Johan Franzen out of Detroit Red Wings lineup with knee injury

The Detroit Red Wings will likely be without forward Johan Franzen for three to four weeks.

Franzen sprained a ligament in his right knee Saturday at Chicago. He had to be helped from the ice at 6:58 of the second period after a collision.

Franzen had 10 goals and 30 points for the Red Wings last season, and had 12 goals and 16 points the previous year as an NHL rookie. Detroit took the Swede in the third round of the 2004 draft.

Red Wings re-sign Chelios, 44

Detroit Red Wings general manager Ken Holland's first order of business upon returning from Riga, Latvia, was to shore up the defense.
Tuesday he signed 44-year-old defenseman Chris Chelios to a one-year deal worth $850,000.
Next up is working on getting elite defenseman Nick Lidstrom re-signed, and finding out whether captain Steve Yzerman, 41, will return for a 23rd NHL season or retire.
"I've told him I don't need to know until the middle of June," Holland said of Yzerman. "When he feels he's made his decision, I'm sure he will call me. He is making a decision on his career. I want him to have all the necessary time, but there is a time frame, heading into the draft on the 24th of June, that I would like to know."
Until next month, Holland does not expect to have any negotiations with Brendan Shanahan, who scored 40 goals in the regular season but only on e in the first-round series against Edmonton . Shanahan, who played for Team Canada at the World Championships, and Holland had a long talk on the topic last week.
"I talked to Brendan in Latvia; we sat for a couple of hours," Holland said. "Brendan said he'll talk with his wife and his agent and get back to me. Then we'll decide if we're going to negotiate or if he wants to hit the market."
The unrestricted free agency period begins July 1. Shanahan made $2.28 million last season, and, given the season he's coming off, he might get an offer the Wings cannot match.
"I would like Brendan back, and I expressed that to him," Holland said. "But money is everything in this new CBA (collective bargaining agreement). There's a limited amount of money to spend."
Holland's priority is to re-sign Lidstrom, who last season made $7.6 million. It would be ideal if the Wings could get him for around $7 million, leaving more money to spend on a goaltender. But with Tampa Bay making Brad Richards the second-highest paid player in the league at $7.8 million, that just got trickier. Lidstrom, 36, is all but certain to win a fourth Norris Trophy as the NHL's best defenseman next month, which is going to be a persuasive argument for a raise.
The Wings, though, are determined to keep Lidstrom, and, with Chelios also returning, the 2006-07 defense looks to mirror this season's. Mathieu Schneider, Andreas Lilja and Niklas Kronwall are all under contract, and Brett Lebda, who had a solid rookie season, also will be part of the makeup. "He'd have to play his way off the team," Holland said. "We think he's certainly going to make it."
The club doesn't expect Jiri Fischer to get clearance from the heart ailment that has sidelined him since last November, and it won't pick up the $912,000 option on Cory Cross.

Red Wing Named Player of the Week

Detroit Red Wings forward Brendan Shanahan, who tallied nine points (two goals, seven assists) in four games, has been named the NHL's Offensive Player of the Week for the period ending Sunday, December 18. Florida goaltender Roberto Luongo, who backstopped the Panthers to a 3-1-0 record with a 2.25 goals-against average and .942 save percentage in four games, is the League's Defensive Player of the Week.
Detroit center Pavel Datsyuk, who posted eight points (4-4--8 in four games) and Florida right wing Nathan Horton (5-1--6 in four games) were runners-up for offensive honors, while goaltenders Martin Biron of the Buffalo Sabres (3-0-0, 2.98 GAA), Martin Gerber of the Carolina Hurricanes (3-0-0, 1.67 GAA) and Michael Garnett of the Atlanta Thrashers (3-0-0, 2.92 GAA) were runners-up for the defensive award. Shanahan posted points in all four games as Detroit went 2-1-1. He opened the week with one assist in a 3-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Dec. 12 and recorded five points (one goal, four assists) in a 7-6 loss at Atlanta. He tallied one assist in a 3-2 OT loss to Florida on Dec. 15 and finished the week with one goal and one assist in a 6-3 victory over Tampa Bay Lightning Dec. 17.
Shanahan is second on the Red Wings and tied for 16th in NHL scoring with 36 points (19 goals, 17 assists). His 19 goals have raised his career total to 577, 15th on the all-time goal scoring list. The Red Wings (22-9-3, 47 points) lead the Central Division and Western Conference.
Luongo began the week by making 31 saves as the Panthers defeated the Nashville Predators, 7-3, Dec 13. On Dec. 15, he made 34 saves as Florida defeated the Red Wings 3-2 in overtime. He made 29 saves, including a penalty shot by Atlanta's Marian Hossa, as the Panthers lost 2-1 to the Thrashers on Dec. 17 and stopped 53 shots as the Panthers defeated the Washington Capitals 3-2 Dec. 18.
Appearing in 32 of Florida's 35 games this season, Luongo has posted a record of 12-15-4, a 3.17 goals-against average, .913 save percentage and two shutouts. The Panthers are fourth in the Southeast Division with 28 points (12-19-4) and host the Buffalo Sabres Thursday at Bank Atlantic Center.

