Tomas Holmstrom's butt had always been seen as an asset near an opponent's goal, but it became a liability for the Detroit Red Wings in Wednesday's Game 4 loss to the Stars.

With the game scoreless 7 minutes, 34 seconds into the second period, a goal by the Red Wings' Pavel Datsyuk was disallowed when Holmstrom was called for being in the crease.

Replays showed Holmstrom, who often uses his wide body to position himself in front the goalie to set a screen for a shot, didn't have his skates in the crease at the time of the goal. But referee Kelly Sutherland waved off the goal.

"The referees said his skates were outside the crease but his rear end was in the blue area," Red Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom said. "That's a call I've never heard of."

NHL Rule 69, interference on the goalkeeper, never mentions the word "butt." It specifically says a goal should be disallowed only if an attacking player, either by his positioning or by contact, impairs the goalie's ability to move freely within his crease or defend his goal; or if an attacking player initiates intentional or deliberate contact with the goalie, inside or outside the goal crease.

Neither came into play on the Datsyuk goal.

"It was a reputation call, totally," Detroit coach Mike Babcock said. "It's disappointing. Just don't make stuff up."

Babcock called Sutherland a good referee but said he "just blew the call."

In Game 1, the Red Wings scored on a play in which replays showed Holmstrom was in the crease. That goal counted.

Stars coach Dave Tippett said those kinds of calls have a way of evening themselves out in best-of-7 series.

"Game1, the skate was right back in the blue," Tippett said. "Tonight it didn't look like it was right on the edge."

Turco said he didn't think the disallowed goal was a bad call.

"I don't think it's black and white like it used to be," Turco said. "You know, it's the ref's discretion. [It] gave me freedom to move right there."