May 2008
Selke and
during Crucial Moment in Game 4 of
By Chris Turner, Zetterbergfan.com, May 31st, 2008
The Detroit Red Wings won a hard-fought 2-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on the road tonight at the Mellon Arena to take a 3-games-to-1 lead in the best-of-seven Stanley Cup Finals series. And while Henrik Zetterberg did not record any points for the second straight game away from home, he was undeniably critical to the team’s success, no more so than while playing shorthanded on a 5-on-3 power play for the Penguins for 1:27 with a one-goal lead halfway through the third period.
During that long two-man advantage for
Of course, both Zetterberg and Crosby downplayed the Swede’s dominance on the shift.
“We played good and tried to keep them to the outside and tried to be in the shooting lanes,” said Zetterberg.
However, Red Wings Head Coach Mike Babcock had hefty praise for his primary penalty-killing forward. “I thought Zetterberg was fantastic. (Zetterberg and Datsuk) are just gifted players and when they compete as hard as they did tonight they win a lot of battles. I’ve been telling people for three years how good Zetterberg is. So, this isn’t a surprise to me. He’s conscientious and a great two-way player,” said Babcock.
Zetterberg is one point behind
Tonight was Zetterberg’s 60th career playoff game in five post-seasons with
Zetterberg Paced Game-saving Shift
By John Niyo, The It may have been the shift that secured the Stanley Cup. And if it was, then it has to be the shift that guaranteed Henrik Zetterberg the Conn Smythe Trophy. A terrific individual effort by Zetterberg highlighted a game-saving penalty kill in the third period of Saturday's Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Clinging to a 2-1 lead, and already playing shorthanded, the Wings' Andreas Lilja was whistled for an interference penalty on But the Wings' stars -- politely scolded by their coach after Game 3 -- made sure that didn't happen. And Zetterberg, as he has all season, led the way. "They had a great opportunity to tie it up," Zetterberg said. "And it's a challenge to play against such good players, especially when you're down two guys -- they have a lot of room. You practice a lot on it during the year, and it's fun to have a chance to do it in a game." He certainly had fun Saturday night. Zetterberg tied up "He made a good play on me, got my stick," "I felt pretty good, I had good legs," said Zetterberg, who logged 23:12 of ice time Saturday, including more than four minutes shorthanded. "I think our line played a little better today than we did last game. We tried to shoot a little bit more and spend a little more time in their end. We wanted to play good defense, and I think we did that. And with that, we create some offense." Even down two skaters, amazingly. On that same 5-on-3 power play, Zetterberg forced a turnover near the blue line by Evgeni Malkin, the Penguins' Hart Trophy finalist, and chased down the puck to create a shorthanded breakaway. Zetterberg managed to put a whirling backhand shot on net, then chased down the rebound to kill even more time off the clock. "I was thinking of lacrosse at that time," Wings coach Mike Babcock said. "I always hear my son's coach yelling when they're shorthanded to get a hold of it and hang onto it. That's what (Zetterberg) was doing. "They're just gifted players, and when they compete as hard as they did tonight, they win a lot of battles. But, you know, I've been telling people for three years how good Zetterberg is. And so this isn't a surprise to me." Crosby, who scored two goals in Wednesday's Game 3 win, was limited to two shots on goal in 22:39 of ice time Saturday. Afterward, he had little patience for the media's attention to Zetterberg's third-period effort -- "I don't think he did anything out of the ordinary," Asked what The Wings -- and Zetterberg -- certainly have had a lot to do with that.
By Bob Wojnowski,
On Thursday, with an extra day off, (Mike) Babcock was in a humorous mood more than a hammering mood. He was taking his team to a resort outside of
But Babcock also had a pointed message for his top players. In the process, he showed why a good relationship between coach and star, especially between Babcock and Henrik Zetterberg, is so important, and why ego rarely is an issue on this team.
Even before the Wings lost to
The Wings have been terrific in the postseason, with Zetterberg arguably their best player. But in three games against the Penguins, they're two-for-19 on the power play.
So on a day for relaxation, Babcock had a point, and he made it with a smile.
"Our top group is being a little too fine right now," Babcock said. "But they're real proud guys and they're smart guys and they know. Before the game, when we were going through the power play and none of the (video) clips were them, they knew."
The Wings' best skaters -- Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Lidstrom -- may be quiet, but they're not automatons. They lead in unseen, and sometimes unspoken ways, with Zetterberg taking on more and more responsibility.
As the team evolves, the Babcock-Zetterberg relationship naturally grows. When Zetterberg and Datsyuk started playing on the same line a couple years ago, Babcock told them to decide between themselves who wanted to play center and who'd play on the wing. They talked and Zetterberg chose center, although the pair improvises a lot.
For a guy so good at pushing, Babcock isn't bad at pulling back.
"We appreciated that he let us have the choice," said Zetterberg, 27, who leads the Wings with 23 playoff points. "At the same time, he knows what he wants and he knows what buttons to push. Sometimes you get real mad at him but it turns out it's the right decision."
Would that power-play videotape, the one that highlighted exclusively the second unit -- manned by forwards Johan Franzen, Dan Cleary and Jiri Hudler -- be one of those push-able buttons?
"Maybe," Zetterberg said, laughing. "He knows how to get me mad. It doesn't happen that often, but I think I play better when I'm a little bit feisty."
The Wings don't operate an aristocracy, with stars on one level and role players below. Babcock has learned to adjust his sometimes-overbearing ways, figuring out how to coach experienced stars, because it's different than the "greasy" hockey he coined in
But he doesn't coddle. And the results are seen in the improvement of his best players, and in the incredible blossoming of Zetterberg and Datsyuk.
"On some teams, if a coach said that a lot of shifts were too long, they'd take it as a shot," Babcock said. "These guys don't. They know it before you even tell 'em. I'm the coach so I'm in charge, but they're elite, elite players that have an opinion. They know they're driving the bus. They lead, and they do it without ego."
It's the hidden trait that makes the Wings go. Teammates rave about the work ethic of Zetterberg and Datsyuk, so it wasn't a surprise when the duo cranked it up physically in the postseason.
They're doing more and more, and at times, they try to do too much. Earlier in the season, when Zetterberg and others were extending their shifts, Babcock cooked up a quick remedy.
At the end of a practice in
"He told us, 'You can't play like this,' and we pretty much agreed," Zetterberg said. "When you want to do a little too much, that's what happens. Of course I take some of the blame for the loss (to the Penguins). I have to take care of it for the next game."
The Wings aren't beating themselves up over one loss. They know they played well for stretches. But Sidney Crosby and the Penguins have their first whiffs of confidence and Game 4 will be tough again.
