Red Wings Don't Want to Be Star-Crossed
By TED STARKEY,
AOL
Posted: 2008-05-09 04:02:35
Gregory Shamus, Getty Images
Breaking Down
Red Wings-Stars
Offense: Johan Franzen recorded two hat tricks in four games against Colorado, just the hottest part of the imposing offense torrent the Red Wings will be throwing at Marty Turco and the Stars.
Edge: Red Wings
Western Conference Finals
Dallas Stars vs. Detroit Red Wings
2007-08 Records:
Detroit: 54-21-7, 115 points, Central Division Champions
Dallas: 45-30-7, 97 points, Fifth Place, Western Conference
2007-08 Playoff Results:
Detroit: Defeated Nashville 4-2, Defeated Colorado 4-0
Dallas: Defeated Anaheim, 4-2, Defeated San Jose, 4-2
2007-08 Season Series:
Detroit Wins Series, 3-1
Last Playoff Meeting:
1997-98 Western Conference Finals - Detroit Wins Series, 4-2
DALLAS - JANUARY 05: Goaltender Dominik Hasek #39 of the Detroit Red Wings looks on during play with the Dallas Stars in the first period at the American Airlines Center on January 5, 2008 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
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DALLAS - JANUARY 05: Goaltender Mike Smith #41 of the Dallas Stars looks on during play with the Detroit Red Wings in the first period at the American Airlines Center on January 5, 2008 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
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DALLAS - JANUARY 05: Center Jeff Halpern #11 of the Dallas Stars moves the puck against the Detroit Red Wings in the first period at the American Airlines Center on January 5, 2008 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
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DALLAS - JANUARY 05: Goaltender Dominik Hasek #39 of the Detroit Red Wings walks to the ice between periods against the Dallas Stars at the American Airlines Center on January 5, 2008 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
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DALLAS - JANUARY 05: Goaltender Chris Osgood #30 of the Detroit Red Wings has bubble gum stuck to his hat as he watches a game with the Dallas Stars in the third period at the American Airlines Center on January 5, 2008 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
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DALLAS - JANUARY 05: Defensemen Chris Chelios #24 of the Detroit Red Wings moves the puck past Krys Barch #13 of the Dallas Stars in the third period at the American Airlines Center on January 5, 2008 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
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DALLAS - JANUARY 05: Defensemen Chris Chelios #24 of the Detroit Red Wings moves the puck past Krys Barch #13 of the Dallas Stars in the third period at the American Airlines Center on January 5, 2008 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
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DALLAS - JANUARY 05: Left wing Niklas Hagman #15 of the Dallas Stars moves the puck past Mikael Samuelsson #37 of the Detroit Red Wings in the third period at the American Airlines Center on January 5, 2008 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
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DALLAS - JANUARY 05: Goaltender Dominik Hasek #39 of the Detroit Red Wings makes a save in front of teammate Nicklas Lidstrom #5 and Loui Eriksson #21 of the Dallas Stars in the third period at the American Airlines Center on January 5, 2008 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
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DALLAS - JANUARY 05: Center Mike Ribeiro #63 of the Dallas Stars moves the puck past Pavel Datsyuk #13 of the Detroit Red Wings in the second period at the American Airlines Center on January 5, 2008 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
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At the end of the regular season, many people predicted the President's Trophy-winning Red Wings would reach the Western Conference final. Few picked Dallas, who seemed to be ready for a quick ousting.
The Red Wings, despite a brief swoon down the stretch, have been terrific since Chris Osgood took over for Dominik Hasek as the starter, posting a 6-0 mark and a 1.52 GAA and a .937 save percentage. Detroit looked vulnerable to an upset loss to the Predators until Osgood arrived, now the Wings appear to be in mid-season form with the change in net.
As for Dallas, the Stars looked awful after the trade deadline, going just 4-7-2 in March and April and seemingly poised for an early playoff exit.
However, Marty Turco delivered when the games got bigger, as he helped the fifth-seeded Stars engineer an upset over the defending champion Ducks in the first round, and then the league's hottest team, the San Jose Sharks.
Turco is second overall in goals-against behind Osgood with a 1.73 GAA, and a .929 save percentage, including a great performance in the series-clinching marathon.
Now, the Stars will look to keep their roll going against a Red Wings team that absolutely crushed Colorado in the second round.