Red Wings Continue Three Year String Vs Dallas

DALLAS (AP) -- Many of the faces have changed on both teams over the last four years, but Chris Osgood and the Detroit Red Wings still own the Stars in Dallas.
Osgood stopped 27 shots, and Henrik Zetterberg had a goal and two assists to send the Red Wings to their fourth straight victory, 4-1 over the Stars on Tuesday night.
The Stars have won only one of their last 11 home games against the Red Wings and Dallas hasn't beaten Detroit since Jan. 16, 2002.
"It's one of those teams I enjoy playing," said Osgood, 24-9-1 against the Stars. "I don't know if I know their tendencies but for whatever reason, I feel confident when I play them."
Osgood is trying to impress a new coach in Mike Babcock and remain Detroit's top goaltender.
"What I've done in the past doesn't mean anything," said Osgood, 11-3-3 this season. "I still have something to prove. I want to be here. I want to stay here, and to do that I have to play well."
Mikael Samuelsson, Tomas Holmstrom and Kirk Maltby also had goals for the Red Wings in the first meeting of the season between the Western Conference rivals.
"You always know they are going to be tough and you have to do the little things," Zetterberg said. "It's fun to play these high-ranked teams. It's a chance for us to see where we stand."
Dallas started the day as the No. 2 seed in the conference behind Detroit, and the Stars know they have some catching up to do.
"They're the top team in the Western Conference," Stars coach Dave Tippett said. "They're the measuring stick. This shows how much we have to grow as a team."
Marty Turco, recovering from the flu, made 20 saves for the Stars, who had won 17 of 22. Turco has never beaten the Red Wings in 10 meetings. Jaroslav Svoboda scored the lone Dallas goal.
Dallas had nine of the game's first 11 shots, but Osgood held the Stars scoreless with a series of tough stops.
"We had a good start but Osgood made some great saves," Stars captain Mike Modano said. "They don't panic. They're a real poised team. You've got to be patient. You can't take chances."
Detroit notched the first goal with the aid of Turco's turnover on a clearing pass. Zetterberg intercepted the puck along the right boards and passed to a cutting Samuelsson, who sent a one-timer past Turco at 8:34 of the first period.
"Too often it's been happening lately ... bad plays behind the net and turning the puck over," Turco said. "For me, it's got to get better for us to keep our confidence."
Dallas tied it when Niklas Hagman passed from his knees to Svoboda, who one-timed a shot from the right circle by Osgood at 16:49.
The Red Wings capitalized on a turnover by defenseman Sergei Zubov, resulting in Zetterberg's 17th goal of the season on a backhander from the slot at 4:14 of the second period for a 2-1 Detroit edge.
Holmstrom converted Zetterberg's centering pass at 8:34 of the third period to give Detroit a 3-1 advantage. Maltby then scored into an empty net with 45 seconds left after Turco was pulled for an extra skater.
The Stars are only 10-6 on home ice, 13-4 on the road.
"We try too hard at home," Modano said. "We try to be too fancy. When things don't go well, the fans get on you and you try even harder. On the road we play a simpler game."
Game notesStars C Stu Barnes was done for the night after sustaining a hip flexor in the first period. ... Detroit G Manny Legace is expected to be ready to play on New Year's Eve against Columbus after being out since Nov. 25 due to a sprained left knee. ... Dallas D Philippe Boucher will miss a week to 10 days with a broken finger on his left hand. Boucher was out for six games, then played three games with the injury. It was affecting his play and he's missed the last two contests. ... Red Wings captain Steve Yzerman remains out with a groin injury.

