The fracas in the final seconds that spilled into the postgame, though, will be what people are talking about and might lead to suspensions.

Darren Helm and Henrik Zetterberg scored first-period goals to help make up for the loss of Johan Franzen, and the Red Wings held on for a 2-1 win Saturday night over the Dallas Stars in Detroit and a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference finals.

The game ended in ugly fashion as Chris Osgood used the handle of his stick to poke at Dallas’ Mike Ribeiro when he skated past the net. Ribeiro then slashed Osgood across the chest from behind the net.

Following some scuffling, Ribeiro was called for a match penalty. Osgood wasn’t penalized.

“Even if I did butt-end him, it was an accident,” Osgood said. “I was trying to protect our best player, Nick Lidstrom, so he didn’t get run.”

Ribeiro’s equipment was in the dressing room after the game, but he wasn’t around for interviews.

After watching a replay, Dallas coach Dave Tippett blamed Osgood for the fracas.

“Ribeiro is actually letting up on the guy, and Osgood just sticks his stick out and butt-ends him,” Tippett said. “Ribeiro is not going to turn around and chop the goalie like that without having something happening.

“I looked at it and said, ‘What’s he doing?’ until I went in and looked at the tape.”

Tippett was asked if he expected the NHL to suspend Osgood.

“That’s for the higher powers to figure out,” Tippett said.

Dallas goaltender Marty Turco acknowledged he didn’t see the play as it happened, but was disgusted by what his teammates told him.

“A butt-end to somebody’s face at any time is pretty gutless,” Turco said. “Just sticking your knob out there is a dangerous play.

“It’s something our game doesn’t need if that did happen.”

Osgood said even if he did hit Ribeiro, his reaction was excessive.

“I don’t think it justifies a two-hander over the top of the net,” Osgood said.

Teammate Kris Draper agreed.

“Something like that, that’s right out of “Slap Shot.” It’s literally intent to injure,” Draper said. “I couldn’t believe it when he did it.”

Heated emotions will likely carry over into Game 3 on Monday night in Dallas.

The ending at Detroit’s Joe Louis Arena overshadowed an accomplishment for the NHL’s top-seeded team.

The Red Wings scratched Franzen from the lineup, saying he would miss the following game because of concussion-like symptoms. He’s had recurring headaches since early in the previous series.

“I was joking around with him and I said, ‘I don’t know, whatever wires are crossed, let’s keep them crossed,’ ” Detroit coach Mike Babcock said.

Franzen has scored an NHL-high 27 times since March 2, a 27-game roll that includes a league-high and franchise-record 12 goals in the postseason. He is the first player to score 12 playoff goals since Rob Brind’Amour for Carolina in 2006.

Lemaire to return to Wild

Jacques Lemaire has 11 Stanley Cup championship rings, 500 victories as a coach and is widely considered one of the best coaches in the NHL.

Yet despite all he has done as a player, executive and coach, Lemaire still needed a little reassurance from Minnesota general manager Doug Risebrough before deciding to return for an eighth season behind the Wild bench.

“I wanted to talk to Doug and see what he thought,” Lemaire said during a teleconference Saturday to announce he will be back next season. “I got a good response.”

NHL playoffs

saturday

Detroit 2, Dallas 1

(Red Wings leads series 2-0)

Today

Philadelphia at Pittsburgh, 4:30 p.m., CBUT, Vs.

(Penguins leads series 1-0)