DET vs DAL

DALLAS - Neither coaches nor players believe the Detroit-Dallas Western Conference finals is going to degenerate into a brawl at any time, but they understand that tensions are getting higher.

After the NHL did not see fit to suspend anyone after a couple of fracases broke out at the end of Game 2 in Detroit, the two teams said they were back to business and back on task for Game 3 Monday at American Airlines Center.

"If you feel punching somebody in the head after the whistle is going to help you win, that's what you should do,'' Detroit coach Mike Babcock said. "But that's not the way we go about our business.''

Dallas coach Dave Tippett added that he didn't think the Stars were too interested in escalating physical play, particularly if the Red Wings power play continues to click at a rate of 10 man-advantage goals in the past five game.

"This is really no different from the first two series,'' Tippett said. "We have to play hard, but we have to play smart. That's exactly what we did against Anaheim and San Jose, and it's what we try to do every game. We are going to push hard and skate hard and try to control the pace, but we have to stay disciplined and not put them on the power play. That's just smart hockey.''

League decides on fines, not suspensions

The NHL did not suspend any player after a few dust-ups in Game 2, but it did fine Dallas' Mike Ribeiro and Steve Ott, as well as Detroit's Chris Osgood. The two sides tried to play down the incidents, but there still was bad blood flowing Sunday.

Ribeiro slashed Osgood in the chest after Osgood clipped Ribeiro in the face with a butt-end.
Ribeiro said he did not talk to the league about the slash.

"No, I didn't talk to them. Except, I don't know if it was that bad of a slash to be talked to,'' Ribeiro said. "If they do suspend me for one game, hopefully they suspend him for two games."

Ribeiro said he was simply tracking the puck at the end of the game and was going behind the Wings net when, in his opinion, Osgood intentionally stuck his stick out and hit him in the face.

"I think if you see the replay, he actually tries to do it,'' Ribeiro said. "It's not like he accidentally hit me. He kind of was bent down, raised up and clipped me in the face. So if he doesn't do that, I don't think I react, I have no reason to do what I did.''

Osgood said he's moved past it.

"Just a little altercation that's over with now,'' Osgood said. "We're just moving on to the next game. We're playing hard, we're doing the little things right, we're back-checking real hard, and we're getting above them and getting pucks deep when we have to. We just have to keep doing those little things.''

Lehtinen questionable, Barnes out

The Stars need Ribeiro. Jere Lehtinen is nursing a leg injury and is questionable for Game 3. Stu Barnes (concussion-like symptoms) has already been ruled out for Game 3 - the sixth consecutive playoff game he will miss.

Lehtinen ran into Brenden Morrow and the two butted heads in Game 2, and Lehtinen appeared woozy after the collision. However, the Stars insist he hurt his leg later in the game.

"There was speculation when Brenden ran into him. It wasn't that one, it was later in the game,'' Stars coach Dave Tippett said. "It's just soft tissue stuff. So it's one of those ones it's hard to get a grasp on. We'll see how he is in the morning.''

Morrow's wife has twins

Stars captain Brenden Morrow took Sunday off as his wife Anne-Marie gave birth to twins - a boy and a girl named Brady and Mallory. Anne-Marie is the daughter of Montreal coach and former Stars player Guy Carbonneau

"I know he needs a little time away from the rink as hard as he's been going,'' Stars goalie Marty Turco said. "And just the thought of bringing two new lives into this world on Mother's Day, I can't imagine a better feeling.''

Stars say they like underdog role

Stars coach Dave Tippett said his team should get energy from the fact the everybody is counting them out in this series.

"I think we enjoy that,'' he said. "Being the underdog, when you have key injuries to key people…our philosophy all year long has been that's not an excuse for not winning. And we have injuries but we want to find ways to win hockey games. We feel if we go out to win a game tomorrow, we're back in the series. That's our focus.

"Whether we have Barnes or Lehtinen or (Philippe) Boucher, we have to focus on winning a hockey game, how are we going to do it and where we're going to have to, what kind of effort it's going to take to do it. Like I say, that's our sole focus right now.''

Red Wings feel they are getting to Turco

While Stars goalie Marty Turco said he doesn't plan to retaliate against the Red Wings in front of the net, cameras caught him tripping Valtteri Filppula and punching Tomas Holmstrom in the back of the head.

"I think Tommy is driving Turco crazy in there,'' said winger Daniel Cleary. "That's his job and he's the best at it in the world.''