May 2007 Zetterberg Fan.com

Wings Come on Strong, but Fall Short in Saving Season

By Ansar Khan, Mlive.com, Wednesday, May 23, 2007

...Down and out after two periods, trailing by three goals, the Wings made a tremendous a comeback with their season on the line. It fell just short.

The Anaheim Ducks hung on for a 4-3 victory in Game 6 of the Western Conference finals at the Honda Center and advanced to the Stanley Cup finals against the Ottawa Senators. The Wings, reaching the third round for the first time in five years, felt they gave it their all but were left to lament opportunities squandered in previous games of the series.

"It's a huge disappointment losing the way we did," Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom said. "We had a great chance to be up 3-2 (in the series) coming out here and we blew that (with a 2-1 overtime loss in Game 5 Sunday). And in the first two periods tonight we didn't play as well as we wanted to. In the third we rallied, but four goals were too much to catch up to."

Did they ever make it interesting, though. Trailing 3-0, Henrik Zetterberg scored at 3:15 of the third period to launch the rally. Samuel Pahlsson responded by capping a three-on-two break banging in a rebound at 5:54 to give the Ducks back their three-goal lead.

But the Wings kept coming, and Anaheim appeared on the verge of self-destructing, with defensive miscues, tentative play and bad penalties. Detroit's power play, which had struggled the first two periods (0-for-4, one shot), suddenly sprang to life. Pavel Datsyuk scored at 10:08 by redirecting a pass from Lidstrom past goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere. Datsyuk scored another power-play goal with 3:04 remaining in regulation.

The Wings outshot the Ducks 16-3 in the third period and had several good chances to tie it. But, time ran out.

"When you're down three goals you just have to find all the reserve you can to turn it around," Zetterberg said. "We knew we played strong in the third period the whole year, we just had to keep going. We put real good effort in there ? but it wasn't enough."

The Wings felt they deserved a better fate. They led the series 2-1 and believe they outplayed the Ducks in Games 4 and 5 but had nothing to show for it.

How long until Zetterberg is considered the NHL's best?

By Scott Burnside, ESPN.com, May 22, 2007

Three years ago, former NHL netminder Darren Pang was talking to boyhood friend Steve Yzerman.

Pang asked about the new kid from Sweden, Henrik Zetterberg, and was more than a little surprised to hear Yzerman rave about the young man.

"He told me he would be a better all-round player than Peter Forsberg," Pang told ESPN.com during the Western Conference finals between Detroit and Anaheim.

That would be Peter Forsberg, Hart Trophy winner, Stanley Cup winner, Olympic gold medalist and a player considered among the top forwards anywhere, anyplace in the hockey world when in his prime.

Which begs the question: How close is Zetterberg to becoming the best player in the NHL?

As the Wings prepare for a win-or-go-home Game 6 against the Ducks on Tuesday night, it makes for interesting water-cooler discussion.

Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin are both younger and at different stages of their development. There's Joe Thornton, Vincent Lecavalier, Jaromir Jagr.

But having grown up in the Detroit system, having learned from players such as Yzerman, Zetterberg, 26, quietly has become one of those players around whom you could build not only an offense but a winner.

"He is a complete two-way player and his play in all areas of the game embodies the style of the Red Wings, much like Steve Yzerman. When Henrik does all the things which are hard and not flashy but extremely important to winning, it sets the tone for the Red Wings. He is a brilliant player in all aspects and combined with his versatility and competitive spirit, he is a top player," said former Calgary GM Craig Button, now a top scout with the Maple Leafs.

"He would be a guy to build around; he makes others better. That is a rare trait that gives a team glue," one Western Conference scout told ESPN.com this week. "His Red Wings pedigree is going to stick with him no matter where he plays later. So, he goes up high on the list [of top players]."

At 5-foot-11, 195 pounds, Zetterberg is deceptively strong and difficult to knock off the puck, and his foot speed has allowed him to become a sterling defensive player.

Pang believes Zetterberg's two-way game could earn him a Frank J. Selke Award, "any given year, along with an MVP award."

Detroit GM Ken Holland, while acknowledging his obvious bias, said that among the game's elite offensive players, Zetterberg has evolved very quickly into a true team player.

"I think he's the best two-way player in the NHL," Holland said this week. "He's just gotten better and better and better. He has tremendous determination. He's got a big heart. He's got wonderful ability."

Yes, Zetterberg's talents are impressive. But when juxtaposed against the game's finest players -- Crosby, Ovechkin, Lecavalier, Thornton et al -- there is one stunning, even mind-boggling difference. Every one of those players was a first or second overall pick in the entry draft. All were anointed franchise players from the time they were teens.

Zetterberg?

