Star Quality Gives Red Wings a Win in Western Opener

The Detroit Red Wings looked right at home in Reunion Arena.

Holding Dallas to 14 shots Sunday, the Red Wings won the opener of the Western Conference finals, 2-0, by doing their best impression of the Stars’ winning formula this season.

Chris Osgood benefited from the Red Wings’ suffocating defense to gain his easy fourth career playoff shutout. Martin Lapointe led the offense with a goal and an assist.

The Stars finished with the top point total in the regular season, but failed to show any of the offense that made them the Presidents’ Trophy winner. Detroit did early, and then showed a Stars-style physical defense.

“Detroit is a team that has put a lot of focus on their checking. Their offense is really just flowing from their good play in the defensive zone,” Stars Coach Ken Hitchcock said. “When they get the lead, they make it very tough on you, tough to get anything started.”

The defending Stanley Cup champion Red Wings got the early jump in the best-of-seven series, which continues with Game 2 Tuesday at Reunion Arena.

Dallas applied early forechecking pressure to counter the Red Wings’ rapid, short-pass transition game, but each team could only manage a shot apiece in the first 10 minutes.

The Stars’ power play was ineffective early and 0 for 5 overall, managing only three shots while former Stars left wing Brent Gilchrist was sent off for goalie interference. Dallas also had no shots during a 46-second two-man advantage, courtesy of a cross-checking penalty on Jamie Macoun at 10:27.

“Detroit basically has four players who are outworking our five,” Hitchcock said of the Stars’ power-play efforts.

The Red Wings did not have a shot on their first power play, but scored on their third power play. They went one for six overall.

Detroit capitalized on a four-on-three advantage 57 seconds into the second, when Slava Kozlov slid a rebound into an open net for his fourth goal of the playoffs. Stars goalie Ed Belfour, who stopped 21 of 23 shots, was caught out of position when Red Wing defender Nicklas Lidstrom’s shot bounced off Lapointe’s skate and landed to the right of the crease.

Detroit added another when Lapointe ran over Stars right wing Pat Verbeek and put a wrist shot past a screened Belfour for his sixth of the playoffs at 13:38. Macoun and defender Bob Rouse assisted. “Lapointe moved across and knocked me down,” Verbeek said of Lapointe’s goal. “The way that’s been called all year, that’s a penalty.”