Articles by Doug Stolhand

DETROIT – Johan Franzen is on quite the scoring tear.The Detroit Red Wings winger has 27 goals in 27 games since March 2, including 12 in his team’s 11 playoff games.

WASHINGTON – When Olie Kolzig removed his nameplate from the Washington Capitals’ locker room after their last playoff game, then skipped a mandatory meeting the next morning, everyone figured his time with the team was over.

HALIFAX – During the weeks Robert Mueller laid in a hospital bed, he thought about little other than hockey.He had undergone surgery to remove a malignant brain tumour in November 2006 and was already planning his comeback.

QUEBEC – Vitali Koval is an unknown no more at the IIHF World Hockey Championship.The Belarusian netminder shed the “little-known” tag with a 52-save performance in which he nearly carried his upstart Belarus team to victory over a heavily favoured Russian squad before narrowly losing 4-3 in a shootout on Friday.

QUEBEC – The Russians defeated an upstart Belarus team 4-3 in a shootout at the IIHF World Hockey Championship on Friday.Alexei Morozov beat Belarusian netminder Vitaly Koval with a backhander for the shootout winner.

HALIFAX – The year was 1999 and Dany Heatley had a decision to make.He wasn’t invited to the evaluation camp for Canada’s world junior team when the German federation called and tried to convince him to join their program instead.

DETROIT – Watching the Detroit Red Wings play, it seems as if they’ve always got the puck.That was the case Thursday night when they defeated the Dallas Stars 4-1 in the NHL’s Western Conference final, and it all started with faceoffs.

PITTSBURGH – Daniel Briere is making May hockey a habit. But what he’d really like is to finally play a series in June.The Philadelphia Flyers centre is playing in the NHL’s Eastern Conference final for a third straight season.

TORONTO – The Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to meet with former Vancouver Canucks GM Dave Nonis next week, a source confirmed to The Canadian Press on Friday.

DENVER – The Colorado Avalanche announced Friday that Joel Quenneville will not return to coach the team next season.”After meeting with Joel, we mutually agreed that the best decision for both parties involved is to go separate ways,” Avalanche GM Francois Giguere said in a statement.

NEW YORK – Toronto Maple Leafs winger Jason Blake, Edmonton Oilers winger Fernando Pisani and Detroit Red Wings defenceman Chris Chelios were named finalists for the 2008 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy on Friday.

Movements in the world of hockey Thursday:National Hockey League:FLORIDA PANTHERS-Agreed to terms with D Keaton Ellerby.American Hockey LeaguePROVIDENCE BRUINS-Recalled D Kevin Schaeffer from Reading (ECHL).

DETROIT – Brenden Morrow says he felt the Joe Louis Arena ice tilt Thursday night.After playing the Detroit Red Wings even for six or seven minutes, the Dallas Stars were overwhelmed and dropped the opener of the NHL’s Western Conference final 4-1 Thursday night.

Scoring summary from Thursday’s NHL game:Stars 1 at Red Wings 4First Period1. Detroit, Rafalski 2 (Lidstrom, Holmstrom) 4:28 (pp)2. Detroit, Franzen 12 (Kronwall, Hudler) 15:34 (pp)Penalties – Kronwall Det (hooking) 1:11, Norstrom Dal (hooking) 3:45, Fistric Dal (roughing) 4:19, Holmstrom Det (interference) 7:52, Petersen Dal (holding) 13:56, Modano Dal (hooking) 18:30.

HALIFAX – The United States needed every bit of its quick start to survive a scare from an opportunistic German team.Zach Parise’s power play goal with 8:56 remaining in the third period was the winner as the Americans held on for a 6-4 qualifying round victory over Germany at the IIHF world hockey championship Thursday.

HALIFAX – What began looking like a cake-walk for the United States turned into anything but.Zach Parise’s power-play goal with 8:57 remaining in the third period was the winner as the United States survived a scare from Germany in a 6-4 qualifying-round victory at the IIHF World Hockey Championship Thursday.

DETROIT – The opening game of the NHL’s Western Conference final was no contest.The Detroit Red Wings continued to roll, winning their seventh straight game, in ripping the Dallas Stars 4-1 Thursday night.

QUEBEC CITY, Que. – The Czech Republic put an end to Switzerland’s undefeated streak at the IIHF World Hockey Championship with a 5-0 win Thursday night at Le Pepsi Colisee.

PHILADELPHIA – Philadelphia Flyers all-star defenceman Kimmo Timonen will likely miss the Eastern Conference finals against the Pittsburgh Penguins because of a blood clot in his left ankle.

Henrik Lundqvist was solid in his first game of the tournament and Sweden bounced back from a disappointing loss to hammer Demnark 8-1 Thursday at the IIHF world hockey championship.