Well, let's just put it this way. Whatever other debate might rage regarding his talent, it's safe to say Zetterberg is the finest seventh-round draft pick. Ever.

At the 1999 draft, 209 players were selected before the Red Wings chose Zetterberg. What does that mean? By the time the seventh round of the NHL draft rolls around, the stands are empty and those still on hand are often asleep. Teams sometimes pick players in the seventh round because they feel sorry for them sitting in the stands. Any drama is gone because so few of these players will have any impact in the NHL.

Was Zetterberg sitting by his phone waiting for the draft call?

He laughs.

"It wasn't a big thing for me," he said. "I wasn't thinking about it at all at the time. Actually, I was on vacation with my parents, so I didn't think about it at all."

So, how did this happen?

Holland was frank -- there was a little bit of luck involved, plus more than a little hockey acumen provided by European scout Hakan Andersson and assistant GM Jim Nill. Andersson first stumbled on the shifty, undersized Zetterberg at a tournament in Northern Finland. Zetterberg was still in his teens, and Andersson was looking at another player, one Nill graciously declines to identify.

"But there was this little Zetterberg guy who always seems to have the puck," Nill recalled Monday.

So, they put the name in their back pocket. Figuring that most other teams hadn't seen Zetterberg, they bided their time and nabbed him with the 210th pick.

In 2001, Zetterberg was named rookie of the year in the Swedish elite league. The next season, he was named player of the year. By the time the 2002 Olympics rolled around, Zetterberg had filled out (he is now 30 pounds heavier than when Andersson first saw him play) and his game had evolved to the point that many people considered him the finest player not playing in the NHL.

"That's when they [the Red Wings] knew they had a diamond in the rough," Pang said.

Zetterberg, who grew up in a coastal town about four hours north of Stockholm, admitted his childhood dreams didn't necessarily include the NHL.

"When you were young -- 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 -- the national team is a bigger goal than the NHL. That's the only games that you see," Zetterberg said. "The NHL games are in the middle of the night that you don't see that much. But I think maybe it's a little bit different now. The kids growing up now, I think the exposure is a little bit better for the NHL."

Even after he'd been drafted, he didn't think too much about an NHL career. Not until the Salt Lake City Olympics. Although he'd played with and against NHL players at the World Championship, this was an entirely different stage.

"It's not the same thing as the Olympics," Zetterberg said. "I remember my first shift was against Eric Lindros. I'll never forget that."

Success at the highest levels of the NHL is all about degrees or passing certain thresholds. After Zetterberg broke out last season (85 points in 77 games), the question was whether he could produce in the playoffs. Although the Wings were upset in the first round by Edmonton, Zetterberg acquitted himself with six goals in six games.

This season, with Yzerman retiring and Brendan Shanahan signing with the New York Rangers, Zetterberg felt more pressure to carry an even greater load. He compiled 68 points in 63 games before suffering a back injury that cost him the last 19 games of the regular season. At the time of the injury, there were many who believed Zetterberg was the best forward in the game.

This spring, coming straight off the back injury to the emotionally charged world of the playoffs, Zetterberg continues to get better. He is third on the team in scoring with 12 points in 17 games and is averaging 22:32 minutes a night in ice time. The Wings' hopes of advancing rest in part on Zetterberg's ability to help them get there.

"He's been really good ever since he got over here, and a couple of years before in Sweden. He's kind of a late bloomer," said countryman Samuel Pahlsson, who grew up not far from Zetterberg's home and is one of the Ducks' top defensive players. "He's always been really skilled and really smart. Makes the right decisions all the time.

"He's tough. He doesn't put himself in vulnerable situations. You try to be on him, try to hit him. But it's hard because he doesn't put himself in a bad situation."

Zetterberg, naturally, is more concerned with the here and now than where he has come from.

"Of course, I'm happy to be where I am right now and having a chance to play for the Red Wings and have a chance to be here for a long time" Zetterberg said. "But also, it's the Stanley Cup. You want to win. I still have that left, and that's what I'm going for now, and when I get that, I'm going to be a little more satisfied."

Wings Need Zetterberg, Datsyuk to Step Up

By Ansar Khan, Mlive.com, Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Tomas Holmstrom, Robert Lang, Johan Franzen, Dan Cleary, Todd Bertuzzi and Valtteri Filppula have delivered big goals on the road for the Detroit Red Wings in these playoffs.

Conspicuously missing from that list are Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk, who have combined for no goals and four assists in eight road playoff games. Sooner or later, the Wings are going to need one of these star forwards to score a goal or two away from home. Tonight would be a good time, with the Wings facing elimination in Game 6 against Anaheim in the Western Conference finals.

"It's a big game and we want to be there and really contribute,'' Zetterberg said.