Leading the charge for the Red Wings was Johan Franzen, who netted nine goals in the four-game sweep, including a pair of hat tricks, and currently leads all playoff goal-scorers with 11. Henrik Zetterberg has also been productive this postseason with seven tallies.
For Dallas, Brenden Morrow has made himself an early Conn Smythe candidate with his seven goals, including the one that sank the Sharks in Game 6's lengthy overtime session. Mike Ribeiro also is tied for second in the league with 14 points this postseason, and Brad Richards also has nine assists.
** FILE ** In this Nov. 10, 2007 file photo, San Jose Sharks center Jeremy Roenick reacts after scoring his 500th career goal against the Phoenix Coyotes in the second period of their NHL hockey game in San Jose, Calif. The Sharks got off to a head start on their offseason moves, re-signing Roenick, forward Joe Pavelski and backup goaltender Brian Boucher on Wednesday, June 25, 2008, six days before the start of the free-agency period. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File)
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OTTAWA, ON - JUNE 20: 17th overall pick, Jake Gardiner of the Anaheim Ducks talks with the media during the 2008 NHL Entry Draft at Scotiabank Place on June 20, 2008 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images)
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** FILE **In this March 28, 2008 file photo, Carolina Hurricanes' Tuomo Ruutu (15), of Finland, brings the puck down the ice past Atlanta Thrashers' Chris Thorburn (27) during third period of an NHL hockey game in Raleigh, N.C. The Hurricanes re-signed Ruutu on Tuesday, June 24, 2008 to a one-year contract worth $2.25 million. (AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker, File)
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** FILE ** Broadcom Corp. co-founder Henry Samueli leaves the U.S. District Court in Santa Ana, Calif. after a hearing Monday, June, 23, 2008. Samueli has been suspended indefinitely by the NHL. The decision by commissioner Gary Bettman comes a day after Samueli pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement to the Securities and Exchange Commission. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)
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** FILE ** In this May 9, 2008 file photo, Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin, of Russia, skates against the Philadelphia Flyers in the third period during Game 1 of the NHL hockey Eastern Conference finals in Pittsburgh. Until a deal is signed with the NHL, the founder of the new Russian-based Continental Hockey League says there is nothing wrong with his teams trying to poach star players, such as Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)
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This handout provided by Men's Vogue shows New York Rangers hockey player Sean Avery in the Men's Vogue fashion closet in New York last week. Avery, the NHL's No. 1 pest, is more gourmet than goon these days. Food, music and fashion are all on his plate as a summer intern at Vogue magazine. (AP Photo/Men's Vogue)
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** FILE ** In this May 9, 2008 file photo, Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin, of Russia, speaks to the media after the Penguins beat the Philadelphia Flyers 4-2 in Game 1 of the NHL hockey Eastern Conference finals in Pittsburgh. Until a deal is signed with the NHL, the founder of the new Russian-based Continental Hockey League says there is nothing wrong with his teams trying to poach star players, such as Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)
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** FILE ** In this May 30, 2008 file photo, Pittsburgh Penguins' Evgeni Malkin, of Russia, participates in the NHL hockey team's practice at the Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh in preparation for game four of the Stanley Cup Finals. Until a deal is signed with the NHL, the founder of the new Russian-based Continental Hockey League says there is nothing wrong with his teams trying to poach star players, such as Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)
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New Tampa Bay Lightning owner Len Barrie, gestures during a news conference Monday morning June 23, 2008 with fellow owner Oren Koules, not shown, in Tampa, Fla. Koules and Barrie are two of an eight-man ownership group approved by the NHL last week. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
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New Tampa Bay Lightning owner Oren Koules gestures during a news conference Monday morning June 23, 2008 with fellow owner Len Barrie in Tampa, Fla. Koules and Barrie are two of an eight-man ownership group approved by the NHL last week. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
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For the Stars to pull off the the third straight upset, it will be up to Turco, as his stellar play has been able to shut down the Ducks and Sharks, but the Red Wings are a much more formidable offensive force. They can roll several lines of offense, which will make it more difficult for the netminder.
Likewise, Osgood will need to be solid in net for Detroit, as expectations are high for the Red Wings to finally return to the Stanley Cup finals for the first time since 2002. Despite being one of the top teams in the regular season, Detroit has been dogged with playoff flameouts, so with the path seemingly set for a return, they will need to avoid a letdown at this stage.
However, it seems unlikely that the Red Wings won't finally break through to the final, as it would take a tremendous effort by Turco to prevent it.
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