GDT: 3rd Round | Game 3 | Detroit Red Wings @ Dallas Stars | 8:00 PM EST

**TOPGUN** · 05-12-2008, 11:03 AM

Western Conference Finals

This is the Stanley Cup! You do what you have to do to win!

Round 1
Detroit Red Wings (1) 4 Vs. Nashville Predators (8) 2
Video: Red Wings Vs. Predators series highlights

Round 2
Detroit Red Wings (1) 4 Vs. Colorado Avalanche (6) 0
Video: Red Wings Vs. Avalanche series highlights

Round 3
Detroit Red Wings (1) 2 Vs. Dallas Stars (5) 0

Series Information

8:00 PM EST
American Airlines Center, Dallas TX

TV/Radio:
Radio: WXYT-AM (1270), WXYT-FM (97.1), NHL Radio.
Local TV: Not Available
National TV: VERSUS (HD), TSN (HD), RDS (HD)

Referees: Paul Devorski, Mike Hasenfratz
Linesmen: Derek Amell, Jay Sharrers

Series Schedule:
GAME 1: Thu, May 8 - Dallas @ Detroit
7:30 p.m. ET - VERSUS, TSN, RDS
GAME 2: Sat, May 10 - Dallas @ Detroit
7 p.m. ET - VERSUS, TSN, RDS
GAME 3: Mon, May 12 - Detroit @ Dallas
8 p.m. ET - VERSUS, TSN, RDS
GAME 4:Wed, May 14 - Detroit @ Dallas
8 p.m. ET - VERSUS, TSN, RDS
*GAME 5: Sat, May 17 - Dallas @ Detroit
1:30 p.m. ET - NBC, CBC, RDS
*GAME 6: Mon, May 19 - Detroit @ Dallas
8 p.m. ET - VERSUS, TSN, RDS
*GAME 7: Wed, May 21 - Dallas @ Detroit
7:30 p.m. ET - VERSUS, TSN, RDS
* if necessary

The Skinny:
They both suffered from hiccups in the regular season and the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but the Detroit Red Wings and Dallas Stars have certainly proven that they belong in what should be a pulsating Western Conference Finals.

After storming out to a commanding lead in the conference in the first half of the season, the Red Wings had a mediocre second half and barely held off the San Jose Sharks down the stretch to win the Presidents’ Trophy. Dallas, meanwhile, won just five of its first 12 games and endured a front-office shakeup in November. General Manager Doug Armstrong was replaced by Co-GMs Les Jackson and Brett Hull.

Detroit coach Mike Babcock on Chris Osgood

Quote:

"Ozzie has been great for us. He's been a steadying influence. He's playing with a lot of confidence. But we're collectively playing at a high level of intensity and execution. We're getting a lot of big contributions from a lot of guys."

When the Stanley Cup Playoffs began, Detroit coach Mike Babcock handed Dominik Hasek the goaltending duties. But the 43-year-old struggled in the team’s opening-round series against the Nashville Predators, and the keys were handed over to Chris Osgood. Since then, the Wings are driving like a well-oiled machine. Detroit simply overmatched the Colorado Avalanche in Round 2, outscoring the latter by a 21-9 margin in a four-game sweep. Much of that had to do with the play of Johan Franzen, who has 11 goals in the playoffs and 26 over the past 25 games. He had two hat tricks against the Avalanche.

Dallas defenseman Stephane Robidas

Quote:

“We've talked about the Stanley Cup since training camp. We've got eight (wins). We need to get eight more. It’s a great feeling, but we’ve got a heck of a test against Detroit.”

The Stars entered the postseason as the fifth seed, but have shown just how phenomenal the parity is in today’s NHL. Dallas eliminated the defending champion Anaheim Ducks in the opening round and is coming off an impressive series win over the San Jose Sharks, who were the No. 2 seed in the West and finished the regular season with 108 points.

Gritty captain Brenden Morrow had a tremendous series against the Sharks, and scored the clinching goal in quadruple overtime in Game 6. It was his second overtime goal of the series and his seventh goal of the postseason. Goaltender Marty Turco made a franchise-record 61 saves in the marathon and has long put his recent playoff woes behind him. He has won eight games while posting a 1.73 GAA this postseason.

Dallas Stars:

Dallas StarsRegular Season Record: 45-30-7, 97 pts
Head-to-Head Record: 1-3
Last Stanley Cup Win: 1999
Last Stanley Cup Final Appearance: 2000
Last Postseason Appearance: 2007
Players with Stanley Cup Rings: Mike Modano, Jere Lehtinen, Sergei Zubov, Brad Richards

How they got here:
The Stars are in the Western Conference final for the first time since 2000, and they had to work a lot of overtime in their second round victory over San Jose to get there. Four of the six games against the Sharks went to overtime, with Dallas winning three of them - including a four-overtime classic in the series finale. Brenden Morrow scored the series clincher - his team-leading seventh of the postseason, while Marty Turco continued to shine in the Dallas net. In the first round, the Stars upended the defending Stanley Cup champion Anaheim Ducks in six games, and did so with surprising ease. They outscored the Ducks 16-4 in their four victories and scored 10 powerplay goals in the series.

