit netminder Jimmy Howard.

Henrik Zetterberg got the Red Wings on the board with 2:31 left in the period. Tomas Holmstrom gained the Calgary zone and worked the puck to Pavel Datsyuk as he and Zetterberg streaked into the zone. Datsyuk carried it through the right faceoff circle and dumped it across to Zetterberg to snap into the open side of the net.

Backlund put the Flames back in front 41 seconds later, swatting a bouncing puck past Howard on his backhand.

Nicklas Lidstrom’s blueline blast on a Detroit power play evened things back up at 3:51 of the second period.

Lidstrom’s goal was the only power play goal of the night. Detroit had five chances with the extra attacker while Calgary had six.

Howard made 34 saves on 36 shots on the night to get the win. Kiprusoff stopped 26 of Detroit’s 30 chances.