COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Johan Franzen scored in the game's final minute Thursday night, lifting the Detroit Red Wings to a 6-5 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets and finishing off a four-game sweep of their Western Conference Quarterfinal matchup.
Franzen's goal came on a late power play after the Blue Jackets were called for too many men on the ice. Jiri Hudler pushed to the front of the net from the left side and Franzen followed him up, banging in a rebound with 47 seconds remaining.
The goal put Detroit back in front after they gave up a two-goal lead for the second time in the game.
The Red Wings led 3-1 after the first twenty minutes of the game, taking the lead on goals by Nicklas Lidstrom, Tomas Holmstrom and Dan Cleary while Kristian Huselius scored for Columbus.
The Blue Jackets scored four times in the second period, rallying twice when their season seemed over.
Rick Nash tipped in a goal at 1:44 of the middle frame and R.J. Umberger added another at 5:38 to tie things up.
Marian Hossa scored two consecutive goals to put Detroit back in the lead but Kris Russell and Fredrik Modin countered.
It was the first game of the series in which the Blue Jackets scored more than one goal.
Columbus netminder Steve Mason stopped 35 of 41 shots against while Detroit goalie Chris Osgood made 27 saves on 32 shots.
The Red Wings will now wait to see the outcome of the series between the San Jose Sharks and the Anaheim Ducks to know who they will face in the next round. The Wings will face the Ducks if Anaheim wins or the Vancouver Canucks if San Jose does.
Notes: Detroit was without Kris Draper for the fourth-straight playoff game.
Oh Christ, O’Halloran is reffing tonight? We’re starting down a goal.
Power play goal, bitches!
Lidstrom off of Mason, Tyutin, and into the net. Getting the bounces.
Damn, that was a nice shot. Columbus finally got a good rush going, got in behind the D.
Oh damn. And the crowd are bak i it.
And it's FSN Ohio again. Better than nothing, I suppose.
Back in front. That was almost pretty, hard to realize it was Homer. 
Back on top. That's what Holmstrom does.
This power play looks pretty awful.
Cleary! Who needs the power play?!
Oh yeah.
And from just before the goal "good hard hit by Nash". Yeah, if you call bouncing off the guy you're checking while he carries on skating a good hard hit.
The BJs were virtually celebrating there. Wow.
Another awful power play and Osgood comes up big at the other end.
Ridiculously, that wasn't all that great of a period. I'll take it so far, but they've gotta be better to hold off the Blue Jackets with their backs against the wall.
Wow. That was all Nash's reach right there. Ugh.
Osgood conceding two goals in a playoff game? Never!
Oh.
Ozzie with the look of like "Play some f*cking defense, will ya?"
What a clusterf*ck.
Ohhhh sh*t.
Hossa's on the f*cking board! He's ready to end this if he has to do it himself.
What a time for Hossa to score his first Red Wings playoff goal. Get in!
This game feels like it's taking forever. Driving me nuts.
Hoss! Another one!
Clearly his Wings playoff goals are like buses.
Way to jump in and blow the defensive coverage, Lebda.
Urgh. The stupid FSN Ohio commentator said they'd tied it up. Uh, what?
Edit: I was referring to the fourth goal. I pressed reply just before the fifth goal. sh*t sh*t sh*t sh*t.
Jesus motherf*cking Christ.
I'm with Ken and Mickey, Osgood's hurt. I wouldn't be surprised to see Conklin in for the third.
Babcock is insane.
Really wasn't expecting to see Osgood this period.
Wings looking much, much better this period so far. Still holding my breath.
Now the Jackets have turned it up.
In a way, this game doesn't matter, but I'm still nervous as hell.
The commentator just explained how playoff overtime works. What the f*ck?
Just can't take my eyes off this period.
Holy sh*t, they actually called the too many men penalty.
The commentator just explained how playoff overtime works. What the f*ck?
Comment at A2Y was that Blue Jackets fans are probably excited for the shootout.
JOHAN MOTHER f*ckING FRANZEN!
COMMMEEEEEE ONNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
FFRRAAANNNNNZZEEEEENNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!
Commodore blew it. Saw Hudler's numbers and went for the check instead of covering Franzen.
Holy hell, now I can breathe.
