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Red Wings target ninth straight postseason win

May 12, 2008 - 12:43 PM Detroit at Dallas 8:00 pm EDT Western Conference finals Red Wings lead, 2-0

DALLAS (Ticker) - While Game Two of the Western Conference finals further extended the postseason dominance of the Detroit Red Wings, what happened just before the buzzer on Saturday may make the rest of the series a bit more chippy.

The Red Wings attempt to go for a franchise-record ninth straight postseason win on Monday when they travel to American Airlines Center to take on the Dallas Stars in Game Three of the best-of-seven series.

In the closing seconds of Detroit's 2-1 Game Two victory over Dallas, Red Wings' goaltender Chris Osgood appeared to use the handle of his stick to poke Stars center Mike Ribeiro, who responded from behind the net with a two-handed stick slash across the netminder's chest.

"Whether I hit him or not, it was an accident," said Osgood after the game. "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."

Neither player was suspended for their actions, but the league fined both players an undisclosed amount for their roles in the altercation.

The Stars need to turn their attention to improving an offense that has scored just once in each of the first two games of this series. The team also hopes to derail a Red Wings team that is looking to close in on the league's longest playoff winning streak since Montreal won 11 straight en route to winning the 1993 Stanley Cup.

Through two games, the Red Wings hold a distinct 65-39 shot advantage.

"I think we need to have better shots," Stars left wing Brenden Morrow said. "It doesn't matter how many you throw up there, we just need to have traffic. It's all about our fore check, turning pucks over, creating chances that way. I don't think in any game in the playoffs so far (have we) really blown a team out with our chances and our shots, but when we get them we usually make them count."

The Red Wings will be looking to revive the power play that scored three times in Game One but went 1-for-7 on Saturday. However, they will have to do so without Johan Franzen, the team's second-best goal scorer with the man advantage this season.

The Swedish center, who missed Game Two with concussion-like symptoms is expected to miss Game Three as well.