What They Bring To The Table:
The Stars struggled early in the season, prompting the arrival of Brett Hull and Les Jackson as general manager. It was a breath of fresh air in Dallas, with several players stepping up their game. Mike Ribeiro hit the comfort zone with the Stars, building some good chemistry with captain Brenden Morrow and leading the team in scoring. He was rewarded with a new five-year contract and will be counted on to continue his productivity in the postseason. The arrival of Brad Richards raised plenty of optimism, especially after a five-point game in his first outing with the Stars. The former Conn Smythe Trophy winner was relatively quiet since that performance, and there's pressure on the Stars' highest paid player (at $7.8 million) to bring back that 2004 playoff magic. The blueline has been hurt with injuries to Sergei Zubov and Phillipe Boucher, but should be much more stable should they return with a clean bill of health. In goal, Marty Turco stepped up his postseason play last spring and will need another good run, namely towards a Cup. The Stars are on track on all counts.

Dallas Stars Game Breakers:
Brenden Morrow
Quietly developing into the consummate playoff performer, Morrow has carried Dallas on his back. He has a team-high seven goals – including the series-winner in the fourth OT against San Jose – and is a threat on virtually every shift.

Sergei Zubov
The veteran defenseman returned from a litany of physical woes at the start of the second round. All he did was score a goal, add three assists and average more than 26 minutes a game. He is a game-breaking talent, especially on the power play.

Marty Turco:
Any thoughts that Turco is not wired for playoff success should be put to bed. Turco has been a difference-maker in each round this postseason. He allowed just 11 goals against San Jose in 21-plus periods of play. He has a .929 save percentage overall.

Dallas will win if...
It can three-peat with another two victories on the road to start a series. By winning Games 1 and 2 in Anaheim and San Jose in the first two rounds, the Stars set themselves up quite nicely heading back home. While the Red Wings have enough firepower to erase a 2-0 deficit, they might suffer from shell shock if they were to drop the first two games of this series at Joe Louis Arena.

The Stars will also need Marty Turco to continue his tremendous play between the pipes. Turco set a franchise record when he made 61 saves in the Stars’ quadruple-overtime win over San Jose in Game 6. Besides Johan Franzen, Turco must also deal with the likes of stud forwards such as Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk, so he’ll certainly have his hands full against the Presidents’ Trophy winners.

X Factor:
Stephane Robidas – Everyone focuses on the return of Sergei Zubov, but nobody has been more valuable than Stephane Robidas on Dallas’ blue line. The unheralded vet has eight points and is a plus-3 while playing a team-high 27 minutes a game.

Fast Facts:
* Not only did Brenden Morrow score the series-winning goal in the fourth OT of Game 6, he also had 19 hits and seven shots in 51 minutes of ice time.
* Goalie Marty Turco has faced more than 30 shots in just three of Dallas’ 12 games in the first two rounds and allowed more than two goals in just one game against the San Jose Sharks in the second round.
* Center Mike Modano had no points and a minus-5 rating in four games against the Red Wings during the regular season, but he is one of four Stars who has at least 10 points – Mike Ribeiro, Brenden Morrow and Brad Richards are the others – in the playoffs

Team Injuries:
D Philippe Boucher (Lower Body), Doubtful
C Stu Barnes (Concussion), Doubtful
RW Jere Lehtinen (Leg), Doubtful

Top Stories:
Even in Dallas Stars country, Wings fans paint town red
Ribeiro will play with Dallas Stars facing tough road
Dallas Stars think return home will provide lift
Video: Stars vs. Red Wings: Game 3 preview

Dallas' leaders in playoff power play ice time (per game):
Stephane Robias 5:10
Mike Ribeiro 4:45
Brenden Morrow 4:31
Jere Lehtinen 4:19
Mike Modano 3:42
Sergei Zubov 3:12

Dallas' leaders in playoff penalty killing ice time (per game):
Jere Lehtinen 2:35
Steve Ott 2:33
Stephane Robidas 2:31
Mark Fistric 2:31
Mike Modano 2:23
Trevor Daley 2:15

Top Players:

