Well, the verdict is in: the Detroit Red Wings are the real deal.  Not that I had any doubts before their Game 1 matchup with the Dallas Stars, but Detroit's dominating performance should have the sporting press up in arms with how good they really are. 

Johan "the Mule" Franzen is still scoring goals (he has 12 in this post-season).  Along with Tomas Holmstrom, they provide a devastating one-two punch in front of any opposing goaltender.  Both Franzen and Holmstrom were keyed in on by Dallas coach Dave Tippett.  Dallas D-men needed to be able to control these two and clear them from in front of goalie Marty Turco.  Nobody from the Dallas squad was able to do this last night.

Franzen and Holmstrom played a large part in Detroit's first three goals, all on the power-play.  Defenseman Brian Rafalski was able to bury the puck off of a Nick Lidstrom shot off of the post. 

Turco did not see either shots because Holmstrom was at his normal spot, about one inch from the top of Turco's crease.  Holmstrom later scored the third goal of the game from about one foot inside Turco's crease.

The Mule, who has learned a lot from the NHL's top goalie annoyer (no, not you Avery), deflected in a puck off of a Niklas Kronwall's shot for the game's second goal and his 12th of the post-season.   

Kronwall (not Kronvall) is another surprising story for the Red Wings.  Playing his first post-season at 100 percent healthy, Kronwall is putting fear in any opposing player that wishes to cross through the neutral zone.  Figuring in two of Detroit's goals, Kronwall also kept up his hitting as he provided a Scott Stevens-type of open ice hit on Dallas' Antti Miettinen.  He even had an adjective created for his style of play by Versus play-by-play guy "Doc" Emrick - Kronwallian. 

Valtteri Filppula capped the Red Wings' scoring midway through the second period after some tic-tac-toe passing that started near Chris Osgood and ended up behind Marty Turco.  Dallas captain Brendan Morrow scored the Stars' lone goal with one minute left in the second period.

I think that it is safe to say that many believe the way to defeat the mighty Red Attack is to hit them until they wear down.  If these believers watched last night's game, I'd say "case closed." 

The Wings were by far a more dominating team than the Stars in not only score and puck control, but they also out-hit the Stars in the game.  No hit was better than Kronwall's hit on Miettinen. 

Detroit goalie Chris Osgood also proved how good he was in turning away 20 Dallas shots.  Ozzie stole the show early in the second period with Detroit leading 2-0.  After a big save by Turco on a Henrik Zetterberg wrap-around, Dallas responded by getting a Niklas Hagman breakaway.  Osgood stopped him and kept the lead at two. 

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