DENVER, Colorado -- The Detroit Red Wings weathered a late comeback attempt by the Colorado Avalanche Wednesday night, holding on to earn a 3-2 win.
The victory gives Detroit 94 points in the standings, one more than both the San Jose Sharks and the Boston Bruins for first place overall in the league. San Jose has three games in hand on the Red Wings while Boston has one.
Valtteri Filppula, Johan Franzen, and Kris Draper scored for Detroit. Colorado got goals from John-Michael Liles and Milan Hejduk.
Liles opened the game's scoring with a blast from the high slot through a screen just 3:10 into the game. Ryan Smyth prevented Detroit netminder Ty Conklin from getting a read on the puck.
Filppula evened things up with 19 seconds left in the opening period, lifting a rebound chance past Avs goaltender Andrew Raycroft.
Franzen drove to the net and scored on his own rebound to give the Wings a 2-1 lead at 7:03 of the second and Draper banged home a nice feed from Derek Meech 6:30 later.
Hejduk scored with Raycroft on the bench for an extra attacker in the game's final minutes but Colorado was unable to tie the game.
Conklin finished the night with 25 saves on 27 shots while Raycroft stopped 27 of 30 shots against.
Notes: The Red Wings were without Marian Hossa, who sat out after being injured Tuesday night in St. Louis.
The Red Wings look to snap their streak of losses...
Loses in what sense? According to me, they won the last game p:
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I didn't see the last part, thanks Stormo.
The Red Wings look to snap their streak of losses in the second of back-to-back games tonight as they visit the Colorado Avalanche one night after defeating the St. Louis Blues.
Liles scores the first goal for the Avs. ):
I get a late start tonight and it looks like the Wings do as well. Can't say much about that goal, though.
Is it just me or does the rivalry with Colorado not even exist anymore? I just don't get excited for these games like I used to and I don't think I'm the only one.
Yeah, I still hate seeing the Wings lose to the Avs but I don't care nearly as much as I used to about these games.
Ugh. When there's no seam, you can't pass through it.
Dr. Fil! <3
Definitely wearing my jersey for good luck on my exams tomorrow 
Fil ties it up! He's on a roll now.
I hate to say it, but does this game seem reallllllly slow to anyone else? I mean, don't get me wrong, there is nothing bad about it. It just seems like it's been going on for 4+ hours.
Agreed, and it's made worse by being a late game.
Damn, how did that not work?
Franzen scores and I'm feeling better.
JMF Franzen! Making a case for me wearing his jersey tomorrow instead of Fil's.
JMF Franzen! Making a case for me wearing his jersey tomorrow instead of Fil's.
Boa constrictor space contraptions! :c How many jerseys do you own? Haha, I'm not trying to be super personal over the internet, but I do recall you saying "I'm wearing this jersey, etc. etc." a lot
Um... I think I'm at 19. Lately I've been trying to keep it to "weird" jerseys, ones with unique patches or rare jersey numbers. My Filppula has the Yzerman Night patch and my Franzen is the #39 he wore his rookie year. I'm wearing an Yzerman with the NHL2000 patch right now.
Drapes! He wants me to wear his jersey!
It's awesome that Draper keeps scoring <3
I'd wondered what happened to Fil. Cut finger, possibly more. Not good.
Nineteen jerseys? Are they all Red Wings jerseys or do you just collect anything you can find?
Fil's back. Good to see.
The jersey collection is all Wings-related but not just Red Wing jerseys. I've got three All-Star jerseys (Osgood 1996, Lidstrom 1998, Datsyuk 2004) and three Olympic jerseys (Yzerman 1998, Rafalski 2002, Zetterberg 2006). So in those cases they're at least Wings players (though Raffy wasn't a Wing in 2002, I didn't have that jersey made until after he came to Detroit, it was a great opportunity to get a jersey I'd always liked).
I hope you don't mind me continuing off-topic but this game is kind of boring me.
How do you have your jerseys made? Is that just the name and number or do you actually have them sewn from scratch?
I've always been interested in this stuff. I have a red Yzerman jersey from 1995 or so. It's pretty beat up.
What do you think of the new style they came out with a couple years ago. I read a lot of people complaining about it.
Nineteen jerseys?
Man, oh man, if I had some money...
I know there's only ten minutes left, but I am siding with the sensible side of my brain. I need sleep for exams.
Goodnight, those of you that care, and those of you that don't! Also, don't blow a two goal lead, Wings!
Monster shift right there. Avs should have cleared four times.
If things go bad, I'm blaming you MD.
I hope you don't mind me continuing off-topic but this game is kind of boring me.
Agreed. Wings are pretty much shutting down the Avs at this point, riding out the clock. And I can always talk about jerseys.
How do you have your jerseys made? Is that just the name and number or do you actually have them sewn from scratch?
Just the name and number. I'd love to have a pattern for making jerseys from scratch as I have some custom jerseys I'd like to do but I haven't found a cheap way to do that yet.
I've always been interested in this stuff. I have a red Yzerman jersey from 1995 or so. It's pretty beat up.
My first jersey was a white Yzerman from 1995. I retired it when I got the one I'm wearing now, it's down in my basement somewhere.
What do you think of the new style they came out with a couple years ago. I read a lot of people complaining about it.
It's too expensive but other than that I have no problem with it. I've got two of them myself, a replica (Zetterberg red with the SCF 2008 patch and the A) and an authentic (Winter Classic, currently blank). The slimmer cut of the body really works well when worn without pads and doesn't look as bad as I expected on players with pads.
Wow, this game got a little crazy. Avs had a few good chances there.
Aww damn, Hejduk with the goalie pulled. Avs within one.
Okay, now this game is interesting. I liked the jersey talk better than a close game.
Conklin keeps it out. Babs calls the time out.
Wings hold on and move into (their rightful place of) first overall in the league. Whew.
That was more exciting than it needed to be. It counts, though.
If things go bad, I'm blaming you MD.
I feel the love
Wings are first now! Yay. Or they were when I went to bed, at least.
Still are. And since they held on for the win, you avoid the vacant "gamewrecker" crown being handed around over at A2Y.
Hey guys! Sorry it has been so long since I poseted. I am coming at you live from the North Arabian sea on another patrol! I have been following as much as I can with our wonderful internet connectivity and I am happy to see that we are back in first place over all for the time being. Looking forward to the first round of the Playoffs!!!! Stay safe
Ty Conklin
Credit: Clark Rasmussen
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