It's all about relaxing, without relaxing, if you know what I mean. The Wings get it. Zetterberg said they packed the soccer balls for the bus trip to the undisclosed resort, for spirited bouts of "two-touch." That's the game in which players stand in a circle, kicking around a soccer ball, with participants dropping out as they miss.
(It’s later learned that Zetterberg took in some fly-fishing at the resort durind the day off.)
It's a good way to relax. Almost everyone on the team plays and everyone is treated equal. Hmm. That also happens to be a good way to run a team.
By Mitch Albom, Free press, May 24th, 2008
The first time Henrik Zetterberg set foot in Joe Louis Arena, the Red Wings were in the playoffs. Against
"Who wears a suit at a hockey game?" he recalls thinking.
Afterward, he and Niklas Kronwall, another
So he and Kronwall came back the next game. And this time
At that moment, wearing dress shoes and a sports coat, Zetterberg got a taste of what the NHL playoffs are all about -- how you put your heart on the line every night. Tonight, he gets the ultimate firsthand exposure: He plays in the Stanley Cup finals. Like
But here's a news flash for the national media:
But Zetterberg could be.
This is a kid who is rock-star good-looking, has a high-profile girlfriend, mad skills, a humble demeanor and a knack for finding the puck as if he and it were separated at birth. His numbers are at superstar levels. He makes everyone around him better. He's fast, dynamic, tough on defense, has an almost cosmic connection with linemate Pavel Datsyuk and, finally -- and here's the part that few people know -- the guy is damn close to eloquent.
Oh, you'd never think it catching a sound bite after a game, his long hair soaking with sweat, his uniform sopping on his 5-foot-11 frame. At those moments, the guy they call "Hank" seems to only want to escape. So he may toss off a quick and accented cliché -- "We had our chances, we took advantage" -- and you may leave dismissing Zetterberg as another Swedish athlete in a mode that stretches from Bjorn Borg to Nicklas Lidstrom: all talent, no quote.
Wrong.
More famous in Sweden
Sitting alone at a quiet table this week, Zetterberg shows how illuminating he can be when he wants to be. When asked about comparisons between him and Steve Yzerman, he says, "It's a good story for them to sell to the media," and when asked if he'd make the comparison himself, he says, "Steve was captain here for 19 years. ... I got a few trips around the world before I reach his status." When asked about the pressure of being the young star among older superstars, he says, "You take it with a pinch of salt."
A pinch?
Well, understand that Zetterberg, 27, is no stranger to media, interviews, or outside curiosity. In his home country, he's Andre Agassi-meets-John Mayer -- famous for what he plays as well as whom he dates. Zetterberg and his girlfriend of two years, Emma Andersson -- a Swedish model and TV celebrity -- are photographed constantly, whether they like it or not. Dinners are regularly interrupted. Stories get written, with or without their help.
When they return to
"I don't go out and try and get attention," Zetterberg says. "I have been handling the media in
This is a guy who left home when he was 14 to live with other teenage players, who vaguely remembers watching his first NHL finals game with a friend on TV (Ray Bourque winning a ring with Colorado), a guy who says he first knew Dallas Drake, his current teammate, because "I had him in my Nintendo hockey game when I was a kid."
He thought, until his teens, that he would be a soccer player. He certainly never dreamed of fame in the NHL.
And yet he's likely to get a ton of it this next week -- and if the Wings win the Cup, for a lot longer than that. For one thing, this kid is that good. For another, the
And they wonder why he isn't already a household heartthrob.
Playing with hockey royalty
Part of that is because he joined the Wings when you had to get in line to be a Hall of Famer. His first team (2002-03) had Yzerman, Lidstrom, Brendan Shanahan, Sergei Fedorov, Luc Robitaille, Brett Hull, Chris Chelios, Igor Larionov, Dominik Hasek.
"It was a sick team," he says -- and he means that in the most Generation Y way.
Meanwhile, Zetterberg kind of sneaked up on people. At the time, nobody thought a lot about this skinny, relatively small guy from
"Did you know the scout was there?" I ask Zetterberg.
"Oh yeah, we knew."
"Did you think he was there for you?"
He laughs. "No way."
That's not false modesty. Zetterberg didn't even know when the NHL draft was. The day it took place, he was on a vacation in
"My friends and I had a little celebration that night," he recalls, smiling. "And I had to pay for all of them."
Still, a seventh-rounder is not an instant headline. It took him several years to even get over to the States. That first night at the Joe, watching the Wings play the Avalanche, he remembers thinking, "It was fast -- so, so fast -- and I was like, 'Am I gonna play this type of hockey next year? I better get home and work out a little bit.' "
His Russian buddy
Well, obviously, that "little bit" paid off. Zetterberg has blossomed with every passing year, and he keeps climbing new heights. His first season, he was runner-up for the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year; he had 44 points in 79 games. This past season, with 92 points in 75 games, he is a candidate for the Selke Trophy as best defensive forward in the NHL. His pairing with Datsyuk, also a Selke finalist, is already one of those feels-like-legendary things. When you watch them skate, with almost telepathic passing, you are pretty sure you're watching the opening minutes of a long career highlight reel.
"We are from different worlds," Zetterberg admits of his Russian pal. "But it all started our first training camp. Back then we didn't have that many young players on the team. I was the youngest and he was the next youngest, and he took me under his wing. We kind of followed each other on the ice and continued off the ice."
Today, the two players -- who live, Zetterberg says, "about five minutes from each other" in the suburbs -- often carpool to the games together. Zetterberg swears that Datsyuk is comically funny, with a dry, fun-poking sense of humor -- in English. This will come as a shock to fans who haven't been able to hear a complete sentence from Datsyuk since he got here.
"I would say I understand him pretty well," Zetterberg says, laughing conspiratorially when it's suggested that Datsyuk only speaks English as well as he wants to. "We have good conversations, let's put it that way.
"I think it's a little easier if it's just me and him or guys on the team. It's pretty intimidating to talk to the media sometimes, because if you say something wrong it could be all over the news."
Words of wisdom
Yet for a guy who knows how to be cautious in an interview, Zetterberg can be surprisingly candid. When I ask how he thinks he will feel if he wins the Stanley Cup this year, he avoids the standard "dream come true" stuff and instead evokes a previous feeling of ennui.
"When we won the Olympics" -- in 2006, playing for
"On the other hand, when I first got here we had that great team, and we lost in the first round. The next year we lost in the second round. That feeling you have after the last game of the year when you're not on the winning side, it's like, 'My god.' It's so mentally tough.