Roster:
Forwards:
NO Name POS Age HT WT SH Born Drafted Rookie First
Krys Barch RW 13 28 6-2 200 L Guelph, ON Was(1998)4,106 2006
Stu Barnes C 14 37 5-11 180 R Spruce Grove, AB Wpg(1989)1,4 1991 1991
Chris Conner RW 25 24 5-8 175 L Westland, MI Undrafted 2007 2006
B.J. Crombeen RW 44 22 6-2 212 R Denver, CO Dal(2003)2,54 2007 2007
Loui Eriksson LW 21 22 6-1 183 L Goteborg, SE Dal(2003)2,33 2006 2006
Niklas Hagman LW 15 28 6-0 205 L Espoo, FI Fla(1999)3,70 2001 2001
Jere Lehtinen RW 26 34 6-0 192 R Espoo, FI Min(1992)4,88 1995 1995
Joel Lundqvist C 39 26 6-1 194 L Are, SE Dal(2000)3,68 2006 2006
Antti Miettinen RW 20 27 6-0 190 R Hameenlinna, FI Dal(2000)7,224 2005 2003
Mike Modano C 9 37 6-3 205 L Livonia, MI Min(1988)1,1 1989 1988
Brenden Morrow LW 10 29 5-11 210 L Carlyle, SK Dal(1997)1,25 1999 1999
James Neal LW 18 20 6-2 185 L Oshawa, ON Dal(2005)2,33 2007 2007
Steve Ott C 29 25 6-0 193 L Summerside, PE Dal(2000)1,25 2002 2002
Toby Petersen C 17 29 5-10 197 L Minneapolis, MN Pit(1998)9,244 2001 2000
Konstantin Pushkarev RW 23 23 6-0 180 L Ust-Kamenogorsk, USSR LA(2003)2,44 2007 2005
Mike Ribeiro C 63 28 6-0 178 L Montreal, QC Mon(1998)2,45 2001 1999
Brad Richards C 91 28 6-0 198 L Murray Harbour, PE TB(1998)3,64 2000 2000
Francis Wathier LW 58 23 6-3 198 L St. Isidore, ON Dal(2003)6,185 2007 2007
Brad Winchester LW 16 27 6-5 215 L Madison, WI Edm(2000)2,35 2006 2005

Defense:
NO Name POS Age HT WT SH Born Drafted Rookie First
Philippe Boucher D 43 35 6-3 218 R St. Apollinaire, QC Buf(1991)1,13 1993 1992
Trevor Daley D 6 24 5-11 207 L Toronto, ON Dal(2002)2,43 2003 2003
Mark Fistric D 28 21 6-2 232 L Edmonton, AB Dal(2004)1,28 2007 2007
Nicklas Grossman D 2 23 6-3 206 L Stockholm, SE Dal(2004)2,56 2007 2006
Dan Jancevski D 42 26 6-3 212 L Windsor, ON Dal(1999)2,66 2005
Matt Niskanen D 5 21 6-1 195 R Virginia, MN Dal(2005)1,28 2007 2007
Mattias Norstrom D 4 36 6-2 210 L Stockholm, SE NYR(1992)2,48 1994 1993
Stephane Robidas D 3 31 5-11 190 R Sherbrooke, QC Mon(1995)7,164 2000 1999
Sergei Zubov D 56 37 6-1 198 R Moscow, USSR NYR(1990)5,85 1992 1992

Goalies:
NO Name POS Age HT WT SH Born Drafted Rookie First
Johan Holmqvist G 40 29 6-2 195 L Tolfta, SE NYR(1997)7,175 2000
Tobias Stephan G 31 24 6-2 180 L Zurich, CH Dal(2002)2,34 2007 2006
Marty Turco G 35 32 5-11 185 L Sault Ste. Marie, ON Dal(1994)5,124 2000 2000 *

* Starting Goaltender

Detroit Red Wings:

Detroit Red WingsRegular Season Record: 54-21-7, 115 pts
Head-to-Head Record: 4-0-0
Last Stanley Cup Win: 2002
Last Stanley Cup Final Appearance: 2002
Last Postseason Appearance: 2007
Players with Stanley Cup Rings: Kirk Maltby (3), Kris Draper (3), Tomas Holmstrom (3), Nicklas Lidstrom (3), Chris Chelios (2), Chris Osgood (2), Pavel Datsyuk, Brian Rafalski (2), Dominik Hasek, Darren McCarty (3)

How they got here:
Forward Johan Franzen led the charge for the Red Wings in the second round against the Avalanche with a stunning scoring performance. The 28-year-old Swede potted nine goals in the four-game sweep, beating Hall of Famer Gordie Howe's franchise record of eight goals in one series (seven games) in 1949. Franzen outscored Colorado all by himself in Game 4 with his second hat trick in three games, fuelling a rout that completed the sweep of the injury-riddled Avs. The Wings had more trouble in the first round, struggling with Nashville before Chris Osgood came off the bench to replace Dominik Hasek and helped to settle things down. Osgood and Detroit went on to defeat the Predators in six games. Osgood finished the second round with a perfect 6-0 postseason record.

