Detroit’s Johan Franzen left tonight’s game with what the team is calling a “charley horse” after a knee-on-knee collision with Penguins defenseman Brooks Orpik. If you think that didn’t cause a fracas, you’d be wrong.
Then, after Penguins defenseman Brooks Orpik committed a kneeing penalty at 18:17 on Franzen, Orpik and Todd Bertuzzi went at it. Bertuzzi was also assessed an instigator penalty and a 10-minute misconduct. Orpik was giving a game misconduct penalty.
Red Wings coach Mike Babcock didn’t elaborate further after tonight’s game about the injury, nor did he have an opinion on Orpik’s apparently questionable hit.