DALLAS — Tomas Holmstrom's reputation preceded him. The Red Wings' winger is known as a pain in the posterior, a persistent and pesky presence in front of the net who has been known to brush or even bowl over opposing goaltenders.

Opposing coaches, captains, goalies and beer vendors complain about him, and in response to all the lobbying, referees look out for him.

At 7:34 of the second period in what turned out to be the Dallas Stars' series-extending 3-1 victory in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals Wednesday night in the American Airlines Center, referee Kelly Sutherland waved off an apparent Pavel Datsyuk power-play goal that would have given the Red Wings a 1-0 lead — and again forced the Stars to attempt to come from behind.

There's no way to determine what would have happened if the goal had been allowed, but the bizarre decision changed the complexion of the game, especially in the context of the Stars' numerous references to having to "chase" the Wings and never having a lead in the first three games.

Instead, the Stars claimed the victory after Mike Modano's power-play goal at 5:35 of the third period broke a 1-1 tie and Brenden Morrow gave the Stars some breathing room, scoring at 14:34. It all ended the Red Wings' postseason win streak at nine games, cut Detroit's series lead to 3-1 and forced a Game 5 on Saturday at Joe Louis Arena.

On the pivotal second-period play, Datsyuk's shot from the right circle beat Dallas goalie Marty Turco. