Stars Get Even With Red Wings, 3-1

The Dallas Stars did what they had to do to keep the defending Stanley Cup champions from getting away with a disastrous home ice sweep.

Bob Bassen, Greg Adams and Guy Carbonneau each scored a goal and Ed Belfour made 27 saves Tuesday night as the energetic Stars rebounded from an opening-game shutout to beat the Detroit Red Wings, 3-1, and even the Western Conference finals at a game apiece.

Games 3 and 4 of the best-of-seven series will be played in Detroit on Friday night and Sunday.

“We got physical with them,” Dallas defenseman Derian Hatcher said. “That’s how we have to win. We have to work and bang. We’re not going to out-finesse them for sure. We just have to hit them and take the energy out of their game.”

Goals by Adams and Bassen gave the regular-season champion Stars a 2-1 lead over the Red Wings through two periods. Carbonneau scored into an empty net with 11 seconds left after Detroit had pulled goalie Chris Osgood.

The acrobatic Belfour took over the game in the third period and made 10 saves, including a pad save on a breakaway by Kirk Maltby at 11:11 after Mike Modano turned the puck over.

“It was very intense from the start,” Belfour said. “We wanted to make up for that last game. I think we did. Maltby tried a fancy move on me but I took it away and put the puck in the corner.”

Detroit had six power-play chances but couldn’t convert against Belfour. The Stars had five extra-man opportunities but couldn’t score.

Osgood blanked the Stars, 2-0, in Game 1, stopping 14 shots. Osgood stopped 20 shots Tuesday night.