DETROIT, March 26 (UPI) -- Johan Franzen scored twice and had a career-high four points Friday in carrying Detroit to a 6-2 blasting of Minnesota.
Detroit, which has been on the edge of the playoff race all season, moved into a tie for seventh place in the Western Conference with idle Colorado. Both have 89 points, six in front of ninth-place Calgary.
After a scoreless first period, Detroit ran off four straight goals in the second to take command. Franzen scored the first of them 1:19 into the period and then assisted on a power-play goal by Tomas Holmstrom less than 4 minutes later.
Franzen also was credited with an assist on Pavel Datsyuk's goal that made it 4-0 with 8:37 to go in the second.
The second Franzen goal, and his ninth of the season, came 5:29 into the third period.
Jimmy Howard stopped 25 shots to get the win. Josh Harding gave up four goals on 32 shots before being replaced in the third period by Niklas Backstrom.
