The Detroit Red Wings put on a clinic to finish off their stay in Denver on Thursday night, as Johan Franzen pushed aside a Gordie Howe record dating back to 1949 as he scored his ninth goal in four games, placing his name in the RedWing history books.
Frazen picked up his second hat trick in the series as he led the Wings to an 8-2 thumping of a very tired and depleted Colorado Avalanche roster in the fourth and final game of their best of seven series. Frazen’s tallies on their own would have been enough to top the Avalanche on this night, but in a flurry of offense that had everyone wishing for straight time, the Wings totally dominated the Avalanche and left no doubt as to which team was better suited to carry on in the quest for Stanley in 2008.
The Wings were all business from Franzen’s first period goal which commenced the onslaught, by the time the full sixty minutes had been played; all that was left for the Avalanche to do was make plans to clean out their lockers and wish each other an enjoyable summer.
While they had shown signs of life down the stretch of the regular season and into the playoffs, game four revisited some of the darker nights of the 2007-08 campaign when it looked like the once Stanley Cup champions were just another team, ordinary in play and limited by imagination.
They had no jump left on Thursday, with far too many younger players and too many injuries over the last few weeks to overcome the strength of the Red wing machine.
Game four had all the appeal of a car wreck if you were an Avalanche, as the stunned Denver crowd sat somewhat dumbfounded at the lessons of hockey provided by the once bitter rivals from Detroit.
Colorado now begins the process of developing next years team, with many questions to be determined including the status of Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg to name a few. Whether they both retire after the disappointing end to the playoff run or decide to come back fresh for September will tell what changes need to be made in Denver to return to the upper echelon of the NHL West.
For Detroit the four game sweep provides them with a chance to rest and recharge, bad news for whatever team comes out of the Dallas/San Jose series. If the Wings can bring the same game that they played Thursday night on to the next round, either the Stars or Sharks will look only like pylons compared to the free wheeling Wings.
Frazen picked up his second hat trick in the series as he led the Wings to an 8-2 thumping of a very tired and depleted Colorado Avalanche roster in the fourth and final game of their best of seven series. Frazen’s tallies on their own would have been enough to top the Avalanche on this night, but in a flurry of offense that had everyone wishing for straight time, the Wings totally dominated the Avalanche and left no doubt as to which team was better suited to carry on in the quest for Stanley in 2008.
The Wings were all business from Franzen’s first period goal which commenced the onslaught, by the time the full sixty minutes had been played; all that was left for the Avalanche to do was make plans to clean out their lockers and wish each other an enjoyable summer.
While they had shown signs of life down the stretch of the regular season and into the playoffs, game four revisited some of the darker nights of the 2007-08 campaign when it looked like the once Stanley Cup champions were just another team, ordinary in play and limited by imagination.
They had no jump left on Thursday, with far too many younger players and too many injuries over the last few weeks to overcome the strength of the Red wing machine.
Game four had all the appeal of a car wreck if you were an Avalanche, as the stunned Denver crowd sat somewhat dumbfounded at the lessons of hockey provided by the once bitter rivals from Detroit.
Colorado now begins the process of developing next years team, with many questions to be determined including the status of Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg to name a few. Whether they both retire after the disappointing end to the playoff run or decide to come back fresh for September will tell what changes need to be made in Denver to return to the upper echelon of the NHL West.
For Detroit the four game sweep provides them with a chance to rest and recharge, bad news for whatever team comes out of the Dallas/San Jose series. If the Wings can bring the same game that they played Thursday night on to the next round, either the Stars or Sharks will look only like pylons compared to the free wheeling Wings.
After the business like way that Detroit has handled their first two series so far, they could possibly now be the odds on favourite to be bringing Stanley back to Motown by the end of June.
Associated Press-- Franzen's hat trick helps Wings beat Avs 8-2, sweep series
National Post-- Red Wings sweep Avalanche
CBC Sports-- Red Wings rout Avalanche for series sweep
Detroit Free Press-- Franzen and Co. prove this is no rivalry
Detroit Free Press-- Wings' top two lines top off dominant sweep in style
Detroit News-- Avalanche buried under Red Wings' landslide
Detroit News-- Franzen remains on record-setting pace
Detroit News-- Theodore regresses in series
Denver Post-- Detroit dumps Avs from postseason
Denver Post-- Franzen leaves Avs feeling frazzled
Denver Post-- Tip cap to Wings for top transition
Rocky Mountain News-- Avs demolished by Detroit
Rocky Mountain News-- After thumping, Avs need to start over
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NHL.com-- Stats Pack
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