Final Score: Red Wings 6, Coyotes 1

The veteran stars of the Detroit Red Wings were on full display in a clinical Game 7 victory over the Phoenix Coyotes on Tuesday night.

Despite being the 4-seed and having home ice in the decisive Game 7, Phoenix was still considered an underdog in this game. They could not contain Detroit's star-studded attack to continue their pleasantly surprising season and playoff run.

40-year old Nicklas Lidstrom had 2 goals for Detroit, Pavel Datsyuk added 2 scores as well, and Henrik Zetterberg had 3 assists as the Red Wings cruised to a 6-1 victory.

Detroit, losers in the Stanley Cup Finals last season, now get a shot at the 1-seed in the West in the next round. The San Jose Sharks had trouble disposing of the Avalanche in their first round series. Both teams will be ready for a long series and battle of veterans.

Phoenix goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov was bombarded with shots all night in this Game 7. He had an impressive 44 saves, but let in 6 goals to the vaunted Red Wing attackers.

Nicklas Lidstrom, who turns 40 today, continues to show that he is still one of the NHL's best defenders. The ability to score from the defense spot gives Detroit an advantage over most teams, and Lidstrom's veteran wisdom allows him to smartly picks his spots on the ice. He had a total of 7 shots on goal in this one to lead all Detroit players.

After a scoreless first period, the Red Wings got on the board quickly in the second. Pavel Datsyuk scored 2 goals in under 2 minutes to put his team ahead, and Detroit never looked back.

The Red Wings scored 3 of their 6 goals on Power Plays, and continue to be a potent attacking squad with Power Play advantages.

This series saw the road team win 5 of the 7 games in the matchup, and the Red Wings know that they must protect their home ice better in the next round. San Jose is a dominant home team and will not be easy to defeat.

Detroit has the veteran leadership and talent to win the next series, but San Jose will be favored. Expect another long series between these two Western powers.