Key stat: The Red Wings rank first in playoff scoring at 3.80 goals per game.

Comment: It's worth noting that Detroit garnered that lofty scoring average against teams that ranked 12th (Colorado) and 15th (Nashville) in goals-against average during the regular season, while Dallas had to forge its 2.92 playoff scoring average (fifth) against the No. 2 (Anaheim) and No. 3 (San Jose) defensive teams during the regular season. That said, Detroit led the NHL in shots on goal during the regular season (34.4) and the first two rounds of the playoffs (39.3). This is a dominant offensive team.

Edge: Detroit

Key stat: Detroit led the NHL in goals-against average during the regular season at 2.18.

Comment: San Jose coach Ron Wilson was in the middle of calling Dallas "the best back-checking team in the NHL" when he caught himself. "Well, behind Detroit," Wilson added. The Wings' top two scorers – Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk – are each finalists for the Selke Trophy, given to the best defensive forward in hockey. When your best players play defense, it means every player has to play defense. Oh, and one more thing: Nicklas Lidstrom will probably win his sixth Norris Trophy this season as the best defenseman in the NHL.

Edge: Detroit

Key stat: Detroit goaltender Chris Osgood ranks first in playoff GAA at 1.52 and first in regular-season GAA at 2.09.

Comment: Osgood's numbers are scary good. He leads the NHL in goals-against average in the regular season and the playoffs and has won more games against the Stars (27) than any other opponent in his career. So why did he play only 43 games during the regular season and start the playoffs on the bench? The Wings obviously thought Dominik Hasek was the better goalie. Osgood has replaced Hasek and is the perfect fit for Detroit right now, but the Stars' Marty Turco is the hotter goalie. Turco ranks second in playoff GAA at 1.73 and is coming off the best playoff game of his life, a 61-save performance against San Jose. He has never won an NHL game in Detroit, so he will face a lot of pressure.

Edge: Dallas

Key stat: Dallas ranks first in NHL postseason power-play goals with 15.

Comment: The Stars have had the hottest power play in the postseason with 15 goals in 12 games and a 25 percent success rate. Detroit has 10 power-play goals in 10 games. The two teams are tied for fourth in playoff penalty-kill success at 85.7 percent. Dallas will need its power play if it hopes to succeed against the Red Wings, but there's one caveat. The two teams combined for only two power-play goals during their four-game regular-season series.

Edge: Dallas

Key stat: Red Wings coach Mike Babcock is 35-20 in the playoffs and led the 2002-03 Anaheim Ducks to the Stanley Cup Finals.

Comment: Stars coach Dave Tippett has the highest winning percentage among active NHL coaches with a 235-127-48 record. However, his playoff record is 19-22, and he is advancing to the conference finals for the first time in his career. This is the third conference finals for Babcock, including last season against the eventual Stanley Cup champion Ducks. Babcock is a finalist for the Jack Adams Award, which honors the NHL's top coach during the regular season.

Edge: Detroit

A look at the Stars' and Red Wings' probable forward lines and defensive pairings:

Goalie: Marty Turco

Injured: RW/C Stu Barnes (concussion-like symptoms) is doubtful. D Philippe Boucher (hip strain) is doubtful.

Extras: D Matt Niskanen, G Johan Holmqvist, RW Konstantin Pushkarev, RW B.J. Crombeen, RW Krys Barch, D Dan Jancevski, G Tobias Stephan and LW Chris Conner.

Goalie: Chris Osgood

Injured: RW Tomas Kopecky (knee) is out.

Extras: RW Daniel Cleary, G Dominik Hasek, D Derek Meech, D Andreas Lilja, C Mark Hartigan, RW Aaron Downey