"So I don't know what the feeling would be like to win a Cup. But I know I don't want to have the feeling you have when you lose. It's the worst."
Nothing cliché about that, is there?
And there is nothing cliché about this player. He is a major talent, and, even better, a growing talent, with a level of smarts and insight that rarely gets exposed. The team loves him. Management loves him. Fans love him. It seems a cinch that he will one day take over the captain's reigns when Lidstrom retires. And you could see Zetterberg having a decade or more as the face of the Wings.
But if the league is smart, it won't stop there. Zetterberg may not want to be the face of the NHL. He may not want to be more famous here than he is in
But if
By Larry Wigge, NHL.com, May 22, 2008 For six weeks, when he was 17, Henrik Zetterberg was wondering about his hockey future. He had a part-time job cleaning lanes at a bowling alley at home in He wasn't even thinking about the draft in June 1999, when he slipped all the way to the seventh round.
Strikes and spares definitely were in his plans, even if there was no sign of stardom when the Detroit Red Wings selected him two years later — in the seventh round, 210th overall, in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft.
Zetterberg was a small, wiry player with deceptive speed who was uninhibited along the boards. He always seemed to have the puck, which is what caught the attention of Wings Assistant GM Jim Nill.
"He was a skinny little kid when I saw him," Nill said. "I really liked his instincts."
Fast forward to this year's Stanley Cup Final and you are struck by these thing: Zetterberg is shifty. He's skilled. He's swift. He's solid and accountable at both ends of the rink. And he's very, very smart.
He's tied for the League lead with 21 playoff points and has scored a goal in eight of his last 10 games.
Zetterberg has dazzled opponents with his stickwork and speed, making fans marvel at his ability to do so many things at a fast pace. From a distance, the 27-year-old is magic. But there's much more Zetterberg's abracadabra act on the ice. And there's also more than the disheveled brown hair and unshaven look of a surfer.
"When he stepped on the ice for the first time in the NHL, he was already one of the more skilled players in the League," said St. Louis Blues goaltender Manny Legace, who played behind Zetterberg for the first time in 2002-03 and had to face his many head-shaking moves in practice for three years before joining the Blues. "No offense to Sidney Crosby or Vinny Lecavalier or anyone else, but there is no better player in the NHL now than Hank."
Legace was asked if he wanted me to use "arguably" in that quote, but he said it wasn't needed. Then he added one more thing to Zetterberg's attributes — the intangible look of a Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Michael Jordan or Magic Johnson.
"It's the fire in Hank's eyes and the passion in his belly," Legace continued. "I've seen bigger players try to take liberties with him and he'll just stand there face-to-face and give the other guy the look."
"I don't consider myself scary," Zetterberg said. "Would you be afraid of me?"
Even after Zetterberg was named rookie of the year while playing for Timra IK in the Swedish Elite League in 2001, he still saw the skills and size of NHL players only on TV and occasionally in pickup games against European NHL stars. The next season he was named player of the year in the Swedish Elite League. By the time the 2002 Olympics rolled around, Zetterberg had filled out and got his first real taste of what life would be like at the next level.
"I remember going on the ice for the first time to take a faceoff at the Olympics in
Thirty pounds stronger since draft day, Zetterberg now is a legitimate MVP candidate.
"Henrik, he's a complete player," Red Wings GM Ken Holland said. "He's got great hands, great instincts, he's great in traffic and he really sees the ice well. Over the years I've seen a lot of great players who don't work hard enough to be better. I always tell our scouts, 'Tell me when a smaller guy shows you he can do it and when a bigger guy shows you he can't.' It's clear Henrik always plays bigger than his size."
For Goran Zetterberg, Henrik's father and coach of the hockey team in Njurunda, and his mom, Ulla, who is an office supervisor, the dream of seeing their son play in the NHL was second to seeing him play for the Swedish national team. When asked about his best moments in hockey, Zetterberg quickly picked his first Olympic appearance at
"But," Zetterberg added, "I just missed the Red Wings' Stanley Cup run in 2002. I think I could find a place right there at the top with the Olympics for a chance to lift the Stanley Cup in victory."
He's four wins away from getting that chance.
"He can pass and he can shoot at an elite level,” Red Wings captain and fellow Swede Nicklas Lidstrom said. “That's what makes him so difficult to stop, because you don't know what he's going to do. Seeing that kind of skill coming at you again and again makes defenders back off and creates openings for his teammates."
When watching Zetterberg, you quickly notice the hands, the quick feet, the ability to create while at top speed, the instincts. But what stands out most are Zetterberg's consistency, strength and work ethic.
"You're never going to outwork Hank, that's for sure," Wings coach Mike Babcock said.
"There isn't a stronger player on his skates than Zetterberg," said Blues coach Andy Murray. "No one knocks him off his feet, and no forward has the kind of stamina that he has. He could still thrive playing two-minute shifts and playing the kind of 28- to 30-minute games defensemen like Chris Pronger, Scott Niedermayer and Nicklas Lidstrom play."
The irony is Zetterberg fell through the cracks in 1999 because he was deemed too slight and fragile for life in the NHL at a time when bigger was better and teams were able to trap and obstruct smaller players who weren't equipped to fight through the holding and grabbing.
"I was 5-11, but I was only about 165 pounds when I was drafted," Zetterberg said.
No muscles? That's right.
"I was a small kid," he said. "But I wasn't the last kid chosen in a pickup game. I had skills and I really worked at making them better and better. I remember as a kid I always tried to not get hit and to hold onto the puck until I spotted an open teammate."
"I was on vacation with my parents on the
When he was 13 he chose hockey over soccer and added
"Hakan was trying to show me another player," Nill said when asked about his first reaction to seeing Zetterberg. "But there was this little Zetterberg guy who always seemed to have the puck."
Still does. And he does so much more as well.
When asked if he ever could approach Gretzky, Sundin or
The operative word is "yet."
Red Wings Drawing Attention of Swedish Fans
By The Canadian Press, May 21, 2008
The Detroit Red Wings would be in rough shape without
In fact, their general manager insisted the Western Conference champions would've been knocked out of the post-season long ago - if they even made it - without their seven Swedes.
Thanks to Nicklas Lidstrom and several countrymen,
"It's a big deal back home," Lidstrom said Wednesday in an interview with The Associated Press. "They call us the Swedish NHL team because there's so many of us.
"As we get deeper in the playoffs, more people are staying up late and going to work after watching us play."
Lidstrom has been around for years and he has steadily been joined by players from back home in
Tomas Holmstrom, drafted 257th overall, was a rookie when the Red Wings won the Stanley Cup in 1997 and helped them win another title the next year and in 2002.
