Turco made 34 saves on Wednesday night and staved off 6-on-4 and 6-on-3 threats in the final minutes as Dallas staved off elimination and pulled to within 3-1 of Detroit with a 3-1 win in Game 4.
Analysis: Turco has been excellent overall in the postseason with a 2.03 goals-against average, but had struggled in the first three games against Detroit, going 0-3 with a 3.70 GAA.
Osgood, who had been 9-0 in the postseason since taking over for the struggling Dominik Hasek, lost for the first time on Wednesday, as Dallas beat Detroit 3-1 to stay alive in its Western Conference finals series.
Analysis: It was only the third time Osgood had allowed three goals in the postseason. He's now 9-1 with a 1.62 goals-against average in the playoffs.
Coburn was ruled out Thursday for a second straight game after his swollen left eye didn't show enough improvement.
Analysis: Coburn was struck in the face by a puck in the opening minutes of Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals last Sunday and sat out Tuesday when the Flyers lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins to fall into an 0-3 hole. Coburn didn't break any bones, but severe swelling forced his left eye to close. He was able to practice Wednesday and hoped to play in Game 4.
Franzen will miss his fourth straight game when the Red Wings face Dallas in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals Saturday.
Analysis: Detroit general manager Ken Holland says Franzen has been cleared for light workouts. But Holland says the center would need to practice with the team for a few days before returning to the lineup. Franzen was scratched from the Red Wings' lineup for Game 2 against the Stars and missed the next two games as well because of concussion-like symptoms. He's had recurring headaches dating to early in the previous series.
Franzen didn't play Wednesday night in Detroit's 3-1 loss to Dallas in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals, but was cleared to work out according to the Detroit Free Press.
Analysis: Franzen has 10 goals - including two hat tricks - in his last five postseason games, and has 12 goals and three assists total in 11 playoff games.
The Boston Bruins signed Kobasew to a multiyear contract extension on Tuesday after his highest scoring season in five years in the NHL. The team did not disclose contract details.
Analysis: Kobasew had career highs of 22 goals, 17 assists and 39 points in 73 games this past season. He finished second on the team in goals to Marco Sturm, who had 27. Kobasew missed the playoffs with a fractured left leg.
Roberts sat out Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals on Tuesday night because he was sick. Roberts came to the arena Tuesday when the Penguins held their morning skate, but didn't take part.
Analysis: Roberts has played in only six of Pittsburgh's 12 postseason games. He was sidelined by a groin injury earlier in the playoffs and was out of the lineup for five games. Roberts didn't come back to active duty until Game 4 of the second round against the New York Rangers when Maxime Talbot was forced out with an injured foot. He has two goals and an assist in the playoffs.
Kobasew has a new three-year contract, a nearly healed leg and an optimistic outlook for the Boston Bruins next season.
Analysis: Kobasew, the team's second-leading goal scorer in 2007-08, missed the playoffs with a broken left leg but thinks he could start working out again in about a week. And he doesn't have to worry about where his future will be. Kobasew, 26, had career highs of 22 goals, 17 assists and 39 points in 73 regular-season games.
Crosby had two assists on Tuesday, helping the Penguins beat Philadelphia 4-1 to take a 3-0 lead in the Eastern Conference finals and improve to 11-1 overall in the postseason.
Analysis: Crosby has been criticized in some circles for not stepping up in the playoffs, yet he leads all players in the league with 19 points (four goals, 15 assists) in the postseason.
Fleury continues to be nearly flawless in goal for the Penguins in the postseason. He stopped 17 of the 18 shots he faced on Tuesday, helping the Penguins beat Philadelphia 4-1 to take a 3-0 lead in the Eastern Conference finals and improve to 11-1 overall in the postseason.
Analysis: Fleury improved to 11-1 with a 1.74 goals-against average in the postseason. Dating back to March 9 in the regular season, Fleury is an amazing 19-2-1 with a 1.54 GAA and three shutouts.
Hossa had a pair of goals on Tuesday, helping the Penguins beat Philadelphia 4-1 to take a 3-0 lead in the Eastern Conference finals and improve to 11-1 overall in the postseason.
