Red Wings center Franzen given green light to practice

DETROIT (Reuters) - Detroit Red Wings centre Johan Franzen, sidelined for the last two weeks because of concussion-like symptoms, is expected to return to action during the best-of-seven Stanley Cup finals.

Franzen, the leading goal-scorer in the playoffs with 12, was given the go-ahead by doctors to resume practice on Friday, the NHL team said.

"We're going to see how it goes each day," Red Wings general manager Ken Holland said during a conference call on Thursday. "If he doesn't have any setbacks, the possibility that he's going to be in the lineup before the end of the series is pretty good."

Franzen is unlikely to play in Game One against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Detroit on Saturday but Red Wings coach Mike Babcock believes he is close to a recall.

"He's ready," Babcock said. "He's tipping pucks in the back of the net, he's flying around 100 miles an hour. He's ready to go. He's just got to get the okay."

Franzen has not played for Detroit since the Western Conference finals opener against the Dallas Stars on May 8, having experienced headaches during the previous series against the Colorado Avalanche.

(Writing by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by Greg Stutchbury)