It's not that the pair has played poorly on the road. They've generated chances. They rank first (Zetterberg with 74) and second (Datsyuk with 62) in the NHL in shots on goal in the playoffs, but they haven't been able to finish on the road. Part of the problem is teams, with the last line change at home, have been able to match their best defensive players against them. That's why Wings coach Mike Babcock put Zetterberg and Datsyuk on separate lines in Games 3 and 4 against the Ducks.

"It's been creating a problem, point-wise,'' Zetterberg said. "Both me and Pavel haven't been able to produce the same amount of points as we have at home. But, at the same time, other players have stepped up and scored the goals.''

The duo has been dominant at home, combining for 11 goals and 11 assists in nine games.

"It's not from a lack of effort or not working hard,'' Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom said. "I think they're skating real hard, they're trying to create chances. I think they can try to get some more shots through. That can always help you when you're shooting the puck more. That's going to help your teammates, too.''

Separating Duo is Deadly for Ducks, Pavel and Henrik Center Other Lines

By Helene St. James, Free Press, May 17^th, 2007

One of the fun things to do around the Red Wings is to watch Henrik Zetterberg's reaction when he's asked why he and Pavel Datsyuk have such good chemistry together. Zetterberg has fielded the query so many times he'd have done well to tape his first reply and simply reuse it.

Now he appears to be in for a respite. The Wings take a 2-1 lead into tonight's Game 4 against Western Conference final opponent Anaheim thanks in no small part to having split up the dynamic duo that is Datsyuk and Zetterberg.

The Wings might have played as close to a flawless playoff game as humanly possible in Game 3, when they used four new line combinations to generate offense five-on-five and demolished the Ducks, 5-0. The two key new groups were formed by separating Datsyuk and Zetterberg for the first time during the 2007 playoffs, allowing both to play at their natural center position.

Datsyuk played between wingers Valtteri Filppula and Tomas Holmstrom, and Zetterberg centered an all-Swedish line with Mikael Samuelsson and Johan Franzen.

"I think we brought different looks at them with Pavel and Hank being split up," Cleary said. "When you've got that 1-2 punch, there are only so many times Sammy Pahlsson can get on the ice. When you have the ability to put Hank and Pav on two separate lines, it brings a huge challenge to the other team, it really does. Both are so dynamic and make everybody else around them better."

Pahlsson is Anaheim's top shut-down center, the guy usually out against star forwards, along with either defenseman Chris Pronger or Scott Niedermayer.

With Pronger suspended tonight for his Game 3 hit on Holmstrom, Niedermayer's job is going to be even tougher.

"They're tremendously offensively talented players," Niedermayer said of Datsyuk and Zetterberg. "When they're out there, we have to do a job with six guys -- with the goalie and the five guys that are out there. We have to play good, solid defense."

In Game 3, the Wings also got off to their best start in the series, scoring two goals, one from Zetterberg's line and another on a power play, to take a 2-0 lead into the second period.

How Swede!: Zetterberg, Holmstrom score in opening win

By Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News, May 12^th, 2007

The Red Wings won Game 1 against Anaheim at Joe Louis Arena Friday night, but they owe a big thanks to Ducks defenseman Francois Beauchemin for the victory.

The Wings won, 2-1, and on both goals, the puck deflected off Beauchemin, giving the Wings an early series lead.

"That's a freak thing that happens and tonight it happened to us," Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said.

Tomas Holmstrom was credited with the power-play goal at 15:06 of the third period, breaking a 1-1 tie and sending the Wings to a 1-0 series lead.

With Ducks forward Ryan Getzlaf off for slashing, Nicklas Lidstrom fired a shot from the point that appeared to deflect off Beauchemin and past goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere.

"We're getting pucks to the net and that's what we want to do," Lidstrom said. "We got a lucky break on that one. I'm not sure how the puck went in. But we want to get pucks at the net."

The Wings had to kill off a Robert Lang hooking penalty at 16:41, but did so, as they did every Ducks power play during the evening.

The Wings killed seven Ducks power plays, including a 1:35 stretch of a two-man advantage in the first period as goalie Dominik Hasek (31 saves) starred.

"Dom shut the door and the penalty-killers battled," coach Mike Babcock said.

The Ducks enjoyed most of their quality scoring chances on the power play, but Hasek again was one of the best Red Wings.

"I know one mistake and we lose the game," said Hasek, who made 13 saves in the final period. "The last three minutes of the game I was exhausted. Maybe I was lucky, but sometimes that's how you win the game. It was a great defensive effort."

Hasek made a sprawling save on Getzlaf with Anaheim dominating play in the Wings zone with six minutes left in regulation and the score tied at 1.

"Dom was outstanding," Babcock said.