"It's been amazing how the team exploded with Swedes," Holmstrom said.
The Red Wings landed a star and perhaps a future one in back-to-back years, drafting forward Henrik Zetterberg 210th overall in 1999 and defenceman Niklas Kronwall with the 29th pick the next year.
Centre Johan Franzen, a third-round pick in 2004, joined the Red Wings three years ago after the lockout as did forward Mikael Samuelsson and defenceman Andreas Lilja as free agents.
"Somebody has the inside track on the Swedes because the Red Wings keep finding these guys late in the draft," teammate Chris Chelios said. "It can't be a fluke."
The Red Wings are thankful to have Hakan Anderson, their director of European scouting, evaluating talent in
"Hakan deserves most of the credit without a doubt," Red Wings general manager Ken Holland said. "But other people have chipped in with a team effort to scout
Where would the Red Wings be without the Swedes?
"Probably not in the playoffs,"
"Nick and Hank are two of the best players in the world. Homer is the best at what he does in front of the net. Franzen has scored 12 goals in the playoffs. Kronwall is one of the top young defenceman in the league."
Those five players helped
Lidstrom - whose slap shot lifted his country to a 3-2 win over
"Nick is getting more and more attention after not getting the credit he deserves back home," Franzen said. "He's never got the headlines until after the Olympics, when he opened the Swede's eyes.
"Hank is a bigger target of the media because of his girlfriend. They're the Swedish version of Beckham and Posh."
Zetterberg laughed at the comparison to David and Victoria Beckham, saying he and Emma Andersson are much more low key.
"We don't get followed like crazy here or back home," Zetterberg said. "But she's had her own TV show, so she's known in public, too."
Zetterberg's game also draws attention.
His 21 points in the playoffs tie him for the league lead with Sidney Crosby.
Franzen leads the NHL in goals this post-season despite missing the previous five games with concussion-like symptoms.
Kronwall shatters the myth about soft Europeans, delivering spectacular hits in open ice, and has contributed 12 post-season points.
Samuelsson has nine points, ranking ninth on the team - behind five Swedes. Lilja has played in six of
Two more Swedes, Mattias Ritola and Jonathan Ericsson, haven't played in the playoffs for the Red Wings.
"Being here together with all the Swedes is nice and unique," Zetterberg said. "We know we won't be together forever, so we're enjoying it while it lasts."
The Swedish Red Wings say their nationality is irrelevant on the ice and in the dressing room, but acknowledge their bond away from Joe Louis Arena.
All of them live in a
"It's great for our families, especially our wives and girlfriends when we're on the road," Lilja said. "Our kids speak English at school, and Swedish at home. Sometimes they mix the two languages sometimes and we call that Swenglish.
"We live so close to each other. I'm a sand wedge away from Samuelsson's yard and the rest the guys - other than Hank - are a two-minute drive away."
Yes, Zetterberg hears about that.
"Well, you know, Hank is a star," Lilja joked, putting his fingers in the air to make quote marks. "He can't live with us in
Zetterberg, standing nearby, had a rebuttal.
"When I got here, it was only Nick and Homer and I thought they were too old," the 27-year-old Zetterberg said. "So, I lived where the younger guys did."
Western Conference Champions!
Zetterberg a
By Chris Turner, Zetterbergfan.com, May 20th, 2008
Through the first three rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Henrik Zetterberg leads all scorers with 21 points (11 goals and 10 assists) to become a Conn Smythe trophy candidate, awarded to the Most Valuable Player in the playoffs. He also leads all skaters in plus/minus with +15 in sixteen games played, a perfect example of Zetterberg’s dominance as a two-way player. One of the very best all-round players in the NHL, Zetterberg has lead his Detroit Red Wings to a four-games-to-two series win over the Dallas Stars to become the Western Conference Champions. Henrik had 4 goals and 4 assists and was a +5 in the 6 game series, including a goal, two assists, and a +3 in game three. On the penalty kill, Zetterberg scored two back-breaking short-handed goals on the Stars in the Conference Finals.
The Red Wings will play the Eastern Conference Champion Pittsburgh Penguins in the Stanley Cup Finals. The Penguins have several potential Conn Smythe winners as well: Sidney Crosby (21 points, 17 assists), Marian Hossa (9 goals, 10 assists), Evgeni Malkin (9 goals, 10 assists). Zetterbergs linemate Pavel Datsyuk is also a candidate with 9 goals and 10 assists as well.
Henrik now has a career total 26 goals and 20 assists for 46 points, and is a +10 in 56 career playoff games. In the past four games alone, he has passed former enforcer Bob Probert, the legendary Syd Howe, and current teammate Kris Draper to move up from 20th to 16th place on the Detroit Red Wings All-time playoff scoring leaders list.
Handicapping the Playoff MVP Race
By Allan Muir, SI.com, May 14, 2008
The Conn Smythe Trophy has been handed out to the postseason's MVP 42 times since Jean Beliveau first captured the honor in 1965. Never once in that span has the award been shared by two equally deserving teammates.
The way things are going this spring, the 43rd time might be the charm.
Zetterberg or Datsyuk. Crosby or Malkin. Assuming the Red Wings and Penguins clash for the Cup -- and with full deference to the faithful in
The success of both teams, to this point anyway, has been defined by 20 men pulling their weight. But for the voters, it'll be impossible to ignore the fearsome twosomes that front the top two offenses of the playoffs.
A lot can change over the course of the Finals, but here's the way I see the frontrunners heading down the home stretch:
Henrik Zetterberg: If the NHL can't figure out a way to slip the 27-year-old center into their promotional rotation alongside golden boys Crosby and Ovechkin, they're missing a Swede opportunity. What an epic, star-making performance this has been. Putting aside the potential for bias, netminder Chris Osgood is right on the money when he calls Zetterberg "the most complete player in the league." He's epitomized the best of two-way play, leading his team in scoring (9-9-18), shots (70) and plus/minus (plus-13). He's not just consistent (he brings an eight-game scoring streak to tonight's contest), he's scoring the big goals -- like Monday's third-period shorthander that knocked the wind out of the Stars. He's also been
Datsyuk, Zetterberg Succeed with a Wink and a Nod
By Larry Wigge, NHL.com, May 13, 2008
For Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, there are nights when it's not too hard for them to turn nothing into something pretty special.
"I don't know how to explain it. Some players just seem to be on the same wavelength a lot," Zetterberg said of his unassisted back-breaking, third-period shorthanded goal, plus the first career hat trick of any kind -- regular season or playoffs -- for Datsyuk in
"No magic," Datsyuk said. "In the playoffs you have to go hard to the net -- and that's what we did."
