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[Dark Knight]

Please post your thoughts, pictures and comments on tonight's game in this thread.

Detroit at Dallas

[DropThePuck]

TSN's Ice Chips:

With their victory on Saturday, Dallas became just the 13th team out of 153 to force a Game 6 after trailing 3-0 in a series. If they can win Monday they would become just the sixth team to force a Game 7. Only two teams have ever come back to win a best of seven series after losing the first three games: the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs and the 1975 New York Islanders.
Mark Fistric returned to practice Sunday for the first time in a week. He has been absent while recovering from a case of mono and hasn't played in the Western Conference finals since Game 1. Fistric said he won't play in Game 6 today but could be ready to return if needed Wednesday, provided the series stretches to a Game 7.
The Red Wings frustration seems to be getting the better of them. In the third period of the Stars' 2-1 win in Game 5, Steve Ott was on the Stars' bench, actually minding his business for once. That's when Tomas Holmstrom skated by and hit Ott, drawing a two-minute roughing penalty at the 12:11 mark to put the Stars on a power play. Detroit didn't have a roughing or slashing penalty in the first three games. But in Game 5, the Red Wings committed three roughing penalties and a slashing penalty as their emotions began to boil over. - Dallas Morning News

Coach Mike Babcock said Sunday that Johan Franzen, out since Game 2 with concussion-like symptoms, is feeling better and is no longer bothered by persistent headaches. Franzen, however, has not been cleared to practice, and remains out indefinitely.
Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg combined for nine points the first three games of the series, but the Stars have played them much tighter the past two games and held them to two points.
The Wings are moving in some worrisome directions. Their focus isn't as tight, their passing isn't as sharp, their superstars did not get it done on Saturday - Pavel Datsyuk hasn't scored since his hat trick in Game 3, Henrik Zetterberg had just three shots Saturday, Holmstrom had two penalties and wasn't his usual pesty self at the net, and Osgood is not the better goalie right now - and, oh yeah, they have two goals in the last two games. - Detroit Free Press

Red Wings coach Mike Babcock hinted at some possible changes in line combinations and defensive pairings ahead of Monday's Game 6 in the Western Conference finals at Dallas. "You always got to try to make adjustments to win," Babcock said. "The same old, same old gives you the same result." - Detroit News

Braydon Coburn did not dress in Game 5 against the Penguins. However, Kimmo Timonen was in the lineup for Philly.

Penguins left wing Gary Roberts missed a third consecutive game Sunday due to a mild case of pneumonia. Roberts practiced Saturday for the fist time since being diagnosed with his illness prior to Game 3 of the Eastern Conference. He hopes to be available for the Stanley Cup final. Roberts missed five games previously in the playoffs due to a groin injury. - Tribune Review

[Still MIGHTY]

Oi

Goodbye Dallas

4 - 0 7 mins left in the 2nd Period
Zetterberg buried a shorthanded breakaway about 2 minutes ago... Dallas is all but done

Detroit looks like they're toying with the Stars at times

um
Let's Go

[DropThePuck]

4 - Draper, K. (03:45 in 1st), Datsyuk, P. (PPG, 11:41 in 1st), Drake, D. (16:17 in 1st), Zetterberg, H. (SHG, 03:11 in 2nd)
1 - Robidas, S. (PPG, 02:27 in 3rd)

“We thought we were going to be good,” Detroit coach Mike Babcock said. “We didn’t play bad last game. We were nervous early. We’ve got a professional team. We just talked about doing what we do and getting started on time and doing it harder and for longer. We drove the net hard early and we were rewarded.”
...
Drake, a 16-year veteran, is headed to his first finals.

"It's a huge thrill for me," said Drake, who joked that he sat closer to Zetterberg on the bench and the scoring touch rubbed off. "It's gratifying to contribute when you can."
...
Osgood improved to 10-2 this postseason. It was his 100th career playoff game and his 55th victory - his 48th for Detroit, passing Hall of Famer Terry Sawchuk for the franchise record.

"That was something that I wanted, one of my goals among others," Osgood said. "It was a special night."
...
Draper scored just 3:45 in, swatting at a rebound and seeing the puck squirt under Stars goalie Marty Turco. It didn't seem like he got his stick on the puck, prompting a video review. What they didn't see is that it went in off his face. That's why he was in the dressing room getting treated for a fat lip when his goal became official, not because of a post-goal cross-check by Dallas' Matt Niskanen that wasn't called.

"It went off my chin, it went in, who cares?" Draper said, blood still caked in his beard.

<NHL.com recap>



Defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom #5 of the Detroit Red Wings stands next to the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl with Bill Daly, deputy commisioner of the NHL after the Red Wings, after the Red Wings defeated the Stars 4-1 in game six of the Western Conference Finals of the 2008 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 19, 2008 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. The Red Wings won the series 4-2 and advance to the Stanley Cup Finals.
(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)


Goaltender Chris Osgood #30 of the Detroit Red Wings shakes hands with Marty Turco #35 of the Dallas Stars after the Red Wings defeated the Stars 4-1 to win game six of the Western Conference Finals of the 2008 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 19, 2008 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. The Red Wings won the series 4-2 to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals.
(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)


Center Henrik Zetterberg #40 of the Detroit Red Wings scores a shorthanded goal against Marty Turco #35 of the Dallas Stars during game six of the Western Conference Finals of the 2008 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 19, 2008 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.
(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)


Who wants to play a game of Twister?


Defenseman Andreas Lilja #3 of the Detroit Red Wings skates with the puck against Brad Winchester #16 of the Dallas Stars during game six of the Western Conference Finals of the 2008 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 19, 2008 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.
(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)