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This is: Dallas has yet to lead the Detroit Red Wings for a single second in any game this series.
How can the Stars fathom winning four straight games under those circumstances?
They can't. Instead, players came away from practice yesterday talking about playing for pride in Game 4 tonight, hoping merely to send the series back to Detroit for Game 5. If they can pull off that one, too, maybe then they can start thinking about pulling off what would be among the greatest comebacks in NHL history.
"We're all honest," forward Brad Richards said. "We know it's a tough hole to climb out of, but we're doing some good things. A break or two, a little more concentration in a few areas and we have a win. We've got to look at it like that. Get a win and you don't know what kind of roll you can get on."
Teammate Mike Modano talked about trying "to make this thing interesting ... get some confidence going, get a little doubt in their mind, maybe, make it difficult."
They certainly need something because Detroit has nothing to doubt right now.
The league's top team in the regular season has been even better in the playoffs. The Red Wings are 11-2 with nine straight wins, a franchise record for a single postseason. Their next victory will send them to the Stanley Cup finals for the fourth time in 11 seasons, and they're sure to be heavy favorites to win it all for the fourth time in 11 seasons.
But, first, there's that pesky matter of the close-out game.
It's supposed to be the toughest in any playoff series, but Detroit has made it look easy.
The Red Wings have ended both series thus far on their first try, ending the opening round with their best defensive performance (their lone shutout) then ending the second round with their best offensive performance (eight goals).
So, no, the Stars aren't likely to catch them looking ahead.
"They're going to have a huge push, we understand that totally," Detroit coach Mike Babcock said. "In saying that, we have to push them as hard as we've pushed them all series, and harder. And we're optimistic. We're capable of doing that."
The Red Wings are capable of doing anything they want right now, which is why the Eastern Conference finalists should be worried.
See, Dallas hasn't been that bad. Detroit simply has been that good.
Pick a stat, any stat, and the Red Wings aren't just winning, they are dominating the fifth-seeded Stars, making it look more and more like they overachieved by getting this far.
Even good health is on Detroit's side. Yes, the Red Wings remain without Johan Franzen, the top goal-scorer this postseason with 12, and will be again for Game 4. But the Stars will again be without top-line forward Jere Lehtinen and veteran forward Stu Barnes.
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