Henrik Zetterberg (power play) and Ducks forward Chris Kunitz traded earlier goals.

Anaheim tied the score at 1 on a goal by Kunitz (Ferris State) at 1:35 of the third period.

Kunitz went in 2-on-2 with Getzlaf -- after Getzlaf received a nice pass from Scott Niedermayer heading into the zone with speed -- and fired a shot that beat Hasek on the far side.

The goal was the first of the playoffs for Kunitz.

For Hasek, it was rare slip over the last three games. It was the first goal he allowed in 156 minutes, 42 seconds. He shut out San Jose in the series-clinching Game 6, and over the final 2 1/2 periods of Game 5.

"What can you say about Dom?" forward Kris Draper said. "Every time we needed it, he came up with a big save."

Zetterberg scored a power-play goal at 3:44 of the first, giving him his fifth goal of the playoffs and the Wings a 1-0 lead they maintained most of the game.

The Wings were on the power play when Ducks defenseman Joe DiPenta was called for holding Dan Cleary.

Zetterberg took a pass from Pavel Datsyuk in the low circle and fired a shot that deflected off Beauchemin. The puck went off Beauchemin's shin and squirted through Giguere.

The Ducks enjoyed three power plays in the first period, including the two-man advantage not long after Zetterberg's goal, but couldn't put a puck past Hasek.

With Johan Franzen (holding at 5:03) and Kris Draper (holding, 5:28) in the box, the Ducks had several point-blank shots at Hasek but couldn't convert.

"Those things usually come back to bite you," Carlyle said.

Zetterberg and Datsyuk Lift the Wings Again

By Chris Turner, Zetterbergfan.com, May 6^th, 2007

After getting a a game-tying goal with just over thirty seconds left, and tying the series in overtime of game four in San Jose on Thursday, the Detroit Red Wings spotted the Sharks a one goal lead, but came up huge once more, coming from behind and defeating San Jose by a score of 4-1 last night at the Joe Louis Arena, and taking a 3-2 series lead.

When it looked like they weren’t playing their best hockey the Red Wings got another big game from their most talented players, Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk, who each had a goal and two assists.

Having linemate Tomas Holmstrom back from an eye injury has helped the dynamic duo of Zetterberg and Datsyuk create a lot more offence against San Jose’s top line. It payed off 3:10 into the second period. Holmstrom patiently handled the puck in front of Shark’s goalie Evgeni Nabokov and attempted a reaching shot that came off the end of his stick balde and ended up being a perfect pass to Zetterberg, who was standing alone at the back door of Nabokov’s crease. Henrik lifted an easy forehand shot high into the back of the net to tie the game at one a piece.

Then with just 1:24 left in the second period, Datsuk raced into the San Jose zone chasing a loose puck towards the Shark’s net as Nabokov skated out towards him. The netminder won the race to the puck but hit Pavel’s stick with the puck as he attempted to clear it. Datsyuk took the blocked puck, skated around the stunned goalie, and scored the go-ahead tally into a wide-open net.

The contest was far from over, but San Jose began to play desperately and with more of a physical edge. They were trying to “send a message” by attempting to intimidate some of Detroit’s talented players with a little “goonery”. When Sharks defenseman Craig Rivet wrestled Zetterberg to the ice and was lying on top of him with his elbow in Zetterberg’s face, fellow Swede and linemate Tomas Holmstrom came to his aide. Homer coming to the defense of Hank was a symbol of the unity of the Wings top line and of the team over all. They are showing that they are not going to take getting pushed around.

In the third period the Sharks began to take more penalties, and the Wings took over the game. 3:46 into the period with the Wings on the power-play, Zetterberg controlled the puck behind the San Jose net and watched the play develop. Zata fed a quick pass to winger Mikael Samuelsson in the center of the right face-off circle. Samuelsson blasted a one-timer past Nabokov giving Detroit a two goal advantage.

Just a few minutes later, Sharks winger Mike Grier crashed the net and made contact with Red Wings goalie Dominik Hasek. The Wings defended their goaltender and Zetterberg went after Marcel Goc, showing that he isn’t going to back down when challenged. On the ensuing power-play for goaltender interference on Grier, Zetterberg once again observes the action and slipped a pass from behind the net, through the crease and past three San Jose defenders to Holmstrom, alone in the slot. Homer knocked it into the net to make it 4-1 Detroit. The assist was Zetterberg’s second of the game, both on power-play goals.

Yesterday’s win was Henrik’s first career playoff game with two assists and second career playoff game with three points. The other was in game five of round one against Calgary. Zetterberg has four goals and four assists and is a +2 in eleven games this post-season. All eight of his points are in victories at home. He now has thirteen goals, six assists, and is a -4 (plus/minus) in 33 career playoff games.