Do we have a series?

So the Stars showed that they could play with Detroit.

And it felt really good to watch the boys take it to Detroit and have their effort pay off. Beating Detroit is never a bad feeling, especially in the playoffs - even if it was just excising some demons and showing some spine.

Seeing the Stars go after it and have success with that style filled me with conflicting emotions. Was that just showing pride for one game - "not on our ice" - kind of thing? What if they had thrown that kind of effort out earlier? Was it just Detroit not having the killer instinct enough to finish it in four?

But here is what we know - it was a win. It gave the boys some confidence. Question is - how far can they take it?

Can they get into Detroit's head by winning Game Five? Make no mistake, if the Stars win in Detroit Saturday, the question will arise - barring it being some fluke goal whereas Detroit was clearly the better team, of course. But if the Stars win in any solid fashion, we'll have ourselves a series for the first time.

Of course, win Game Six, and we're making them sweat, and setting up the mother of all sporting events - an NHL Game Seven. Of course, a lot will depend on what happens on the way to that Game Seven, but I just can't see Detroit completely falling apart and I would think a Dallas-Detroit Game Seven would be a monster.

But the reality is this - winning Game Five in and of itself is a major challenge, no matter how much confidence the Stars might take from Game Four.

So let's watch as the boys try to batten down the hatches and go full speed ahead. Now more than ever, it is every shift, every pass, every face-off, every hit.

Go get 'em, guys. Make 'em earn everything.

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Side note - For what its worth, I'm sure there are classy Detroit fans. I really do. In any large fanbase, you have a bell curve - going from saints to simpletons. And Detroit has reason to have a huge fan-base outside Michigan - their team's tradition of success is most impressive.

But seeing the numerous octopus throws in Game Four was insulting and offensive - especially the idiot who tried it from the second level, BEHIND the screens. Surely you weren't dumb enough to think you could make it OVER the screen, were you? Especially considering it only made it to the fifth row in the lower bowl..... I would have loved to see the person who that hit have a few minutes with the jerk who threw it.

Folks, if you want to throw the octopus on your own ice, go right ahead. That's your thing and all. Great. But don't show off to everyone how much of a classless punk you are in our barn.