By LARRY LAGE, AP
May 11, 2008
DETROIT - Darren Helm and Henrik Zetterberg scored first-period goals to help make up for the loss of Johan Franzen and Detroit held on for a 2-1 win last night over the Stars and a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference finals.
The game ended in ugly fashion as Chris Osgood used the handle of his stick to poke at Dallas' Mike Ribeiro when he skated past the net. Ribeiro then slashed Osgood across the chest from behind the net.
Following some scuffling, Ribeiro was called for a match penalty and Osgood wasn't penalized.
"Even if I did butt-end him, it was an accident," Osgood said. "I was trying to protect our best player, Nick Lidstrom, so he didn't get run."
Ribeiro's equipment was in the dressing room after the game, but he wasn't around for interviews.
After watching a replay, Dallas coach Dave Tippett blamed Osgood.
"Ribeiro is actually letting up on the guy and Osgood just sticks his stick out and butt-ends him," Tippett said. "Ribeiro is not going to turn around and chop the goalie like that without having something happening."
Tippett was asked if he expected the NHL to suspend Osgood.
"That's for the higher powers to figure out," Tippett said.
