With time running out in regulation, Dallas Stars forward Brenden Morrow hit Sharks forward Milan Michalek against the boards near the Stars bench. Michalek fell to the ice and it took several minutes after the period ended for teammates Joe Thornton and Jonathan Cheechoo to help him to the dressing room.

He did not return for overtime. Michalek had four goals and was plus-3 in the series before the hit.

Richard Durrett

The Stars came out aggressive early in Game 6 and their physical play resulted in a broken glass panel at the 1:12 mark of the first period.

Stars center Joel Lundqvist slammed San Jose defenseman Douglas Murray against the glass in the right corner of the Stars' zone and a panel of glass shattered. Stars' officials had to replace the glass, causing a 5-minute delay before play resumed.

The Lundqvist hit was one of many for the Stars in the first period as they often had Sharks' players flying into the boards or upended on the ice. Stars instigating center Steve Ott even lost his helmet on one of his hits in the Stars' zone.

Brandon George

Stars forward Stu Barnes missed his third straight game with concussion-like symptoms.

Barnes was hit in the head in Game 3 on Tuesday, was held out of Game 4 on Wednesday, worked out Thursday and felt dizzy. He didn't travel to San Jose for Friday's Game 5 in hopes of being ready for Game 6. But he couldn't even skate Sunday morning, and coach Dave Tippett said he's not sure when he can return.

"He very valuable," Tippett said. "He's a veteran guy who does a lot of the little things. But this just becomes an opportunity for other players."

Dallas subbed in Brandon Crombeen on the forward lines.

Mike Heika

Stars rookie defenseman Matt Niskanen missed four games this season with injury but was never a healthy scratch. He also played in the first 11 games of the playoffs before receiving his first healthy scratch as a pro on Sunday.

Stars coach Dave Tippett opted to sit him and put fellow rookie defenseman Mark Fistric in the lineup.

Fistric had been a healthy scratch in Game 5 on Friday, but Tippett said he liked Fistric's energy and physical play.

"He's got weight," Tippett said of Fistric. "He's been a good player for us."

Mike Heika

Stars captain Brenden Morrow said after Game 3 that the Stars were emphasizing their play in the first period. But the Stars continued to have nothing to show for their early efforts on Sunday night.

For the third consecutive game and fourth time in the series, the Stars and Sharks went scoreless in the first period. The Stars have only one first-period goal in this series, and that came in Game 2.

Brandon George

Sergei Zubov played his 108th playoff game in a Stars uniform, moving into third place on the franchise's all-time list. Mike Modano is first at 168, and Neal Broten is second at 115. ... Sharks defenseman Kyle McLaren (lower-body injury) missed his sixth consecutive game in the series. ... In preparation for the Western Conference finals, Detroit had three scouts in the press box, including former Star Pat Verbeek.