Red Wings' Marian Hossa hopes decision pays off

DETROIT — Marian Hossa is about to find out if he made the right choice.

The Slovakian right wing chose to sign a one-year contract with the defending champion Detroit Red Wings last summer after turning down a longer and more lucrative deal from the runner-up Pittsburgh Penguins.

He sacrificed stability and a lot of money, saying Detroit gave him his best shot to hoist the Stanley Cup.

After the Penguins beat the Wings in Game 6 to force a final game Friday night, Hossa was asked if he dreamed this scenario would happen.

"Who would? Would you?" Hossa said. "There wouldn't be many people, but the situation right now is how it is. I have to, we have to deal with that."

No one seems to have more at stake than Hossa, and he seems to be crumbling under the pressure. He has not scored against his former teammates and has contributed just three assists.

Pressing?

"Definitely," Hossa said. "When you haven't scored for several games, you try to do maybe too much. I need to relax more and forget about everything."

Notes

• The Dallas Stars have fired coach Dave Tippett, according to several media reports. Letting Tippett go after six seasons was the first major move for the club since hiring general manager Joe Nieuwendyk 10 days ago.

• Canadian billionaire Jim Balsillie said he's "one step closer" to bringing the Phoenix Coyotes to southern Ontario. Balsillie made the statement a day after a hearing in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Phoenix on his bid to buy the Coyotes and move them over the objections of the NHL. Judge Redfield T. Baum indicated the NHL is entitled to a relocation fee, and if Balsillie balks at the fee as too high, his bid would evaporate.

• Three Molson brothers confirmed they have made an offer to buy the Montreal Canadiens, the Gillett Entertainment Centre and the Bell Centre. Geoff, Andrew and Justin Molson said the bid was delivered to George Gillett, who owns the Bell Centre and about 80 percent of the team.

• NBC said the Penguins' win in Game 6 on Tuesday night earned a 4.1 overnight rating and 7 share. That's down 7 percent from last year's Game 6.

• Goaltender Ray Emery agreed to a one-year contract with the Philadelphia Flyers worth about $1.5 million.