| Posted 5-11-08
Red Hot Wings
Detroit, MI (Sports Network) - Chris Osgood needed to make just 17 saves to help the Detroit Red Wings to a 2-1 win over the Dallas Stars in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals at Joe Louis Arena.
Darren Helm and Henrik Zetterberg each scored a goal for the Red Wings, who have won eight straight games and now hold a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
"Well, we knew it was going to be a good battle, and they're a good team," said Detroit coach Mike Babcock. "They play hard and they've got good players. We knew it was going to be a good battle. I thought with the exception of the second period where we took four minors, I thought we were in good control and it was going our way."
Detroit was without forward Johan Franzen, the leading goal-scorer of the playoffs with 12, who was scratched from the lineup because of concussion- like symptoms.
Stephane Robidas scored the lone goal while Marty Turco stopped 32 shots in the loss for the Stars.
"We haven't done it before, but we're gonna see what we're made of," said Dallas Brenden Morrow. "Being down two game is tough against anyone, especially the Wings, the top team in the league, so we've got a big road ahead of us but today we took a big step."
The series moves to Dallas for the next two contests, with Game 3 set for Monday night.
"It's the Conference Finals and you have to be ready to play every game," said Detroit defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom. "Going on the road, it's going to be very important to play solid defensively."
The Red Wings jumped out to a 1-0 lead less than six minutes into the contest. Shortly after Dallas failed to score on a 4-on-1 break, with Steve Ott missing the net on a one-timer, Detroit headed into the Dallas end and from the left circle Helm blasted a shot past the glove of Turco.
The Stars, though, tied the game less than five minutes later. Skating with the power play, Mike Ribeiro flung a pass from the right circle to the left where Robidas one-timed it past Osgood.
However, Detroit took a 2-1 lead into the first intermission with a power-play goal. Pavel Datsyuk fired the puck from the left circle to the right point for Zetterberg, who one-timed the puck through a screen and past Turco with 4:47 left in the frame.
The second period was scoreless, but Dallas did have a couple of good opportunities to score. However, Osgood stopped all eight shots he faced in the frame while Turco made nine saves and the game went to the third period with Detroit hanging on to a one-goal lead.
Detroit controlled much of the play in the third period and outshot Dallas, 13-6, in the frame.
Dallas pulled Turco from the net with a minute to play, but Morrow got called for holding with 18 seconds left and the Stars were unable to mount any attack.
Game Notes
Helm's goal was his first ever in the NHL...Dallas went 1-for-5 on the power play while Detroit finished 1-for-6...Detroit has won all three of its postseason meetings with the Stars franchise. The teams last met in the 1998 conference finals when the Red Wings beat Dallas in six games en route to their second straight Stanley Cup crown.
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