DETROIT — Johan Franzen, Brian Rafalski and Tomas Holmstrom scored power-play goals for the Red Wings, who built a big lead in the second period and coasted to a 4-1 victory over the Stars in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals Thursday night.
“Our starts have been great, and we’ve played well after that,” goalie Chris Osgood said.
After Valtteri Filppula put the top-seeded Red Wings ahead 4-0, Brenden Morrow scored with a minute left in the second period to prevent the fifth-seeded Stars from getting shut out.
“We had a good two or three shifts to start the game,” Morrow said. “But then the ice got tilted the other way.”
Game 2 is Saturday night at Joe Louis Arena, where Stars goalie Marty Turco is 0-8-2 in his NHL career.
“There’s no question by the next game, they’ll be back and rolling,” Detroit coach Mike Babcock said.
Turco made 27 saves, and Osgood turned away 20 shots.
The way the Franzen-led Red Wings are playing — winning seven straight — they’re going to be tough to beat in any rink.
“I’m not worried about how the Red Wings played. I’m worried about how we played,” Dallas coach Dave Tippett said. “That’s a game that wasn’t even close to the games we played in the playoffs.”
Franzen’s 12th goal extended his team postseason scoring record, and the player known as Mule matched another club mark by finding the net for a fifth consecutive game.
Gordie Howe pulled off the feat in 1949 and 1964. Ted Lindsay scored in five consecutive games in 1952.
Franzen has 15 points in the playoffs, tying Jaromir Jagr of the New York Rangers.
The Red Wings, who swept the Avalanche in the previous round, were so dominant in the first two periods it looked as though they had a man advantage in even-strength situations. They also created scoring chances while killing penalties.