What They Bring To The Table:
The Red Wings were once again the class of the Western Conference, sporting their third straight 50-plus win season. Included in that total were four wins in as many tries against Colorado - three by shutout. But there were some stretches when the team didn't look as good as advertised. They went through an awful run in February where they lost 10 of 11 games and had to cope with injuries to key players like Nicklas Lidstrom, Tomas Holmstrom, Dan Cleary and Niklas Kronwall. Nevertheless, the team still has a lethal one-two punch in Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg while defenceman Brian Rafalski set career highs in goals and points. Where depth is concerned, the team is well balanced with the reliable shutdown duo of Kris Draper and Kirk Maltby, along with forwards Jiri Hudler, Johan Franzen and Mikael Samuelsson. Defence is also a very strong suit, with Lidstrom, Kronwall and Rafalski joined by Brad Stuart and veteran Chris Chelios. Coach Mike Babcock has said all season that The Dominator is the man, but Osgood has taken over the top spot for the postseason.

Detroit Red Wings Game Breakers:
Pavel Datsyuk:
Not only is Datsyuk second on the team with 13 points, but he’s first in takeaways (12), tied for first in assists (eight), is second in faceoff winning percentage (58.3) and is fourth in hits (20), proving his worth on both sides of the puck.

Nicklas Lidstrom:
The Wings’ captain has seven playoff points, is a plus-7 in 10 playoff games and logs the most ice time per game (25:32) of any Detroit skater. His poise on the ice and leadership in the dressing room will continue to be invaluable for coach Mike Babcock.

Johan Franzen
No player in hockey is hotter than the ‘Mule’ at the moment. He kicked Colorado out of the postseason with a nine-goal, 10-point uprising in the second-round sweep. He has 26 goals in his last 25 games, dating to March 2.

Detroit will win if...
The offense continues to click the way it did against the Colorado Avalanche. Should Johan Franzen have another series like the one he enjoyed in Round 2, he’ll be one step closer to accepting the Conn Smythe Trophy next month. Franzen’s freakish performance (11 goals in 10 games) has helped the Wings reach the conference final for the seventh time in 13 seasons.

Detroit will also be counting on All-Star netminder Chris Osgood – who replaced Dominik Hasek as the go-to guy in the middle of Round 1 – to continue his solid play. The 35-year-old allowed just nine goals in four games against Colorado.

X Factor:
Chris Osgood – Since replacing goalie Dominik Hasek in Game 4 against the Nashville Predators, Osgood has yielded 10 goals on 159 shots, for a playoff-leading 1.52 goals-against average. Osgood is also third among playoff goalies with a .937 save percentage.

Fast Facts:
* Left wing Henrik Zetterberg had five goals and four assists for nine points in Detroit’s sweep of the Colorado Avalanche in the last round, including the game-winning goal in Game 3 in Colorado.
* Detroit’s 3.8 goals per game average in the playoffs is the highest in the League, and the Red Wings scored 12 goals in four games – three wins – against the Stars during the regular season.

Team Injuries:
RW Tomas Kopecky (Knee), Out
LW Johan Franzen (Head), Out

Top Stories:
RWC REPORT: Coach unsure about Leino's NHL future
Red Wings hope Cleary can help replace Franzen
Red Wings plan to keep their cool in Game 3
Wings make team strength even stronger, step up for face-offs
John Niyo drops the puck on Wings-Stars' Game 3
Video: No Harm, No Foul

Detroit's leaders in power play ice time (per game):
Nicklas Lidstrom 4:36
Brian Rafalski 4:21
Pavel Datsyuk 4:16
Henrik Zetterberg 4:15
Tomas Holmstrom 4:06
Johan Franzen 3:06

Detroit's leaders in penalty killing ice time (per game):
Nicklas Lidstrom 3:13
Chris Chelios 2:28
Brad Stuart 2:23
Kris Draper 2:22
Niklas Kronwall 2:07
Daniel Cleary 2:02

Line Combo's:
Forwards:

Defense:

Roster:
Forwards:
NO Name POS Age HT WT SH Born Drafted Rookie First
Justin Abdelkader LW 8 21 6-2 203 L Muskegon, MI Det(2005)2,42 2007 2007
Daniel Cleary RW 11 29 6-0 210 L Carbonear, NL Chi(1997)1,13 1998 1997
Pavel Datsyuk C 13 29 5-11 197 L Sverdlovsk, USSR Det(1998)6,171 2001 2001
Aaron Downey RW 20 33 6-0 216 R Shelburne, ON Undrafted 1999 1999
Dallas Drake RW 17 39 6-0 192 L Trail, BC Det(1989)6,116 1992 1992
Kris Draper C 33 36 5-10 190 L Toronto, ON Wpg(1989)3,62 1992 1990
Cory Emmerton C 48 19 5-11 183 L St. Thomas, ON Det(2006)2,41 2007 2007
Valtteri Filppula C 51 24 6-0 189 L Vantaa, FI Det(2002)3,95 2006 2005
Johan Franzen C 93 28 6-3 218 L Vetlanda, SE Det(2004)3,97 2005 2005
Mark Hartigan C 44 30 6-0 198 L Fort St. John, BC Undrafted 2003 2001
Darren Helm C 43 21 6-0 182 L St. Andrews, MB Det(2005)5,132 2007 2007
Tomas Holmstrom RW 96 35 6-0 202 L Pitea, SE Det(1994)10,257 1996 1996
Jiri Hudler RW 26 24 5-9 178 L Olomouc, CSSR Det(2002)2,58 2006 2003
Tomas Kopecky RW 82 26 6-3 200 L Dubnica, CSSR Det(2000)2,38 2006 2005
Kirk Maltby LW 18 35 6-0 196 R Guelph, ON Edm(1992)3,65 1993 1993
Darren McCarty RW 25 36 6-1 210 R Burnaby, BC Det(1992)2,46 1993 1993
Mattias Ritola C 42 21 6-0 192 L Borlange, SE Det(2005)4,103 2007 2007
Mikael Samuelsson RW 37 31 6-2 210 L Mariefred, SE SJ(1998)5,145 2001 2000
Henrik Zetterberg LW 40 27 5-11 195 L Njurunda, SE Det(1999)7,210 2002 2002

