DETROIT, April 18 (UPI) -- Johan Franzen scored on a breakaway 1:48 into overtime Friday, giving the Detroit Red Wings a 2-1 win over Nashville and a 3-2 lead in their playoff series.
Nashville goaltender Dan Ellis made an amazing 52 saves and the Predators tied the game in the final minute of regulation, but the Red Wings went on to get within one win of taking their Western Conference quarterfinal series.
Detroit will try to finish off Nashville Sunday when the series moves to Nashville for Game 6.
The Red Wings, owners of the best regular-season record in the NHL, replaced struggling Dominik Hasek in goal with Chris Osgood and that move almost resulted in a shutout.
Osgood made 20 saves, but surrendered a goal to Radek Bonk with 43.4 seconds left in the third period. Detroit's only goal in regulation came from Valtteri Filppula early in the first period.
After staging the dramatic late comeback, Nashville coughed up the puck in the neutral zone early in overtime. Niklas Kronvall scooped it up and fed Franzen behind all the defenders.
Franzen fired a backhander that slipped past Ellis just inside the right post.
It was the ninth road playoff game ever for Nashville and the Predators have lost them all.