Not smoke and mirrors. Not abracadabra. Just a friendly wink and a nod. Sort of like Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison, Wayne Gretzky and Jari Kurri.
"Datsyuk and Zetterberg were absolutely phenomenal," Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said of Pavel's hat trick and Henrik's one goal and two assists. "It's funny, but there are no signs that they are going to put up that kind of performance. All I know is good players have a way of playing real good when it counts."
"Those two are a rare couple of players," Stars coach Dave Tippett said after
"They are both in such good position defensively that they can turn on a dime and take the puck the other way before the other team realizes it -- and tonight it was even more important the way they responded to score right after we gave up a goal," said veteran center Kris Draper. "That can really beat an opponent down."
"I've been watching them play the last four seasons and they are great together or apart," captain Nicklas Lidstrom said. "But when we put them together it seems like no one can stop them. It's uncanny sometimes the way they keep finding one another."
Magical ad libs and instincts aren't the only things that makes Datsyuk and Zetterberg so special. It's the surprise that these two players are even getting the chance to play on the best stage in the world. After all, some 170 players were chosen in the NHL Entry Draft in 1998 before Datsyuk and even more, 209 players, were picked ahead of Zetterberg just one year later.
"I had never heard of Pavel and Henrik. Well, I had read a little about Henrik in the Swedish newspapers and magazines I get from back home. But never in my wildest dreams did I think these names on a draft list would bring so much creativity and production to our lineup," Lidstrom continued. "And it's no fluke, either. (GM) Ken Holland and (assistant GM) Jim Nill seem to find great players every year. You don't know how much confidence that gives the guys who have been here for a while to know that somebody pretty darn good is going to come in to compete for a roster spot almost every year."
Like Datsyuk, Zetterberg's size was a point of contention in an NHL where bigger was better during all of those years where teams were able to trap and obstruct the smaller players who weren't equipped to fight through the hands, arms and stick-checks. Datsyuk is now listed at 5-foot-11, 185 pounds and Zetterberg at 6-foot, 190. Before they were drafted, Datsyuk was 5-10, 160 pounds and Zetterberg 5-11, 175 pounds.
There's an elite level that often comes after players with the kind of skills that Datsyuk and Zetterberg have flashed in front of us ... and continue to do so.
"The thing about elite players is you see what they do and the numbers they put up, but the next sign is the intensity they play with every shift," Wayne Gretzky once told me. "The next time you see them play, just look at the intensity on their faces and in their eyes. That's what impresses me most about Datsyuk and Zetterberg."
Red Wings goaltender Chris Osgood laughs when he says that the beauty is in the eye of the beholder in talking about Datsyuk and Zetterberg.
"They are relentless," Osgood said after posting his ninth straight playoff victory. "I remember facing them when I was with
"Of course, now that I'm back in
With Datsyuk and Zetterberg, you get the instincts, the deft puck-handling skills, the moves, the intelligence of a chess master -- two of them in fact -- moving the rest of the pieces around on the chess board to their advantage. Simply incredible. You can talk about Jordan and Pippen, Manning and Harrison and Gretzky and Kurri, but Pav and Hank are doing these marvelously magical things in the here and now.
Zetterberg Humbly Comes Closer and Closer to Becoming the “Next Steve Yzerman”
By Chuck Carlton, The
Before Henrik Zetterberg ever played an NHL game for the Detroit Red Wings, new teammate Nicklas Lidstrom took his Swedish countryman American car shopping.
At the dealership, Lidstrom introduced Zetterberg as the “next Steve Yzerman.” Zetterberg, a seventh-round pick who was supposedly too small, thought it was a joke.
Lidstrom was serious, then and now.
Few are having a better postseason than Zetterberg. Only
Zetterberg carries a seven-game point streak into tonight’s Game 3 against the Stars, whom he has been dissecting on faceoffs.
“He’s probably the most complete player in the league,”
What separates Zetterberg from other talented offensive players is a work ethic that manifests itself in dogged backchecking, along with an intense competitive streak.
More than anything, those qualities caught Lidstrom’s eye when he made the comparison to Yzerman, a certain Hall of Famer.
“They have the skill,” Lidstrom said, “and they both have that determination that Stevie could take to the next level. I see that in Hank, too.”
Lidstrom isn’t alone.
Former
Zetterberg cringes when asked about being mentioned in the same breath with Yzerman, saying it’s unfair.
“I have miles to go,” Zetterberg said. “He has brought so much to this club and to this organization, I’m not even close.”
He’s getting closer, though.
This season, Zetterberg, 28, set season bests in goals (43), assists (49) and points (92).
The improved numbers come from a major adjustment two seasons ago, when Zetterberg began putting the puck on net more.
“I would say, for me coming from
Playing on a line with the gifted Pavel Datsyuk helps, too.
Plus, Zetterberg has found a comfort zone. He is one of seven Swedish Red Wings and relishes the camaraderie. Off ice, he blends into a metropolitan landscape like he could never do in his native country.
“It’s a unique situation for us to have this many Swedes,” Zetterberg said. “We know it’s not going to last forever. We have to take advantage of it.”
Zetterberg Scores Game-Winner, Wings Take 2-0 Series Lead over
By Chris Turner, Zetterbergfan.com, May 10, 2008
Henrik Zetterberg scored the game-winning goal as his Detroit Red Wings defeated the Dallas Stars 2-1 and took a two-games-to-none lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference Finals.
Zetterberg’s game-deciding tally came on the power-play, 15:13 into the first period. Hank fired a one-timer from Pavel Datsyuk past Star’s net-minder Marty Turco to give
The goal was Zetterberg’s eighth of the post-season and was also his third game-winner in ten Red Wings playoff victories. He now has 8 goals and 7 assists for 15 points in 12 games since the regular season. That’s second only to Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins, who has 17.
Tonight’s goal was Henrik’s 23rd career playoff goal. With 17 assists, he now has 40 points in five post-seasons, moving him above Gerard Gallant, Martin Lapointe, and Adam Oates (39 ponts each) for 20th place on Detroit’s All-time Playoff Scoring Leaders list.
