In the span of a month, Marty Turco has taken his team to its first Western Conference finals in eight years.

He has beaten a Stanley Cup-winning goalie and a Vezina Trophy finalist in consecutive rounds. His overtime sprawling pad save on Patrick Marleau might be the stop of the playoffs.

As he stood in the Stars' dressing room after the 2-1 quadruple overtime win over the San Jose Sharks in Game 6, he seemed to have answered every question but one.

What about his struggles against the Detroit Red Wings and at Joe Louis Arena?

"I think there's been a lot of talk about my professional issues ... my lack of success there," Turco said. "But the only thing I have in the back of my mind was to play there in the playoffs and see what happens. I got my wish against a team that's been dominating in the regular season and playoffs and one that's going to take every inch of battle from us."

Joe Louis Arena is to Turco what Texas Stadium is to Brett Favre. Turco has not won in 10 appearances at the rowdy rink and has allowed four goals on four occasions.

Mike Modano suggested Turco's performances in Detroit have little value.

"He's got a new opportunity to prove himself and to go into that building and play well," Modano said. "It's going to be a big challenge for him, but he's risen every series and that's basically what we need. Great goalies can do that."

In Detroit, the Red Wings were taking nothing for granted.

"It doesn't matter what's happened in the past," grinder Darren McCarty told reporters. "[Turco] is a big reason they are where they're at."

While Marty Turco has never played a postseason game at Joe Louis Arena, his regular-season numbers in Detroit stand in stark contrast to his playoff statistics this season.