SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Detroit Red Wings defenseman Brad Stuart registered a game-high seven hits and blocked three shots in 18:42 of ice time. Not bad for someone who played with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee.

Stuart revealed the injury following his team's 2-1 loss in Game 5 to the San Jose Sharks. It happened less than six minutes into Game 4 on a collision with Rob Blake. Stuart left that game and wasn't sure about his status for Saturday until game time.

“It wasn’t bad, took some good pain-killers,'' Stuart said. "I just felt a step slow, wasn’t quite as strong as normal.’’

The injury doesn't require surgery, just some treatment and a few weeks of rest.

Coach Mike Babcock dressed seven defensemen, inserting Brett Lebda into the lineup in place of forward Mattias Ritola, just in case Stuart's knee flared up.

"Stewie's as tough as they come, but we were scared if we ended up with five D after five shifts we’d be in trouble,'' Babcock said. "We wouldn’t have played him normally, but we were up against it.

"We knew it was going to be a three-line game, it’s been a three-line game the whole serires, so I don’t know if that affected us in any way. I thought Stewie was fantastic. Really competed. He’ll be a sore guy tomorrow.’’