No Holes in Zetterberg's Game
By Brian Compton, NHL.com, May 9, 2008 Perhaps the only thing more remarkable than the skill of Detroit Red Wings forward Henrik Zetterberg is the fact that 209 players were selected ahead of him in the 1999 Entry Draft. Whatever the case is, it truly is remarkable that two players as highly skilled as Zetterberg and Datsyuk can skate on the same line and be so effective. Usually, it’s one player carrying a line. But Zetterberg and Datsyuk have a chemistry that is rarely seen between two players with this much talent. With Tomas Holmstrom on the other wing, the Red Wings clearly possess one of the most formidable lines in the League. A Swedish Superstar in Detroit NHLPA.com, Thursday, May 8, 2008 He's afforded rock star status in his homeland, but Henrik Zetterberg has also become a big hit in Respected and revered in his native Coming off a 92-point regular season * his highest total since breaking into the league in 2002-03 * the left-winger has been one of the Red Wings top point producers in the post-season, helping to carry the Original Six squad to the Western Conference championship. No wonder he's become a fan favourite throughout the state of "I'm playing hockey, and that's my job," said Zetterberg, who was recently named a finalist for the Selke Award, the league's top defensive forward honour. "I like doing that here. It's a great town to do that. I think I get the recognition that I deserve." Zetterberg can expect recognition of a different sort when But as the forward has proven time and time again, slowing down Zetterberg is easier said than done. His statistics certainly suggest otherwise, but the 195-pounder isn't just worth his weight in gold offensively speaking. "I think it's always been part of my game," offered Zetterberg, of his commitment to the defensive side of the game. "Growing up as a centreman in Drafted in the seventh round, 210th overall, in 1999, Zetterberg scored 22 goals in his rookie campaign, including five power-play goals and four game-winning markers, along with a plus-six rating. Did he harbour any bitter feelings about being overlooked in the Draft? "I'm not the biggest guy now," offered Zetterberg, who stands 5'11". "But I was even smaller the time on my draft year. So it wasn't that. You know, I was happy that I got drafted. I didn't speak to a lot of teams. I think it was the Red Wings and maybe one other team that showed interest. I was really surprised and happy when Hakan Andersson called me and told me that I was drafted." By his second campaign, Zetterberg, limited to just 61 games, contributed 43 points, including 15 goals. In 2005-06, Zetterberg established himself as a legitimate superstar, lighting the lamp 39 times, finishing the year with 85 points in 77 games. One year later, he had 68 points in 63 games, highlighted by 10 game-winning goals. Zetterberg is quick to heap praise on his teammates, namely Pavel Datsyuk and Tomas Holmstrom, when talk turns to his individual success. "I think ever since the start, we enjoy playing with each other," said Zetterberg, of Datsyuk. "You know, from our first year, I played with Pavel and Brett Hull basically the whole year. Ever since then, I've been playing with Pavel most of my games here. It's been working great. We like to play the same style of hockey. "I think Homer, you know, it's a real great mix for us because he creates a lot of room for us and gives us that extra second to make the right play. And also he's always in front of the goalie to screen the goalie for us. Both me and Pavel don't have the greatest shots, but it makes it easier when Homer is in front." Zetterberg is also quick to point out the play of countryman Johan Franzen. In March, Franzen's six game-winning markers bested the franchise record of five established by the legendary Gordie Howe in 1952. He scored three goals in the Detroit Red Wings' series-clinching 8-2 triumph of the Colorado Avalanche, giving him nine in the four-game sweep, usurping Howe for yet another team record. "He's been really important for us. He's been playing great. I think it all started when Holmstrom went down in the regular season. He started to score a lot of goals. He's just kept going, you know, now in the playoffs. He's a big body, but he's really skilled, too. He's always making the right play right now. He's got a lot of confidence. It's great to see the puck go in for him." In spite of their surplus of talent at every position, getting past the Stars will take a concerted effort from the Wings. "They made some good additions at the Trade Deadline," noted Zetterberg. "(Brad) Richards' line has been really good for them in the playoffs. They have real good depth also. So now (Sergei) Zubov is back, too. He looks healthy and is playing good. They've got a good team." Including goaltender Marty Turco, who has been at the top of his game through the first two rounds. "We know he likes to play the puck, so we just have to keep the puck away from him. At the same time, when we're taking the shots, we need to try to have a lot of people in front of him and screen the goalie and tip in pucks to make it a little more difficult for him to see the puck and make plays." Still, "We have to play at our best to have a chance to win," commented Zetterberg. By Kevin Allen, With attention usually directed to the Detroit Red Wings' reputation as the NHL's top puck possession team, it's overlooked that the true uniqueness of this team is that its best scorers are also its best checkers. The team's two most dangerous offensive players, Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, are among the three finalists for the Selke Trophy, the award given annually to the NHL's top defensive forward. "It's just one of those things we believe in here," said Datsyuk, who came to the NHL with the reputation strictly as a stick handling phenom, has evolved into a relentless defensive force, leading the NHL in takeaways this season by a staggering margin. Datsyuk had 144 takeaways, 58 more than Dallas Stars' Mike Modano who was second with 86. "Partway through last year we made a point of making sure Z had the (key) matchup some nights, then Pavel had the matchups some nights and (Kris) Draper did," Babcock said. "We said they all had to be responsible. They all had to be able to kill penalties five-on-three and they all had to take big faceoffs. We just think that's the way to go." Babcock said he's merely following a tradition that former "We're going to do the same with ( That suits Zetterberg who showed up in the NHL with defensive tendencies. "It's always been part of my game," Zetterberg said. "Growing up as a centerman in Babcock jokes that Datsyuk and Zetterberg like playing with each other "because they get to back-check half as much." "They always abuse each other about that," he says. "But the bottom line is they're both real good offensively, both good defensively, great hockey sense, make plays, give-and-go, play with high pace." They are both natural centers, and Babcock will break them apart to give his team extra balance from time to time. Generally, Zetterberg is the left wing and Datsyuk the center, but Babcock says "whoever is winning the faceoffs plays in the middle."
One could certainly make the case that the 27-year-old is the NHL’s best all-round player. Not only did he enjoy new highs in goals (43) and points (92) this season, but Zetterberg was also stellar in his own end of the ice. So good, in fact, that he is a Selke Trophy candidate, an award that is given to the League’s top defensive forward.
“I think it’s always been part of my game,” Zetterberg said. “Growing up as a centerman in
As does his linemate, Pavel Datsyuk, who also is a Selke candidate. Perhaps the fact that two of the game’s top defensive forwards skate on the same line is one of the reasons why the Red Wings racked up 115 points during the regular season. Or is it because Zetterberg and Datsyuk combined for 189 points in 2007-08?
“I think ever since the start, we’ve enjoyed playing with each other,” Zetterberg said. “For much of my first year, I played with Pavel and Brett Hull. Since then, I’ve been playing with Pavel. It’s been working great. We like to play the same style of hockey. It’s a great mix for us. I think ‘Holmer’ creates a lot of room and gives us that extra second to make the right play.”
