DETROIT -- No goals have been scored in the second period in the Western Conference semifinals between the Detroit Red Wings and San Jose Sharks.

But the Sharks have done a good job of wearing down Detroit in the second period, spending a lot of time in the offensive zone, their big forwards cycling the puck and grinding.

San Jose outshot Detroit 18-9 during the second period of Game 1 and 19-9 in the second period of Game 2.

The Red Wings know they must stop this trend, particularly in the period when the bench is further from the defensive zone, making line changes more challenging.

"They’ve been better both nights in the second period," Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said. "Both nights it came after they got momentum off the power play. They didn’t score, but they wore us out for four or five shifts in our zone, not getting your (defense) off, long change and they got momentum from that."

Red Wings forward Johan Franzen said limiting the Sharks’ time in the offensive zone is a key in Game 3 Wednesday at Joe Louis Arena.

"Got to keep (their cycle) short. The longer it goes on the harder it is to stop," Franzen said. "Need to have good effort to cut them off right away and try to get the puck out right away."

Just how tiring is it to be caught on the ice when the Sharks cycle and grind the puck?

"Of course it is, if you’re stuck in there," Detroit defenseman Brian Rafalski said. "You always try to do that in the second period because you have easier change with the forwards. You got to try to limit those. That’s where your depth comes in. You got to give those guys a chance to rest."



Red Wings need more pressure

Babcock said his team spent more time in the offensive zone, working the Sharks’ defense, in Game 2. But it still wasn’t enough.

"We got to execute on them and be harder on the puck in their zone," Babcock said. "The more of those 50-50 pucks you win, the more you’re going to have the puck."

They might have to dump the puck in the zone more often.

"They spend too much time in our zone tiring us out instead of us doing the opposite," Brad Stuart said. "I don’t think we made it hard enough on their team. We just need to shoot more, get pucks in behind them a little better and that’ll help us."

Said goaltender Jimmy Howard: "They’re playing well in their own end. They’re really making us work. We just got to keep throwing pucks at the net and keep pushing it.

"Continue to do things that make us successful. That’s spending as little time in our own zone and spending the majority of our shifts in theirs."

Coming back from 0-2 deficit

The Red Wings are 5-15 all-time when losing the first two games of a best-of-seven series.

The last time they came back from an 0-2 hole was against Vancouver in the first round in 2002. They also did it in 1992 against the Minnesota North Stars, 1987 vs. Toronto, 1963 vs. Chicago and 1945 vs. Boston.

Detroit has lost six of the past seven series it has trailed 0-2, including last year vs. San Jose and 2003 against Anaheim.



Some reaction to being down 0-2:

-- Henrik Zetterberg: "This is the way it is. It’s playoffs. They’re playing good at home. (Sunday) we played good. Now we’re going home. We get an extra day (between games). We’ll regroup."

-- Babcock: "You’re disappointed. You’d like to steal a game. We still got to steal a game (in San Jose) to win the series. Frustration is a waste of time. It’s a waste of energy. Let’s get on with it."

-- Rafalski: "It’s exact same (as last year), down 2-0. Going home, we got to find a way to win Game 3."