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Avalanche swept from playoffs
Deseret News (Salt Lake City), May 2, 2008 by Associated Press
DENVER -- Johan Franzen outscored the Colorado Avalanche by himself.
Franzen's second hat trick in three games fueled the Detroit Red Wings' 8-2 rout Thursday night that completed a sweep of the injury- riddled Avalanche.
Franzen's nine goals in the series matched Colorado's total, and his three goals in Game 4 made him the first player with two hat tricks in one series since Jari Kurri did it for Edmonton in 1985.
In his first taste of the bitter rivalry, Franzen was simply too dominant to experience the bad blood that usually boils this time of year between the teams.
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The "Mule" scored on a breakaway in the first period and added a short-handed backhander and a redirection into the net in the second, when the Red Wings scored four times to take a 7-1 lead.
The Red Wings advance to the Western Conference finals against the winner of the Dallas-San Jose series which the Stars lead 3-1.
Franzen needed just 10 playoff games to score 11 goals and break the Red Wings' record for most goals in one postseason, which was held by three players, including Brett Hull, who needed 23 games to do it in 2002.
The 28-year-old Swede, who scored 27 goals during the season, had a hat trick in Game 2. He is the second Red Wing to post two hat tricks in one playoff series, joining Norm Ullman, who did it against Chicago in 1964.
Thanks to Franzen, this series never was very close or contentious, unlike the other five times the teams met in the postseason, after which the winner went on to win the Stanley Cup three times.
RANGERS 3, PENGUINS 0: At New York, Jaromir Jagr scored two goals and the New York Rangers staved off elimination with a 3-0 victory over Pittsburgh on Thursday night. The Penguins, who lost for the first time in eight playoff games this year, lead the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal 3-1.
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