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Zetterberg leads Red Wings halfway to Cup Finals

May 11, 2008 - 4:22 AM DETROIT (Ticker) -- The Detroit Red Wings proved they could get the job done without "The Mule."

With the red-hot Johan Franzen sidelined, Henrik Zetterberg snapped a tie late in the first period and Chris Osgood made the goal stand as the top-seeded Red Wings skated to a 2-1 victory over the Dallas Stars on Saturday in Game Two of the Western Conference finals.

Darren Helm netted his first career playoff goal for Detroit, which improved to 7-0 at home this postseason.

"It was a high pace today," Zetterberg said. "I think both goalies played really well. Overall, it was a good game."

Osgood made 17 saves in improving to 8-0 in the playoffs for the Presidents' Trophy-winning Red Wings, who lead the best-of-seven series, two games to none.

"I think we learned a lesson against Nashville in the first round," Osgood said, referring to dropping Games Three and Four on the road after winning the first two at home. "It's not that we didn't play very well, we just didn't do little things right in Nashville. ... We have to be sharp, play good in our end. If we do that, we've got enough talent that it's going to come out and we're going to do well."

"I don't look at it like that," Babcock said when told he was two wins away from the Stanley Cup Finals. "About five minutes after I get home tonight, I'll start getting scared about Game Three. I've been coaching a long time, I've seen it go the wrong way too often. ... We were here (in the conference finals) last year and it didn't work out."

Defenseman Stephane Robidas scored a power-play goal and Marty Turco turned aside 32 shots for the Stars, who host Game Three on Monday.

"We're gonna see what we're made of," Dallas captain Brenden Morrow said. "Being down two games is tough against anyone, especially the Wings - the top team in the league. We've got a big road ahead of us, but today we took a big step."

Stars coach Dave Tippett had little to say after the game but did compliment Turco after being critical of the netminder following Game One.

"He battled harder in front of the net, that's for sure," Tippett said. "Gave up less easy chances there. Battled harder."

The NHL's leading playoff goal-scorer with a franchise-record 12, Franzen was kept out of the lineup after experiencing concussion-like symptoms prior to pregame warmups. Also the league leader with five game-winning tallies, the 28-year-old Swede - who has scored in five straight games and has 27 goals in his last 27 contests - reportedly has been experiencing recurring headaches since early in the conference semifinals against the Colorado Avalanche.

"You're not going to replace Franzen, but what we can try to do is, do the same things he does - get in front, be strong on the puck and try to shoot the puck when we can," Detroit's Daniel Cleary said. "He's such an important part of our club. We need him back quickly."

Without the leading candidate for the Conn Smythe Trophy, the Red Wings still managed to eke out a victory over the fifth-seeded Stars.

Entering with a streak of five straight games with at least one power-play goal, Detroit cashed in during the latter stages of the first period to snap a 1-1 deadlock.

With Mike Modano in the penalty box for cross-checking, Pavel Datsyuk sent a cross-ice pass to Zetterberg, who one-timed the puck past Turco from the top of the right faceoff circle with 4:47 remaining for his eighth goal of the postseason.

"I was just late arriving," said Turco, who was without his stick at the time. "I forgot my friend, my stick, with me. But it seemed like it was up off the ice a little bit, so I was just driving my pad down into the ice and making sure, just trying to make a save."

"It was really a good play by Pav and Z," Cleary said. "Z's always moving around the zone, he's so hard to find. That was a great shot, obviously (Tomas) Holmstrom in front screening. It was a huge goal for us."

It proved to be the difference as Osgood turned aside the final 15 shots he faced, including eight in the second period. The All-Star netminder faced just four shots in the opening session.

Helm opened the scoring at 5:56 of the first with his first goal in the NHL. Without a point in seven regular-season games in 2007-08 and held to just one assist in his first seven playoff contests, the 21-year-old received a feed from Jiri Hudler and skated into the left circle before beating Turco high to the glove side with a wrist shot.

"I thought I've been playing all right, getting some chances in the past (few) games," Helm said. "Hudler made a great play and I was able to put it in. One for me, and I was glad to contribute on the score for the team tonight."

"It was great to see Helmer get that one," Detroit's Kris Draper said. "He's been playing great. The kid, he's such a great skater. ... Great shot. Not a bad time to get your first playoff goal."

But the Stars pulled even less than five minutes later during a man advantage.

With five seconds remaining on Detroit defenseman Brad Stuart's tripping penalty, Robidas one-timed a pass from Mike Ribeiro past Osgood from the top of the left circle at 10:41, forging a 1-1 tie.

"Their goal was more or less lucky," Osgood said. "It hit me and ricocheted off Cleary, back to Ribeiro, and he made a great pass across."

The Red Wings clamped down thereafter, limiting the Stars to few scoring chances.

"I thought we tried to keep them on the outside more and give them shots from the outside and take away the inside," Detroit captain Nicklas Lidstrom said. "I thought we were able to do that today."

"They have a lot of guys back in the neutral zone," Dallas' Brad Richards said. "They're known as a great offensive team, but they thrive on keeping a lot of guys back and getting turnovers."

Dallas' best opportunity came just over five minutes into the third. After chipping the puck over the stick of defenseman Chris Chelios in the low slot, Modano made a nifty spin move and unleashed a backhander on net.

However, Osgood was equal to the task, kicking away the rolling puck with his left pad to maintain Detroit's 2-1 edge.

Ribeiro let his frustrations get the better of him at the final buzzer, a move that may result in a suspension.

While skating past the Red Wings' net in pursuit of the puck, Ribeiro received a slight jab with the end of Osgood's stick. From behind the net, Ribeiro responded, slashing the goaltender across the chest.

"I was just trying to stand out there to make sure Nicklas Lidstrom didn't get run because I could see two guys coming," Osgood said of his butt-end on Ribeiro. "Whether I hit him or not, it was an accident. He probably skated through my stick.

"I don't think that justified a two-hander over the top of the net. He could have went about it a different way or said something to me. We're professionals out there and we can go about it in the right manner."

Osgood went down in a heap but appeared to be fine during Detroit's postgame celebration. However, Ribeiro received a match penalty for his effort and could face disciplinary action from the league once it reviews the tapes.

"I guess it's up to (NHL senior executive vice president) Colin Campbell or whoever makes those decisions," Morrow said. "I haven't seen the play, I just heard from teammates, so it's up in the air what's going to happen."

"Heat of the moment," Modano added. "We'll have to wait and see what they say about it. It's something that players have a hard time controlling, that urge in the heat of the moment. Sometimes it gets the best of us."

Ribeiro's slash had the Red Wings irate in the locker room.

"I wasn't sure what he was thinking," Draper said. "That's just crossing the line. He swang from behind the net, a two-hander right at Ozzie, our best player right now. ... Something like that, that's right out of (the movie) 'Slap Shot.' I couldn't believe it when he did it."

However, Turco found fault with Osgood's actions, which sparked the retaliatory slash.

"A butt-end to somebody's face at any time is pretty gutless," Turco said. "Just sticking your knob out there is a dangerous play. I've caught guys, my own teammates, around the net and I've seen guys get major injuries to the face. It's something our game doesn't need."