Posted on Sun, May. 11, 2008

Dallas Stars can't break free of Detroit Red Wings' grasp

By Tracey Myers

Star-Telegram Staff Writer

GETTY IMAGES/DAVE SANDFORD

For most of the night, the Stars' Marty Turco was able to keep the puck out of the Dallas goal with 32 saves, but his efforts weren't enough as the Stars fell 2-1 in Game 2.

Most-read stories

• Man in Fort Worth car crash dies
• JPS patient dies after policy slows move to ER
• Ray Lewis' little brother faces long odds making Cowboys' roster as a running back
• Pedestrian killed on Arlington highway off-ramp
• FDA shuts down Pasadena, Texas, seafood company

 

Most e-mailed stories

• JPS patient dies after policy slows move to ER
• Time adds depth to Kristofferson's work, but takes nothing away
• COLLEGE NOTES: Weatherford grad breaks TCU record
• Small planes collide in Roanoke
• American Airlines union considers 18-month pact

 

DETROIT -- The Dallas Stars had those sweet scoring opportunities early, the ones you have to make sure to take advantage of, especially against a team like the Detroit Red Wings.

But the Stars didn't. And as the game wore on, the Wings didn't allow many more.

Henrik Zetterberg scored the game-winner in the first period, and the Stars couldn't do anything with their scoring chances in a 2-1 loss to the Red Wings in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals on Saturday night at Joe Louis Arena.

The Stars are down 0-2 for the first time in these playoffs. And as they head home to get ready for Game 3 on Monday night, they could be without two more of their top players.

Jere Lehtinen left the game in the first period with a leg injury and is day-to-day. And Mike Ribeiro might face a suspension after he slashed Detroit goaltender Chris Osgood in the chest at the end of the game. Ribeiro was whistled for a match penalty, leading to an automatic review. Coach Dave Tippett said replays showed that, before the slash, Osgood knocked Ribeiro in the face with the butt end of his stick.

"It's not right. But I thought something had to make him do it," Tippett said of Ribeiro. "No player would react like that unless something happened."

Marty Turco stopped 32 of 34 shots in the loss, with Osgood stopping 17 of 18.

Whatever happens with Ribeiro and Lehtinen, it doesn't change the Stars' current standing in the series. And oh, did they have chances to salvage a split, from a 4-on-1 where Steve Ott's shot missed the net to Mike Modano's wrister going wide, to Ribeiro's attempt getting through Osgood but not past Nicklas Lidstrom behind him.

"In the third there weren't as many chances, but on the first or second shift out there we had a good chance and missed the net. A couple of others we didn't register shots on goal," Brad Richards said. "We had more quality chances, but we didn't score. We're going to have to solve that."

They'll have to solve the problems in the faceoff circle, too, where the Stars won only 16 to the Red Wings' 39. And as their aggravation mounted toward the end of the game, the Stars committed a few penalties that stalled their chance at getting that tying goal.

"That's not how we want to play, but sometimes when you're chasing the game you get frustrated," said Stephane Robidas, who scored the Stars' goal. "But you have to forget about all that stuff and just play. We played better than in the first game, but obviously it's not enough."

The Stars are facing an uphill battle now. They're down 0-2 and they might be without two of their top players for a game or two. They have had chances but haven't capitalized. They've dealt with adversity before, and they'll have to see how they do with it again.

"We haven't been in this position yet," Stars captain Brenden Morrow said. "We'll get to see what we're made of."

Red Wings 2, Stars 1

Two deep?

Since moving to Dallas, the Stars have fallen behind 2-0 in six playoff series. They have never rebounded to win: