He's been the most productive sniper in the Stanley Cup playoffs the previous two springs and the Detroit Red Wings are hopeful that his goal in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinal series with the San Jose Sharks will again ignite the fire in Johan Franzen's deadly finish.
"It felt good," said Franzen, who has points in all eight playoff games this spring, but just two goals. "I've had some really good chances lately, but couldn't get it in the net."
During the 2008 and 2009 playoffs, Franzen registered an NHL-high 25 goals, and has earned a reputation as someone who scores goals in bunches.
Franzen admitted he'd been pressing lately.
"I started to squeeze the stick way too hard," he said. "Hopefully this goal will help me to get going and score some more."
The Sharks recognize what a danger an on-fire Franzen could be to them over the course of this series.
"He's got a lot of skill, he's big, he's strong, and he moves well," San Jose defenceman Rob Blake said. "He's got quick hands and he can shoot the puck, too, so he's got a great combination and he's got [centre Pavel] Datsyuk feeding him."
Eaves out
The Wings practised Saturday without winger Patrick Eaves. The club indicated Eaves has an arm injury that he first incurred in the opening round against the Phoenix Coyotes.
"We think he's fine, but we don't know for sure," Detroit coach Mike Babcock said. "He got bumped in the arm the last series.
"He was tender last game, left the game for a little bit, but came back. We think he's going to play, but we gave him [Saturday] off."
If Eaves can't go in Game 2 Sunday at HP Pavilion, Jason Williams will play. Williams skated in Eaves' spot alongside Darren Helm and Kris Draper.
On the other hand, for the first time in two weeks, defenceman Brian Rafalski, believed to be dealing with a tender back, practised with the team.
Marleau skates
Sharks captain Patrick Marleau, who missed Game 1 due to flu-like symptoms, practised Saturday and was deemed fit to play in Game 2.
"I'm feeling better, definitely," said Marleau, who indicated he was up all night prior to Game 1 being sick to his stomach.
He skated in practice alongside Torey Mitchell and Manny Malhotra, but Sharks coach Todd McLellan played it coy when asked where he'd utilize Marleau during Game 2.
"You shouldn't ready much into that," McLellan said of Marleau's practice linemates. "We're still rolling the numbers around."
Wings fan
Sharks forward Dwight Helminen was born in Hancock, Mich., lives in the off-season in Brighton, just outside of Detroit, and played his minor hockey for Detroit Compuware, so naturally, the Wings were his team growing up.
"It's definitely a thrill to play against them," Helminen said, indicating he idolized Steve Yzerman and Sergei Fedorov as a youngster, but as he developed into a checking role on the ice, came to follow another Wing more closely - Detroit centre Draper.
"He's always been one of the Wings' go-to penalty killers," Helminen said. "When I was in school [at Michigan], that was kind of my role, so I used to watch Draper, and tried to emulate some of the stuff he does, especially on the penalty kill."
This series is causing a bit of a rift amongst Helminen's circle of friends.
"My immediate family all claim they're cheering for the Sharks, but my sister informed me that a couple of her friends weren't," Helminen said. "They actually live in a house I own, so I'm going to have to adjust the rent. It might be going up."
Hudler homecoming
His former teammates were excited to learn that forward Jiri Hudler, who bolted the Wings last summer for Dynamo Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League, would be returning to Detroit for the 2010-11 season.
"He's got great hands, he sees the ice real well," Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom said of Hudler. "He can be a game-breaker, or score a goal, or make that pass to win a game for you."
Unkindest cut
Franzen was sliced in the cheek for nine stitches in Game 1 when clipped by the stick of Sharks forward Devin Setoguchi, but was assessed a tripping penalty on the play for taking the feet out from under Setoguchi.
"I was just skating backwards and all of the sudden, I got clipped," Setoguchi said. "I really have no control. I'm trying to protect myself from falling backwards on my head or my shoulders."
