Darren Helm and Henrik Zetterberg each scored first period goals as the Red Wings held on to defeat the Dallas Stars 2-1 to take a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference Finals Saturday night. Chris Osgood stopped 17 of 18 shots to secure his eighth-straight victory. Actions at the end of Game 3 could result in a suspension for Stars' forward Mike Ribeiro following a stick-swinging incident on Osgood as time expired.

In the final seconds of the third period the Stars dumped the puck in behind the Detroit net where defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom went back to play the puck. Osgood, eyeing Ribeiro coming in on a forecheck, wanted to help prevent a possible run on Lidstrom to end the game, and stuck his arm out to slow Ribeiro. The butt-end of Osgood's stick, however, struck Ribeiro in the face. Ribeiro, obviously frustrated with the 2-0 hole he finds his team in and irritated by getting hit with Osgood's stick, retaliated with a two-handed swing of his stick that struck Osgood across the chest.

Ribeiro was given a match penalty at the end of the game.

Prior to the post-game shenanigans the Red Wings put on a clinic in Game 2 despite missing NHL playoff scoring leader Johan Franzen, who will miss at least Game 3 with concussion-like symptoms he's been suffering from since early in the second round against the Colorado Avalanche.

Following several blown opportunities to score the first goal by the Stars -- including an unheard-of 4-on-1 with only Niklas Kronwall back -- Detroit took the lead when rookie Helm found some open space along the left faceoff circle. Helm snapped a quick shot on Marty Turco that beat the goaltender high to the glove side 5:56 into the game.

Dallas tied the game during the club's first power-play opportunity when a screened Osgood was late getting across to stop defenseman Stephane Robidas's blast at 10:41.

Detroit grabbed the lead for good just under five minutes later when Tomas Holmstrom pre-occupied Turco long enough to enable Zetterberg's blast to find the back of the net from the top of the right faceoff circle.

The Red Wings outshot Dallas 34-18 and won a ridiculous 39 of 54 faceoffs on the night.

Game 3 is Monday night in Dallas.