The Red Wings were back on the ice this morning to begin preparation for the Western Conference Finals, which kicks off Thursday night against the Dallas Stars. Dallas knocked off the San Jose Sharks in six games following Sunday's 4OT thriller. The only Wing regular not taking the ice was forward Valtteri Filppula, reports Bruce MacLeod.

MacLeod posted that he spoke with Filppula following the session. The second-year forward "downplayed his injury" and said he hoped to be ready for Thursday's Game 1. McLeod noted, however, that the forward lines in practiced were shuffled to resemble lines that would play in Game 1 rather than inserting a reserve forward in an established line as a placeholder. Dan Cleary was moved up to take Filppula's spot on the 2nd line and Kirk Maltby filled in on the third line.

Head coach Mike Babcock added that Filppula is "just about ready to play". The only other Red Wing nursing a known injury is defenseman Chris Chelios (lower body), who sat out Thursday's Game 4 clincher in Colorado.

Chelios was back at his usual spot on the No. 3 pairing with Brett Lebda.