DALLAS - Pavel Datsyuk scored twice in the first period then again with 2:41 left, and the Detroit Red Wings beat the Dallas Stars 5-2 Monday night to take a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference finals.

This was Detroit's ninth straight win, its most ever in a single post-season and the longest in the NHL since Montreal won 11 in a row in 1993. More importantly, the Red Wings will go into Game 4 in Dallas on Wednesday night with the chance to skate into the Stanley Cup finals for the fourth time in 11 seasons.

It was Datsyuk's first career hat trick.

Jiri Hudler also scored for Detroit, while Nicklas Grossman and Brad Richards replied for Dallas.