Red Wings Beat Buzzer To Win In OT

CHICAGO (AP) -- Two late goals and another in overtime gave the Detroit Red Wings the unlikeliest of victories.
Pavel Datsyuk scored a power-play goal with one second left in overtime to give Detroit a 3-2 win over the Blackhawks on Friday night. That was after Nicklas Lidstrom and Kris Draper netted goals in the final 39 seconds of regulation to erase a 2-0 Chicago lead and force the extra period.
Datsyuk fired a one-timer off a feed from Jason Woolley past Nikolai Khabibulin as the Red Wings pulled out their third straight win. The goal was allowed after a video review confirmed the puck went in before the end of the period.
Lidstrom and Draper both connected while Chris Osgood was on the bench for an extra attacker.
"Those goals were unbelievable," Datsyuk said. "I thought it was a Christmas present from Santa, a Russian Santa."
Datsyuk ripped in the winner while Chicago rookie defenseman Duncan Keith was serving a penalty for tripping Brett Lebda.
As far has Chicago coach Trent Yawney was concerned, his team -- the most penalized in the NHL -- had a win ripped away.
"That was a pretty good embellishment or acting job of a triple Salchow or whatever," Yawney said. "I expect the worst -- not when it comes to outcome -- but when it comes to penalties.
"But I'm not going to argue with the effort. We were in total control for 59 minutes. We had the game in hand and it should never have gotten to that point," he said.
Detroit coach Mike Babcock also thought Chicago outworked his team throughout most of regulation.
"Ninety-nine percent of the games are won by the team that works the hardest," Babcock said. "Tonight the team that worked the hardest got a loss. Tonight our guys came out with a win and we'll chalk it up to Santa Claus looking after us."
Khabibulin, who was in search of his first shutout with the Blackhawks, made 34 saves.
He lost the bid when Draper cut it to 2-1 with 39 seconds left on a mid-air deflection of Woolley's pass. Lidstrom tied it at 2 on a slap shot from the deep slot with seven seconds remaining in regulation.
"Right after the first goal we wanted to get the puck in deep and work it hard," Lidstrom said. "I was pretty much wide open on the point. I was creeping in on the shot and got good wood on the shot."
Tyler Arnason and Martin Lapointe scored for Chicago, which lost its third straight.
Osgood stopped 29 shots.
Arnason gave Chicago a 1-0 lead with 40 seconds left in the first period.
Mark Bell drove to the net past Detroit's Jason Williams. Osgood sprawled to poke-check the puck off Bell's stick, but Arnason trailed the play and fired in a high shot.
Lapointe extended Chicago's lead with 5:51 left in the second.
After Detroit's Tomas Holmstrom lost the puck at the Chicago blue line, Lapointe, Matthew Barnaby and Patrick Sharp broke down the ice. Lapointe, formerly of the Red Wings, drove to the right edge of the crease and scored on a tip-in after working a give-and-go with Barnaby.
The Red Wings recorded 10 shots in the first 6:22 of the third period. Khabibulin made point-blank stops on Henrik Zetterberg and Lebda. He stopped Zetterberg again with a close-in glove save 5:40 into the period.
Draper's deflection hit the right post with nine minutes left.
Game notesBlackhawks rookie defenseman Brent Seabrook will miss four to six weeks with sprained left knee, sustained in Wednesday's loss to Nashville. Defenseman Anton Babchuk was recalled from AHL Norfolk. ... Chicago center Tuomo Ruutu, out since mid-October with a back injury, has resumed regular practices with the team. ... Blackhawks defenseman Jassen Cullimore missed his seventh game with a groin injury. ... Detroit captain Steve Yzerman missed his sixth straight game with a groin injury. Red Wings right winger Mikael Samuelsson missed the game because of a sore lower right leg. He was hit by a shot Tuesday against Columbus. ... The Blackhawks had their second home sellout of the season. Both have come against Detroit.