Defense:
NO Name POS Age HT WT SH Born Drafted Rookie First
Chris Chelios D 24 46 6-1 190 R Chicago, IL Mon(1981)2,40 1985 1983
Jonathan Ericsson D 52 24 6-5 205 L Karlskrona, SE Det(2002)9,291 2007 2006
Jakub Kindl D 46 21 6-2 199 L Sumperk, CSSR Det(2005)1,19 2007 2007
Niklas Kronwall D 55 27 6-0 189 L Stockholm, SE Det(2000)1,29 2005 2003
Brett Lebda D 22 26 5-9 194 L Buffalo Grove, IL Undrafted 2005 2005
Nicklas Lidstrom D 5 38 6-1 193 L Vasteras, SE Det(1989)3,53 1991 1991
Andreas Lilja D 3 32 6-3 230 L Helsingborg, SE LA(2000)2,54 2000
Derek Meech D 14 24 5-11 197 L Winnipeg, MB Det(2002)7,229 2007 2006
Kyle Quincey D 4 22 6-1 207 L Kitchener, ON Det(2003)4,132 2007 2005
Brian Rafalski D 28 34 5-10 200 R Dearborn, MI Undrafted 1999 1999
Brad Stuart D 23 28 6-2 213 L Rocky Mountain House, AB SJ(1998)1,3 1999 1999

Goalies:
NO Name POS Age HT WT SH Born Drafted Rookie First
Dominik Hasek G 39 43 5-11 177 L Pardubice, CSSR Chi(1983)10,199 1990 1990
Jimmy Howard G 35 24 6-1 204 L Ogdensburg, NY Det(2003)2,64 2007 2005
Chris Osgood G 30 35 5-10 176 L Peace River, AB Det(1991)3,54 1993 1993 *

* Starting Goaltender

Overview:

Statistical keys to the seriesRed Wings' Journey:

Just when it appeared chinks were appearing in the armor of top-seeded Detroit, the Mule-driven Red Wings rode to a four-game sweep of Colorado in the Western Conference semifinals to a seventh Western Conference Final appearance in 13 seasons. After losing two straight games in the first round against Nashville, some questioned Detroit’s playoff mettle. Well, Red Wings forward Johan Franzen, better known now as the ‘Mule’ these days, has put those fears to rest almost singlehandedly.

In the second round, the Red Wings left little doubt of their dominance against their injury-riddled nemesis, completing an 8-0 finish against the sixth-seeded Avs this season with a four-game sweep. Unlike the previous five postseason series meetings between the teams, this series was never really in doubt following a 5-1 Game 2 victory in Detroit. In that game, Franzen registered the first hat trick of his career. "He’s a big man with a lot of skill and good hands,’’ said Red Wings coach Mike Babcock. ``When you can’t get the puck off the guy and he gets in tight, he’s tough for the goalie to handle.’’

Franzen, who leads the team with 11 goals this postseason, has scored 26 times in his last 25 games, a streak that dates back to March 2. He has done much of that damage playing with linemates Valtteri Filppula (two goals, three assists in 10 playoff games) and Mikael Samuelsson (two goals, five assists).

Now, the Wings look forward to avenging a six-game loss to Anaheim , the eventual Cup champion, in last year’s Western Conference Finals. This season, Anaheim was eliminated by the Dallas Stars – Detroit’s next opponent -- in the opening round. "It’s great to see (Franzen) take the puck to the net,’’ Red Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom told redwings.com. "He really tries to hang on to it. He’s scoring goals where he’s just being patient and going to the front of the net. We wanted to try and hang on to the puck down low and make (Colorado’s) whole five-man unit play defense.’’

Franzen’s 11 goals have already established a Wings record for a playoff year. Peter Klima (10 goals in 1988), Sergei Fedorov (10 goals in 22 games, 1998) and Brett Hull (10 goals in 23 games, 2002) were the previous record-holders. His nine goals against Colorado also a club record for a series, breaking Gordie Howe’s eight goals in seven games in 1949. "Every time you get mentioned with (Gordie Howe), it’s a great honor,’’ Franzen said. "I don’t know what to say. I feel real lucky.’’

