Turco looking forward to next chance at Joe Louis

Marty Turco has quite an opportunity in front of him.

The Dallas goalie is 0-9-2 in the NHL at Joe Louis Arena, where he will have a chance to stop nagging questions and extend the Western Conference finals against the Detroit Red Wings.

"It's nothing short of an exciting challenge for all of us, and for me personally," Turco said after helping the Stars stave off elimination.

Stars forward Steve Ott said the stage will be set perfectly for Turco tomorrow in Game 5.

"He wants that win probably more than anybody," Ott said. "A win there would be huge for his confidence and the team's."

The Stars are in much better spirits and like their chances of pulling off a rare comeback in the Stanley Cup playoffs after beating Detroit, 3-1, on Wednesday night.

"Our guys feel very good today," Dallas coach Dave Tippett said yesterday. "You get up this morning, you're still alive."

The odds are stacked against the Stars feeling that way many more days.

Just two NHL teams have advanced after trailing a series 3-0. The last was the New York Islanders 33 years ago - 33 years after the Toronto Maple Leafs did it.

But Ott is thankful to still have a shot.

"Summer could have started today and we would have been all pretty miserable having meetings," Ott said.

The Red Wings will be without NHL playoff goal-scoring leader Johan Franzen, who will miss his fourth straight game because of concussion-like symptoms. Franzen has been cleared for light workouts, but doesn't seem to be on the verge of returning to the lineup to add to his franchise-record 12 goals.

"He's going to have to practice with us for a few days and feel good the next day before he plays again," Red Wings general manager Ken Holland said. *