DETROIT (AP) -- Nicklas Lidstrom had two goals and an assist as the Detroit Red Wings hung on for a 5-3 victory over the Dallas Stars on Friday night in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals.
Brent Gilchrist, Jamie Macoun and Martin Lapointe also scored for the Red Wings, who took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-7 series. Jere Lehtinen scored twice and Mike Modano, breaking an eight-game scoring slump, made it a one-goal game late in the third period for the Stars.
The Stars, who are 1-15-2 at Joe Louis Arena since the franchise moved from Minneapolis, had gone an NHL-record 10 straight games without allowing more than two goals until the assault by the defending Stanley Cup champions.
Game 4 will be played Sunday afternoon at Joe Louis Arena.
Detroit blasted its way to a 4-0 lead, but the Stars charged back with three straight goals, one in the second period and two in the third.
Modano, taking a feed from Jamie Langenbruner, stuffed the puck past Chris Osgood from in close with 12:26 left in the game. Detroit claimed Modano was in the crease, but a review let the goal stand, cutting the Red Wings' lead to 4-3.
Lapointe gave Detroit some breathing room when he beat goaltender Ed Belfour with a shot from the slot with 4:05 remaining.
Detroit's game plan obviously was to be more physical in this game. The Stars, by their own admission, were nasty in a 3-1 win in Game 2 in Dallas that evened the series, so the Red Wings came out hitting to start this one.
Lapointe knocked down Dallas forward Mike Keane, an old nemesis from his days with the Colorado Avalanche. Juha Lind was leveled twice and Dallas forward Greg Adams had to be helped from the ice after being dropped in front of the Stars' bench by Bob Rouse.
The rough play cost the Red Wings four first-period penalties, including 1:34 of killing off a 5-on-3 power play. But, with Osgood playing well in goal, Detroit was up to the challenge, leading to thunderous applause from the home crowd.
It didn't hurt, either, that the Red Wings -- who didn't have a shot on goal until the 4:23 mark -- scored on their second shot of the game.
Gilchrist made a nice move to get around Shawn Chambers, eluded the outstretched stick of Craig Ludwig and flipped the puck past Belfour high on the stick side for his fourth playoff goal at 5:50 of the first period.
The Red Wings, who went into the game 1-for-12 on the power play during the first two games, took a 2-0 lead on Lidstrom's goal with six seconds left in Modano's hooking penalty. It was a pinball shot from the slot that glanced off the skate of Dallas defenseman Derian Hatcher, then off Belfour's skate and into the net at 12:42 of the first.
When the period was over, Dallas was ahead 13-7 in shots and 17-15 in hits. But the Red Wings, bidding to become the first team since 1992 to repeat as Stanley Cup champions, had a 2-0 lead and a choke hold on the game.
Detroit appeared to blow it open with thunderous slap shots by Lidstrom and Macoun, both from the top of the left circle, in the first 5:33 of the second period.
Lidstrom scored his fifth playoff goal at 4:13 and Macoun scored his second 1:20 later. On both shots, the puck was past Belfour almost before he had time to react.
Lehtinen started the Stars' comeback with his second playoff goal, unassisted, when he snatched a loose puck in front of the net and beat Osgood at 13:13 of the second period. Lehtinen beat Osgood on the stick side with a shot from the right circle at 4:39 of the third.
The Stars, 0-for-17 on the power play in the series, had the man advantage for most of the final two minutes, but couldn't cash in. They pulled Belfour for the extra attacker with 30 seconds remaining.
Belfour, who allowed only five goals in the entire second round against the Edmonton Oilers and had allowed just three goals through the first two games with Detroit, faced 20 shots. Dallas peppered Osgood with 34.
Game 5 will be played Wednesday night in Dallas. A sixth game, if needed, would be played June 5 in Detroit.