In the Western Conference semis, the Red Wings outscored the Avalanche, 21-9, including an 8-2 series-clinching victory at Pepsi Center in Denver. In that game, Franzen notched his second hat trick of the series. The Avalanche were without forwards Peter Forsberg (groin), Ryan Smyth (foot), Paul Stastny (knee) and Wojtek Wolski (upper body), four of their leading scorers, in the final game of the series.

In addition to Franzen, Samuelsson and Henrik Zetterberg each hit twice, Pavel Datsyuk had three assists and Lidstrom, Filppula and Jiri Hudler each chipped in two assists during the Game 4 barrage. Tomas Holmstrom had the other goal. The Wings also chased Avalanche goalie and opening-round hero, Jose Theodore, for the third time in four games. "At this point last year, we were playing pretty good, but it’s hard,’’ Babcock said. ``But Mule is a better player, (Dan) Cleary is a better player, (Filppula) is a better player, (Niklas) Kronwall is a better player. We may be better. We’ll find out.’’

Indeed, it’ll be difficult for any opponent to slow down these Wings. Babcock, whose career playoff record in three seasons with Detroit stands at 26-6, has four productive offensive lines, six playoff-caliber defensemen and a pair of All-Star goalies. That’s scary-good.

The Red Wings also head into the Western Conference Final as healthy as they have been all season. Dan Cleary, Kris Draper and Dallas Drake have worked well together, as have Darren Helm, Darren McCarty and Hudler. In addition to Franzen’s line, the other top unit consists of Holmstrom (21 hits), Zetterberg (10 takeaways) and Datsyuk (12 takeaways), who have combined for 32 points (14 goals) in 10 playoff games.

Defensively, Lidstrom and the smooth-skating Brian Rafalski, a combined plus-14 in the playoffs, have been flawless. Hard-hitting Brad Stuart (21 hits, plus-2) is proving to be a splendid trade-deadline acquisition alongside Kronwall and Brett Lebda is working hard with either veteran Chris Chelios (lower-body injury) or third-season performer Andreas Lilja. Chelios, who was scratched from Game 4 against Colorado just after warmups, should be ready to go in the conference final.

Since replacing Dominik Hasek between the pipes in Game 4 against Nashville in the opening round, Chris Osgood is 6-0 with a sterling 1.52 goals-against average, .937 save percentage and one shutout

Stars' Journey

They closed the regular season with just four wins in 14 games, but the Dallas Stars are now just four wins shy of the Stanley Cup Final. After disposing of the defending Stanley Cup champion Anaheim Ducks in six games, the Stars took it to their second-round opponent – the San Jose Sharks – much like they did against Anaheim, as they won the first two games of the series on the road.

Game 1 truly set the tone for a series that will be talked about in the coming weeks and months. With the teams deadlocked in a 2-2 tie, Stars captain Brenden Morrow gave his club a 1-0 series lead when he beat Evgeni Nabokov 4:39 into overtime for a 3-2 victory at HP Pavilion. "Our goal was to come in and steal a game," Morrow said. "You never know what it will be or how many goals it will take. We didn't want to be denied.”

Trailing 2-1 after two periods in Game 2, the Stars erupted for four goals in the third en route to a 5-2 victory. Brad Richards – who won the Conn Smythe Trophy with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004 – tied the game just 32 seconds into the period before Mike Modano scored what proved to be the game-winner a little more than three minutes later. Niklas Hagman added two insurance goals late to seal the victory.

"We've had amazing third periods so far in the playoffs," Modano said. "It was a big trip for us. Now it's up to us to respond to this at home. We know this is far from over, but at the same time, we had a great two days here. Every shift, every night, we've looked hungry."

They didn’t let up, either. At least, not right away.

Mattias Norstrom’s goal at 4:37 of overtime in Game 3 gave Dallas a commanding 3-0 series lead on the Sharks, who were the hottest team in the League going down the stretch of the regular season. San Jose nearly overtook the Detroit Red Wings for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, falling just seven points short.

Improbably, the Stars were on the verge of sweeping coach Ron Wilson’s club. All they needed was another victory on home ice in Game 4. "There's a lot of momentum right now," Modano said. "It'll be a fun night, an elimination game." With their season on the line, though, the Sharks pulled one out. Patrick Marleau’s shorthanded goal erased a 1-0 deficit midway through the second period before Milan Michalek scored on the power play early in the third as San Jose came away with a 2-1 victory to force a Game 5 back at the Shark Tank.

Just like Games 1 and 3, overtime was needed to decide the winner in Game 5. Sixty-five seconds into the extra session, Joe Pavelski beat Marty Turco to cut the series deficit to 3-2. Suddenly, the Stars were just another loss away from having their season on the line, too.

