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Stars-Red Wings News & Notes Thursday, May 15,2008 A day after keeping their hopes alive in the Western Conference Finals, it was a low key day around the Stars' practice facility in Frisco. It was an optional skate and few did. In fact, many players stayed home to rest and recharge the batteries as the team prepares to try to win Game 5 in Detroit Saturday and bring the series back to Dallas. With a win under their belts, the Stars have a shot of confidence. You just got to look at we have confidence in the way we played last night. That’s the biggest," said Stars coach Dave Tippett. "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, you can look back and say, We played well in these areas, this is what we did to be successful, you take those things with you, that helps bring that momentum or that emotion with you." "Our guys feel very good today. You get up this morning, you’re still alive. That’s a strong thing to grab a hold of. We’ll look at what we did well into that game last night and take it into Game 5." Forward Steve Ott was one of the players in Frisco Thursday. He said the team's confidence started to build when they got that first goal, that late second period tally by Loui Eriksson that gave the Stars their first lead of the series. "The bench lit up like it did in the first two series. We hadn’t really seen that in any of the first three games. The excitement was there. In between periods, the guys were loose, but excited to be up a goal," said Ott. "So that feeling that we had, it’s hard to explain, but the feeling we had against San Jose and Anaheim was definitely there against Detroit last night." Now the Stars will head back to Detroit, where they lost the first two games and where goalie Marty Turco has never won an NHL game. Ott said there is no better time than Saturday to get over that hump. "Obviously, things haven’t been great in Detroit. Starting with your goalie, when he hasn’t really won in that building, it kind of sets up for a great night, I think," Ott said. "What better time than now to, you know, put a little bit of pressure on them, Marty have a big night, get out there with a win." Phantom calls Red Wings coach Mike Babcock suggested after Wednesday's game that the refs made up a call on Detroit forward Tomas Holmstrom that cost his team a goal early in the second period. On Thursday Stars' captain Brenden Morrow suggested that a made up call on Stars defenseman Mark Fistric gave the Red Wings a five-on-three power play that resulted in the first goal of the series. McCreary penalized Fistric, who appeared to have done little, for roughing early in the first period with the Stars already down a man. "That was a very phantom call," Morrow said on KTCK 1310 The Ticket. "I think that was a little payback for something that happened in the Anaheim series between Fisty and McCreary. It's just my own opinion, but I think that was something that was made up. "That's my opinion. I think there was a little grudge between referee and player that he felt he wanted to even the score. You never like to see those things. Referees sometimes have a lot to do in the game, and he felt like he wanted to set the tone." Stars Notes
Red Wings watch The Red Wings flew back to Detroit on Thursday and did not practice. They will hit the ice on Friday in preparation for Saturday afternoon's game at Joe Louis Arena, where the Red Wings are 7-0 so far in the playoffs. "We’re still in control and we’re going back home where we’ve played real well all playoffs and all regular season,” Dan Cleary said. “We just have to take care of business, be more disciplined and put more pressure on Turco. What we’ve always stressed is be good at home — make sure other teams know when they come into our building it’s not going to be an easy task, and we’ve done that." The Red Wings have outscored their opponents 24-10 at The Joe so far in the postseason, and have held their opponents to just one goal five times. Red Wings injury update: Franzen out for Game 5 Red Wings forward Johan Franzen (concussion-like symptoms) is out for Game 5. Red Wings GM Ken Holland said Franzen underwent an MRI on Thursday to compare with the one he had Monday. Results weren't available. Franzen has been cleared for light workouts, but there is still no timetable for his return. "He's going to have to practice with us for a few days and feel good the next day before he plays again," Red Wings general manager Ken Holland said. Quotable I "Babcock said we were watching for it. Listen, we'd be fools if we didn't meet before games to talk about Holmstrom. He crowds the crease. You don't have to be Sam flippin' Pollock to figure that out." NHL's senior VP of hockey operations, Colin Campbell, in an interview with the Canwest News Service, on Detroit coach Mike Babcock's comment that the league prepares the referees to watch Tomas Holmstrom's play around the crease Quotable II "I think the fall gave me the flu." Stars captain Brenden Morrow discussing the injury he suffered in Game 3 of the series, when he missed a hit on Brad Stuart, fell to the ice and twisted his arm
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