DALLAS (AP) -- Pavel Datsyuk and the Detroit Red Wings got the best retaliation against Mike Ribeiro and the Dallas Stars -- a record-setting victory.
Datsyuk scored twice in the first period then again with 2:41 left, and the Red Wings beat the Stars 5-2 Monday night to take a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference finals.
This was Detroit's ninth straight win, its most ever in a single postseason and the longest in the NHL since Montreal won 11 in a row in 1993. More importantly, the Red Wings will go into Game 4 on Wednesday night with the chance to skate into the Stanley Cup finals for the fourth time in 11 seasons.
It was Datsyuk's first career hat trick.