Only the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs and the 1975 New York Islanders had come back from a 3-0 series deficit to win in seven games. "Every game we lose, we give them more life, but I like our position better than theirs," Morrow said. "The third period was our downfall. We have to move on, earn our breaks. We earned this 3-2 lead."

Back at the American Airlines Center for Game 6, the Stars gave their fans a memory they’ll likely never forget. In the eighth-longest game in NHL history, Morrow sent Dallas to the Western Conference Finals when he beat Nabokov at 9:03 of quadruple overtime in a 2-1 victory. Turco set a franchise record with 61 saves.

The win assured Dallas of its first trip to the conference finals since 2000, a year after the franchise’s lone Stanley Cup championship. Dallas returned to the Stanley Cup Final in 2000 before falling to the New Jersey Devils. "It's nice to be on this side of it for once," Turco said after the five-hour, 14-minute marathon. "We've had some long ones before. But none of them was more memorable than this one. It was 99 percent fun tonight."

Whether it will be as fun to play the Presidents' Trophy winners in Round 3 remains to be seen, as Detroit looked awfully sharp in its four-game sweep of the Colorado Avalanche in the conference semifinals.

Nonetheless, the Stars can certainly label the 2007-08 season a successful one, given the early-season struggles that cost General Manager Doug Armstrong his job. They’re just eight wins away from their second Stanley Cup. "We are moving a step forward and there are eight more wins to go," defenseman Stephane Robidas said.

Statistical keys to the series

- Detroit ranks first in the playoffs with 3.80 goals per game. Dallas ranks fifth with 2.92 goals per game.

- Dallas ranks second in the playoffs with 2.00 goals against per game. Detroit ranks third with 2.10 goals against per game.

- Dallas ranks second in the playoffs with a 25.0% success rate. Detroit ranks ninth at 20.4%.

- Detroit ranks first in the playoffs with 39.3 shots on goal per game. Dallas ranks eighth with 30.0 shots on goal per game.

- Detroit ranks first in the playoffs with 24.9 shots against per game. Dallas ranks third with 27.0 shots against per game.

- Detroit's Johan Franzen leads the playoffs with 11 goals.

- Dallas' Mike Ribeiro ranks second in the playoffs with 11 assists.

- Detroit's Johan Franzen and Dallas' Mike Ribeiro are tied for second in the playoffs with 14 points.

- Detroit's Henrik Zetterberg and Johan Franzen rank first and second in the playoffs at plus-10 and plus-9, respectively.

- Dallas' Brendan Morrow and Stephane Robidas rank first and second in the playoffs with 66 hits and 59 hits, respectively.

- Dallas' Mike Ribeiro ranks second in the playoffs with 16 takeaways.

- Detroit's Kris Draper leads the playoffs (min. 50 face-offs) with a 62.4% face-off winning percentage.

PLAYOFF MEDIA GUIDES (PDF)
Detroit Red Wings | Dallas Stars

Fun Stuff!

Best. Youtube. clip. Ever!

Artwork/InformationThe credit for the artwork goes to SHOALZIE and a special thanks to FissionFire!

Live stream..

Click here for the direct link to Versus live stream I
Click here for the direct link to Versus live stream II

**TOPGUN** · 05-12-2008, 11:08 AM

Couple of things:

- I’ll update the stories as the day progresses
- The Versus live stream links haven’t worked for the last couple of days. I can’t guarantee they will work for tonight’s game
- Check out the youtube clip. I think it's hilarious

The Winged Wheel · 05-12-2008, 11:30 AM

I am so pumped!
I was traveling last week and my friends who I was staying with didn't have cable so I couldn't watch game 1 or 2!

IT KILLED ME just a little INSIDE. haha
I was in Detroit saturday night though, we went to mexicantown and greektown for dessert. I saw nothing but wings jersey's everywhere. I was wearing my Datsyuk jersey and the sea of red was awesome.
*sigh* wish I could've been at the game or even seen the game on TV.

VooX · 05-12-2008, 11:33 AM

It is ON!! Let's split the series in Dallas, so I can watch us clinch at Game 5 at the Joe...

Dallas will be trying to exploit our 3rd defensive pair, they were on the ice for many goals and scoring chances so far. With last change, Dallas will need SOMETHING positive to happen today. Expect slushy ice at the end of the game, so hopefully the Wings can score early and play keep away for the last period. The Stars' fourth line was their best last game, and even got PP time, if we can keep it the same way today and neutralize the Dallas scoring lines, it will be a long game for Turco.

cmccallum · 05-12-2008, 11:46 AM

Any word on Franzen yet....???. Just curious what the Doctors said. I know his evaluation is today in Detroit.

Heaton · 05-12-2008, 12:19 PM

http://redwingscorner.blogspot.com/2...ing-skate.html

Lehtinen out tonight.

