DET vs DAL

DETROIT - A collision of strong-willed forces could take place Saturday in a very interesting setting.

Both the NHL and the Detroit Red Wings are standing their ground on just what a player can do in front of a goalie, and the two sides are digging in for a showdown at Joe Louis Arena Saturday on a game that will be televised nationally across Canada on CBC and the United States on NBC.

In other words, one of the biggest audiences of the playoffs will get a chance to see just how serious the league is about this "in the crease" rule.

Mike Murphy, the NHL's Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations, told CBC's Hockey Night in Canada Radio show Thursday that referee Kelly Sutherland made the right call in Game 4 when he disallowed a goal because Tomas Holmstrom's butt was over the imaginary wall of the crease.

"I consider it a cylinder," said Murphy. "The crease is there and it comes to the crossbar in a cylinder fashion."

And while the letter of the rule is written that way, there is very little precedent in calling the rule to the letter. So, does the NHL stand by its decision in making what many are considering a phantom make-up call or does it back off and simply allow a more practical application?

The Red Wings say they are going to push the rule to the very max.

“Our players are planning to head to the front of the crease in Game 5,” general manager Ken Holland said Thursday. “We're going to continue to do the things we've done all year. Homer will go to his spot. Dan Cleary will go hard to the net.”

“We'll stay at the net,” Wing coach Mike Babcock added. “It was a good goal but that's the way it goes sometimes in the playoffs and that's yesterday's news. Let's just keep doing it.''

So the stage is set, then. The Red Wings say they will test the rule every trip up the ice, and the league says it will call the rule every time. Could we really see this play out before a hostile crowd at Joe Louis Arena? Will a referee have the guts to wave off a goal in that setting? Could there be octopus blood splattered before a massive television-watching audience?

Murphy says it could go either way.

"If you live that close to the crease - and nobody is better at it than Tomas Holmstrom - there are going to be benefits along the way, but there are going to repercussions along the way," Murphy said.

"This is one. The goal probably could have stood, but got taken down. I have absolutely no problem with it. I'll support the referee because this game is played fast. It's not played with four or five different replay angles. He's got my support.

"It is a tough call. It's a call the Red Wings are going to have to suck it up on. It's a call they are going to have to live with,'' Murphy added. "They've been the benefactor of many calls where Holmstrom has clearly been in the crease and the call has stood. I don't want to make light of it because that was critical call that could have changed the whole game. But they had a goal in Game 1 that could have changed the whole game. Sometimes things come out in the wash. ... As a neutral party that's how I see it. That's how I feel."
How could you not want to watch that?

Turco to get team support

Stars goalie Marty Turco is 0-9-2 at Joe Louis Arena in his NHL career and his woes are well-chronicled. So teammate Steve Ott said the Stars are bringing the issue out in the open and talking about how they believe in Turco.

"Everybody knows that Marty's had a difficult time in Detroit, that's no secret.'' Ott said. "Marty's an extremely competitive goalie, and I think this sets up great for him. He wants that win probably more than anybody - get that monkey off his back. And getting a win there would be huge for his confidence and the team's, as well….so, really, what better time than now.''

Turco was 18-5 at The Joe when he played for the University of Michigan. Coach Dave Tippett said both Turco and the team gained confidence with a victory in Game 4. Turco had 33 saves in a 3-1 win in Dallas.

"We have confidence in the way we played,'' Tippett said. "We can talk about what we want to do, all the emotions and everything, but it's a matter of when you look at what you did, you can build on that. Our guys feel very good (Thursday). You get up this morning, you're still alive. That's a strong thing to grab a hold of.''

Franzen still out

Johan Franzen will not play in Game 5, Detroit GM Ken Holland said. Franzen has been battling headaches and has not played since Game 1, when he scored a goal to run his playoff totals to 12 in 11 games.

With Franzen out of the lineup and the NHL cracking down on protecting the crease, the Red Wings are 1-for-15 on the power play in their last three games against the Stars.

Key number

25-9 - The Red Wings have outscored opponents 25-9 in going 7-0 on home ice in the playoffs this season.