Get out your brooms. What a final period. Intense as f*ck.
|: We got to the hotel in the middle of the third period and now I am angry that I am missing overtime because tied at 5 is pretty ridiculous if you ask me!
It was torturous! The commentators for Columbus' radio station absolutely SUCK. The one dude sound like a pirate because he held out his 'R's waaaaay too long. And the other guy was just silly. (That comment about the shoot-out was made of epic win, by the way <3<3<3)
Someone tell me what's happening!
_____
Nevermind, I saw the sweep comment! Who scored the goal?
What overtime? Franzen with the GWG on a power play in the final minute. Can't believe the Wings won that one, they played for sh*t.
It wasn't overtime? Even better! You guys made it sound like it, though! Thank baby Jesus!
It felt like overtime.
Jesus, no kidding it did. I'm too old for this.
Whew!
I knew something was up with ozzie when he let in 4 goals in the 2nd. He looked like whatever it was that was botering him was gone in the 3rd though. Hope he's going to be fine after resting up while waiting for the next round.
A week is a long time to rest in the playoffs. Who knows what's wrong with him though. The way he came back in the third I can't help but think he got Gilchrist'd between periods. Hopefully not quite so bad, though.
On the late penalty...
"By the rule book, it was probably the right call," Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock said. "By the circumstances of the game, I didn’t like the call."
Translated: "We broke the rules, I just wanted them to let us get away with it." I'm a little surprised he actually said that.
"Gilchrist'd"?
Please explain...
In the 1998 playoffs Brent Gilchrist had a severe groin injury. He shouldn't have been able to play but the Wings were in the Western Conference Finals against his former team (Dallas) and he pretty much refused to be benched. He was taking painkilling shots to the groin just to be able to play.
From the News...
Gilchrist, Yzerman's linemate, went to the extreme -- all for the opportunity to play on his first Cup champion team.
Shortly after pregame warm-ups during those playoff games 11 years ago, Gilchrist headed to the trainer's room for "the shot heard 'round the dressing room."
"It was the tendon where it attaches to the pubic bone," Gilchrist explained.
"Pretty much as private a part as you can get," Wharton said.
Wharton would hold one of Gilchrist's hands. Piet Van Zant, now the Wings trainer, held the other. Gilchrist bit down on a towel. David Collon, the team physician, gave the shot.
"We literally could hear him screaming," Yzerman said. "It was awful."
"I walked away," Holmstrom said. "I didn't want to hear."
Gilchrist played in 15 of the team's 22 playoff games that season, but missed the four-game sweep of the Washington Capitals in the Stanley Cup Finals.
By then, the tendon had torn away from the bone and there was nothing doctors could do.
In the 1998 playoffs Brent Gilchrist had a severe groin injury. He shouldn't have been able to play but the Wings were in the Western Conference Finals against his former team (Dallas) and he pretty much refused to be benched. He was taking painkilling shots to the groin just to be able to play.
From the News...
Gilchrist, Yzerman's linemate, went to the extreme -- all for the opportunity to play on his first Cup champion team.
Shortly after pregame warm-ups during those playoff games 11 years ago, Gilchrist headed to the trainer's room for "the shot heard 'round the dressing room."
"It was the tendon where it attaches to the pubic bone," Gilchrist explained.
"Pretty much as private a part as you can get," Wharton said.
Wharton would hold one of Gilchrist's hands. Piet Van Zant, now the Wings trainer, held the other. Gilchrist bit down on a towel. David Collon, the team physician, gave the shot.
"We literally could hear him screaming," Yzerman said. "It was awful."
"I walked away," Holmstrom said. "I didn't want to hear."
Gilchrist played in 15 of the team's 22 playoff games that season, but missed the four-game sweep of the Washington Capitals in the Stanley Cup Finals.
By then, the tendon had torn away from the bone and there was nothing doctors could do.
Damn! I think that's where my dedication and pain threshold would end.
Years ago, I received a few cortisone shots for a torn rotator cuff. A nurse pulled one direction on my shoulder while
the doctor pulled another way in order to open up the joint and jab that big-ass needle in there. The only time I've ever
yelled (screamed) out loud at the doctors.
If this were in the Gilchrist area, I think I would have bonked their heads together and made a break for my car.
Johan Franzen
Credit: Clark Rasmussen
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