Edit: Ok, now hes a game time decision.

hdw · 05-12-2008, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by magnus the destroyer

Any word on Franzen yet....???. Just curious what the Doctors said. I know his evaluation is today in Detroit.

Hopefully they'll say something at the pre-game presser.

Conn86 · 05-12-2008, 12:43 PM

Go Wings Go

Reds4Life · 05-12-2008, 12:51 PM

I really hope Mule will be ok and will participate in these playoffs again.

Go Wings, beat the Stars and take commanding 3:0 lead!

Bob Probert Owns You · 05-12-2008, 01:09 PM

Only 7 more hours to go!

hdw · 05-12-2008, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Probert Owns You

Only 7 more hours to go!

I slept too long this morning :/

It'll be hard to get any decent post dinner nap.

And 2 am is a bit late for my taste.

But <nil> bless Dallas for punting SJ and Anaheim, those west coast games and pure murder.

**TOPGUN** · 05-12-2008, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heaton

http://redwingscorner.blogspot.com/2...ing-skate.html

Lehtinen out tonight.

Edit: Ok, now hes a game time decision.

Thanks. I'll Edit the GDT

VooX · 05-12-2008, 01:51 PM

Update from practice: (courtesy Bruce MacLeod)

There are no lineup changes from Game 2 and everyone is on the ice.

Datsyuk-Zetterberg-Holmstrom
Cleary-Filppula-Samuelsson
Drake-Draper-Maltby
Hudler-Helm-McCarty

Lidstrom-Rafalski
Kronwall-Stuart
Lebda-Chelios

Osgood

Redwingsfan · 05-12-2008, 01:55 PM

6 hours left...

GO WINGS

theYman · 05-12-2008, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VooX

Update from practice: (courtesy Bruce MacLeod)

There are no lineup changes from Game 2 and everyone is on the ice.

Datsyuk-Zetterberg-Holmstrom
Cleary-Filppula-Samuelsson
Drake-Draper-Maltby
Hudler-Helm-McCarty

Lidstrom-Rafalski
Kronwall-Stuart
Lebda-Chelios

Osgood

I thought Babcock was splitting D and Z on the road this playoffs or was that just for one series?

VooX · 05-12-2008, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theYman

I thought Babcock was splitting D and Z on the road this playoffs or was that just for one series?

With Babcock, lines will be juggled at will. I do think he has no need. 2ndary scoring has been very good, and Z - D - H are about as much as Dallas can handle right now. Tippet will be trying to get his top line away from them, and will relish the home ice for the next two games.

IMHO, Babcock will sometimes choose to change to the Chelios - Lebda on the fly so not to tip their arrival off to Tippet who will try and get his big lines against them tonight off the faceoff. Fast line changes by Babcock tonight, and the occaissional 90 second shift by our top line.

zetterberg40 · 05-12-2008, 02:06 PM

I heard Johan was getting looked at today. If anyone find anything new on him i wouldnt mind hearing it asap. I assume we will rest him for the remainder for the round, granted as long as we are winning. I just hope its nothing too harsh.

Btw, Kronwall and Lidstrom are top 2 in points i believe in the playoffs among defensemen, pretty damn impressive! (however there is a 3-way tie with lidstrom) and Raffy is 1 point behind them.

Good defense definitely leds to a good offense.

GO WINGS

Henkka · 05-12-2008, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theYman

I thought Babcock was splitting D and Z on the road this playoffs or was that just for one series?

They were splitted for one and a half games in Nashville and we lost those games. After that they have been together all time.

Gavin24 · 05-12-2008, 04:54 PM

Let's Go Redwings

King Henrik 30 · 05-12-2008, 04:57 PM

Datstromberg · 05-12-2008, 05:20 PM

im calling a big game for datsyuk, he's due for one

4-2 wings. datsyuk with 2, lidstrom, draper

Gavin24 · 05-12-2008, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Datstromberg

im calling a big game for datsyuk, he's due for one

4-2 wings. datsyuk with 2, lidstrom, draper

Me too.
Let's do it Pasha

hdw · 05-12-2008, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gavin24

Me too.
Let's do it Pasha

No way, the swedes will always have the point advantage.

Pascha with 2, but assisted by Swedes

Lindros_for_rizzle_ · 05-12-2008, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Datstromberg

im calling a big game for datsyuk, he's due for one

4-2 wings. datsyuk with 2, lidstrom, draper

Datsyuk doesn´t need a big game, he bring you a solid great performance every game. IMQO he is the Red Wings MVP.

cmccallum · 05-12-2008, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Datstromberg

im calling a big game for datsyuk, he's due for one

4-2 wings. datsyuk with 2, lidstrom, draper

Datsyuk had the one goal remember but they wiped it out. I wouldn't mine seeing Datsyuk get one because usually when he does he gets em in bunches usually 2 in one game. Btw the NHL network has a great pre-game show on right now if anyone has it. Giving Osgood a lot of credit etc... so not all the media is blind to this.