Analysis: Hossa, often maligned for coming up empty in the playoffs, has been a key figure in Pittsburgh's playoff run. He has eight goals and seven assists in 12 games.
Datsyuk notched the first hat trick of his entire career, sending the visiting Red Wings past Dallas 5-2 on Monday night for a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference finals.
Analysis: Datsyuk scored twice in the first period and again with 2:41 left for his first career three-goal performance in 518 total NHL games, including 73 playoff contests. The center has five goals and seven assists in his last seven games, giving him eight tallies and nine assists in 13 postseason games. Datsyuk has established a career-best with 17 playoff points, tying him for second in the league - one point behind teammate Henrik Zetterberg.
Zetterberg contributed a goal and two assists, sending the visiting Red Wings past Dallas 5-2 on Monday night for a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference finals.
Analysis: Zetterberg has registered at least a point in eight consecutive games, totaling seven goals and eight assists in that stretch. In 13 playoff games, the left wing has nine goals and nine assists to lead the NHL with 18 postseason points - the most in a single season for Zetterberg.
Rafalski contributed two assists, sending the visiting Red Wings past Dallas 5-2 on Monday night for a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference finals.
Analysis: This was Rafalski's third multipoint performance in the postseason - his first since he had two assists in an April 24 win over Colorado. Rafalski, who matched a career-best with 55 points in the regular season, has two goals and eight assists in 13 playoff contests.
Osgood stopped 16 of the 18 shots he faced, sending the visiting Red Wings past Dallas 5-2 on Monday night for a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference finals.
Analysis: Osgood improved to 9-0-0 with a 1.47 goals-against average as a starter since replacing Dominik Hasek on April 18 in Game 4 of the Red Wings' first-round playoff series against Nashville. The goaltender is 34-12-0 with three ties, four shutouts and a 2.19 GAA in 50 career appearances versus the Stars. Osgood is 15-7-0 with a tie, three shutouts and a 1.94 GAA in 23 games in Dallas.
Turco gave up a postseason-high five goals on 21 shots as the host Stars fell into an 0-3 deficit in the Western Conference finals with a 5-2 loss to Detroit on Monday.
Analysis: The five goals Turco allowed match the most he has surrendered in the playoffs in his career. He gave up five in Vancouver on April 11, 2007, during a four-overtime defeat. Turco has lost five of his last six decisions, posting a 2.39 goals-against average in that stretch. He fell to 8-7-0 with a 2.09 GAA in 15 postseason starts overall. Turco dropped to 2-4-0 with three ties, a shutout and a 2.80 GAA in nine all-time starts against the Red Wings in Dallas.
Morrow contributed an assist as the host Stars fell into an 0-3 deficit in the Western Conference finals with a 5-2 loss to Detroit on Monday.
Analysis: Morrow has three goals and two assists during a five-game points streak, giving him eight goals and six assists in 15 postseason games. The left wing was on the ice after he and his wife, the daughter of Montreal coach Guy Carbonneau, had twins Sunday, a boy and a girl.
Staal is dealing with the death of his grandfather, but he is expected to be in the lineup for the Penguins' game against Philadelphia on Tuesday.
Analysis: Staal will participate in Game 3 of the teams' Eastern Conference final playoff series, then head to Canada for the funeral before rejoining the club Wednesday in Philadelphia. Staal scored a goal on Sunday in the Penguins' 4-2 victory that gave the club a 2-0 series lead.
The Blues signed Eller to a three-year, entry-level contract, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Analysis: Eller's deal, pending a physical, is the rookie maximum for a 2007 first-round pick - $875,000 plus incentives. The 19-year-old Denmark native was the 13th overall pick last summer. Eller helped Frolunda to the Swedish under-20 title in early April. The center also competed with the Danish national team in the IIHF World Championship this month.
The Blues have inched closer to signing top prospect T.J. Oshie, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Analysis: The Blues made Oshie the 24th overall selection in the 2005 draft, and while the center has yet to sign a contract, he was in St. Louis on Monday to take a physical. Oshie just completed his junior season at the University of North Dakota, leading the Fighting Sioux to the NCAA Frozen Four. Hockeyfutures.com ranks the 5-foot-11, 181-pound Oshie as the 13th-best prospect.
© 2008 by STATS LLC.