Red Wings coach Mike Babcock believes chemistry evolves through hard work and sacrifice. Zetterberg (plus-30) and Datsyuk (plus-41, 144 takeaways) have exhibited both of those characteristics throughout their careers, and when that’s combined with their ability to read plays, it makes them one of the most dynamic duos in recent history.
“They like playing together,” Babcock said. “They’re both real good offensively, real good defensively with great hockey sense. They’re real effective when we play them apart and they’re real effective together. They’re exciting players. The thing we like about them is they’re so usable in all situations. They share hockey sense – they see it happening before most people do.”
Datsyuk was drafted the year before Zetterberg was – in the sixth round (is it any wonder why
In fact, he was actually shocked.
“I’m not the biggest guy now, but I was even smaller at the time of my draft year,” Zetterberg said. “It was happy that I got drafted. I didn’t speak to a lot of teams. I think it was the Red Wings and maybe one other team that showed interest. I was really surprised when (Director of European Scouting) Hakan Andersson called me and told me that I was drafted.”
Since then, Zetterberg has reached rock-star status in his native
But with so much attention these days being focused on the likes of Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin, does Zetterberg receive the accolades he so richly deserves?
He thinks so.
“I’m here to play hockey – that’s my job,” Zetterberg said. “I like doing that here and it’s a great town to do that. I think I get the recognition that I deserve.”
(The Red Wings) enter the Western Conference Finals facing the fifth-seeded Stars, who have eliminated the defending champion Anaheim Ducks and
Instead, though, the Wings will have to get past
“You thought if you were going all the way to the Finals you would have seen at least one of those teams,” Zetterberg said. “It’s been a different look this year. We’ve played some teams we haven’t (played) in a while. It’s been fun for us and it’s been fun for the fans.”
By Alanah, Kuklaskorner.com, May 6, 2008
Today, the NHL hosted a NHL conference call making Detroit Red Wings center Henrik Zetterberg available for questions. In ten post-season games Henrik has recorded seven goals and six assists for 13 points, scored two game-winners and leads the league with a plus 10 plus/minus rating.
Transcript from the Q&A is below.
Q. Could you talk a little bit about the chemistry between you and Datsyuk specifically, but also with Homer as well. A lot of good players have difficulty playing with each other, but you have had a chemistry almost from the beginning. Talk about what each of you does that sort of makes this line work very well.
HENRIK ZETTERBERG: I think ever since the start, we enjoying playing with each other. You know, from our first year, I played with Pavel and Brett Hull basically the whole year. Ever since from then, I’ve been playing with Pavel most of my games here. It’s been working great. We like to play the same style of hockey.
I think Homer, you know, it’s a real great mix for us because he creates a lot of room for us and gives us that extra second to make the right play. And also he’s always in front of the goalie to screen the goalie for us. Both me and Pavel doesn’t have the greatest shot, but it makes it easier when Homer is in front.
Q. Can you talk a little bit, too, about the fact that both you and Pavel are Selke finalists. You generally don’t see the top offensive players also among the top defensive players. Is that something that comes naturally to you or has that come along as you’ve gotten in the NHL?
HENRIK ZETTERBERG: I think it’s always been part of my game. Growing up as a centerman in
Q. Could you talk about Johan Franzen, the playoffs that he’s having.
HENRIK ZETTERBERG: He’s been really important for us. He’s been playing great. I think it all started when Holmstrom went down in the regular season. He started to score a lot of goals. He’s just been keep going, you know, now in the playoffs. He’s a big body, but he’s really skilled, too. He’s always making the right play right now. He’s got a lot of confidence. It’s great to see the puck go in for him.
Q. Are you happy to have the six days to recuperate until the Conference Finals? What is your feeling? Do you feel it’s too long of a layoff?
HENRIK ZETTERBERG: I think it’s perfect. We had a few days off. We didn’t have to see each other, you know, for a few days. You know, we spent a lot of time with the family, could rest and recoup your body. Now we’ve had some good practices here and we’re ready to go on Thursday.
Q. What kind of pressure is off of you with a guy like Johan Franzen picking up some scoring slack? Does that relieve pressure on you?
HENRIK ZETTERBERG: I think in the playoffs you need to spread around the scoring a little bit and you need to have especially secondary scoring. The line with Franzen, Filppula and Samuelsson has really been good for us. They’ve been really good in power-play and five-on-five. So if you want to go deep in the playoffs, you have to have a good depth, and we have been having that so far, and hopefully we’ll continue doing that.
Q. Speaking of that, looks like Coach Babcock could put all four lines out at any time he feels comfortable. What do you think of that?
HENRIK ZETTERBERG: That’s true. As I said, we’ve got good depth in our team. All of our lines can play against basically anyone, so it makes it a lot easier for coach to make his decision.
Q. Just wanted to get your thoughts. I know you kind of have a rock star persona back in
HENRIK ZETTERBERG: Yeah. I think, you know, it’s—I mean, I’m playing hockey, and that’s my job. I like doing that here. It’s a great town to do that. I think I get the recognition that I deserve.
Q. How about being a seventh-round draft pick? Do you ever find yourself wondering what took so long for somebody to come along and select you?
HENRIK ZETTERBERG: No, I’m not the biggest guy now. But I was even smaller the time on my draft year. So it wasn’t that. You know, I was happy that I got drafted. I didn’t speak to a lot of teams. I think it was the Red Wings and maybe one other team that showed interest. I was really surprised and happy when Joakim Andersson called me and told me that I was drafted.
Q. Can you pinpoint what has made the Red Wings so strong throughout the playoffs? How does this team handle the heavy favorite label going into the series with
HENRIK ZETTERBERG: I would say it all started last year. We had a really good playoff run last year, and we kept the core guys. We made some great additions for this year. We’ve been playing great all the way from the start. You know, we just kept going here in the playoffs. I think the depth, you know, is a key part for the success with all the four lines. We’re playing good. But to keep doing that, we have to make the right decisions out there and play smart.
Q. Do you in the dressing room think because of how consistent your team has been the past several years if you are constantly underappreciated in terms of prognosticating, picking different teams coming into the playoffs? Do you think your team wasn’t given quite the right look coming into this year’s playoffs?
HENRIK ZETTERBERG: I don’t think we pay that much attention of what other media says or what, you know, the experts are saying. We know we have a good team and we know we got, you know, a good chance of going deep. You know, we’ve been showing that the first two rounds, that we’re a good hockey club. We just have to keep going here next round and, you know, keep playing good hockey. If we do that, we gonna succeed.
