DETROIT – Detroit Red Wings forward Johan Franzen carries the nickname "Mule," both for his stubbornness and his inability to be moved.

Entering Game 2 against the Dallas Stars, Franzen, 28, has scored a playoff-best 12 goals and is stalking the NHL record of 19 in one playoff season. Nearly all of his goals have come within three feet of the crease, continuing a trend established by teammate Tomas Holmstrom.

The two Swedish barriers represent a major impediment to Marty Turco's vision and ability to do his job. Each had a goal in Game 1 and each was omnipresent at the Dallas net.

"It's a one-two punch that's so hard to deal with for the goaltender," Red Wings goalie Chris Osgood said. "It makes me happy that I'm at my end."

The Stars' options are limited against Franzen and Holmstrom.

Rules enacted after the 2004-05 lockout limit the hacking that marked the Derian Hatcher-Richard Matvichuk era of Stars defensemen.

Defenseman Mattias Norstrom said the best option is to play the shooting lanes just in front of the crease. If defensemen try to check Franzen and Holmstrom, it just adds more bodies to distract the goalie, he said.

Franzen, at 6-3 and 220 pounds, represents the bigger concern. He has 27 goals in his last 27 games, counting the regular season.

Before his current hot streak, he scored 10 goals in the previous 56 games.

"I don't know the reason," a baffled and humble Franzen said. "I don't think I should be scoring so many goals."

Holmstrom, 35, has been doing battle with goalies for years, and lists a familiar name as his most memorable foe: former Stars goalie Ed Belfour, whom he and Martin Lapointe dueled during the 1998 Western Conference finals.

"He didn't hesitate to go crazy with his stick around the net and between the legs and stuff like that," Holmstrom said. "Turco can do that once in a while."

Not so, Turco said.

Turco said he hopes the league continues to enforce its stated standard on goalie interference. The Stars were angry at perceived interference on Holmstrom's goal in Game 1.

Stars coach Dave Tippett suggested Turco might have to be more aggressive in protecting his area.

"Our goaltender has to battle harder to get us space," Tippett said.