PA SPORTSTICKER NHL PLAYOFF PREVIEW
          (DETROIT-DALLAS)



*Red Wings target ninth straight postseason win*
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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.