Q. There’s a lot of teams in this playoffs that have been trying to go with young goalies, rookie goalies. Some have done well; others have been eliminated. From your standpoint, how nice is it to know you have two solid, experienced, winning goaltenders you can turn to at any time for a big save as the case may be?
HENRIK ZETTERBERG: It’s really nice to have that experience in the goaltending. We know that they have been around. They both have won before, will not get rattled in tough situations. You know, it makes it a lot easier for us knowing that we have a good goalie. It makes it easier for us to play good hockey when we know that Ossi and Dom are playing really good back there.
Q. Could you talk a little bit about the changes you might have seen in Coach Babcock since you first started to play for him. Is he a different guy? If he is, in what way?
HENRIK ZETTERBERG: You know what, I think he’s trusting us a little bit more this year than last year. I think he knows what kind of players we are and how we can play hockey. You know, he’s really intense. He really wants to win. And I think the coaching staff is really well-prepared. To have that as a player, it makes it a lot easier for us to get ready for games.
Q. I don’t want to suggest he’s gone soft, but is he maybe less hard on you guys now than in the past or is that sort of level of intensity always constant?
HENRIK ZETTERBERG: Well, it’s pretty constant. He’s tough on us. You know, maybe when we’re playing good, he knows that we can play good. But if we’re playing bad, he really lets us know. It’s been some tough skating this year in the practices when we’ve been playing bad. And, you know, the expectation’s really high here. I think that’s the way it’s supposed to be. We got a good team. And I think Babcock is a good fit for our club.
Q. At this point last year you were in the Conference Finals, too. It seemed to me your defense was decimated by injuries. Without wanting to jinx you on that front, are you better prepared health-wise and rest-wise going forward this year compared to all those key bodies you had missing at this time last year?
HENRIK ZETTERBERG: Well, last year we lost Kronwall and Schneider, two of the top three. And it’s tough to have success then. So far it’s been good. You know, so knock on wood here, but you have to be healthy. You know, that’s a big part of it. If you want to go deep, you got to have luck and you got to be healthy.
It’s halfway point here, and so far it’s been good.
Q. What concerns you most about the Dallas Stars’ lineup?
HENRIK ZETTERBERG: Well, you know, they made some good additions in their trading deadline. Richard’s line has been really good for them in the playoffs. They have real good depth also. So now Zubov is back, too. He looks healthy and is playing good. They got a good team. As I said before, we have to play at our best to have a chance to win.
Q. A lot of people are talking about the Eastern Conference final as a lot of bad blood between the Flyers and Penguins. Do you see that sort of thing coming out of this series with the Stars?
HENRIK ZETTERBERG: You know, we haven’t played them in a while in playoffs. So it’s going to be fun for us to play, you know, another club. It’s going to be fun for the fans I think to see a different team coming in and play some playoff hockey. But for sure it’s going to be tough and there’s going to be some bad blood before this is over.
Q. Henrik, obviously the Dallas Stars have had a tremendous run, but nonetheless had someone told you before the playoffs that the Red Wings could have a route towards the Cup final that would include not facing
HENRIK ZETTERBERG: You know, of course you thought if you were going all the way to the finals, you would see at least one of those teams. But, you know, it’s been a different look this year in the playoffs. We’ve been playing some teams we haven’t done in a while. It’s been fun for us. It’s been fun for the fans.
Q. You talked a little bit about expectations before. What is it like in this time of year in
HENRIK ZETTERBERG: You know, we’re going for the Cup. You know, that’s the same as every year. If you don’t go all the way, we will not be happy. That’s the expectations that are in this town. As a player, you know that and you like it. You rather have that than, you know, the fans are happy just to make the playoffs.
Q. In the
HENRIK ZETTERBERG: We had to, you know, stay a little composure, you know. Especially when we got scored on, we got a little rattled in the
Q. You have an ex linemate on the
HENRIK ZETTERBERG: No, I haven’t seen him yet. I haven’t said anything to him. It would be for sure fun to have a chat with him when I see him.
Q. In terms of matching up with Dallas, you obviously have four lines that can come on the ice any time and score goals, but you also, like was mentioned before, yourself and Pavel being Selke candidates, can shut down when that’s needed. How nice is it to know that any four of your lines can really match up with any four of theirs?
HENRIK ZETTERBERG: I think it makes it a lot easier for the coaching staff to coach a game. But I think also
Q. Are you looking forward to taking advantage of the fact they’re coming off a hard, long-fought series they played over two games in Game 6? Are you looking forward of taking advantage of the fact they may be tired coming into Game 1?
HENRIK ZETTERBERG: I think they still have a few days here they can recoup and get their energy back. They are professional athletes. They’re well-trained. So, you know, this is what we do. I don’t think that will affect them that much.
By Chris Turner, Zetterbergfan.com, May 1st, 2008 Henrik Zetterberg had a career best two goals and two assists for four points with a +3
Zetterberg’s first point of the game was an assist on Tomas Holmstrom’s even-strength goal at 18:34 of 1st period. The two Wings rushed down ice on a 2-on-1 odd-man break. Henrik, on the left wing, passed the puck to Holmstrom who put the it away, giving
The first of Zetterberg’s two goals came on the power-play 2:15 into the 2nd period. From above the right face-off circle, Hank blasted a one-timer past Av’s goalie Peter Budaj, off the goal-post, and into the net, off of a pass from future Hall-of-Fame defenseman Niklas Lidstrom.
Henrik’s second tally came just 2:30 later, and it was a spectacular highlight-reel goal. Speeding into the slot between the face-off circles, Zetterberg took a drop-pass from linemate Pavel Datsyuk and fired it at Budaj while being hit by
That made the game 5-1,
Later, still in the second period, Henrik had an opportunity to record his first-ever playoff hat trick as carried the puck into the Av’s zone on yet another 2-on-1, this time with fellow Swede Johan Franzen. Zetterberg took the puck to the net drawing the defender and the goalie, but instead of pulling the trigger, he faked a shot and unselfishly dished the puck to Franzen, who was crashing the net on the open left side. That goal put the Wings up 6-1.
Franzen had his second hat trick in three games and had a NHL record nine total goals in the four-game series.
"I saw the Mule was coming there and he was close to the record, so you want to be part of that," Zetterberg said. "I went with the odds, too, he's pretty hot, so I tried to get the puck to him. It's not often you see a player score like this."
The four points in tonight’s series clinching victory gave Zetterberg five goals and four assists, totaling nine points in four games this round. He was a +6 in the series sweep.
Henrik now has 22 career playoff goals and 16 assists. His 38 career post-season points moved him into the
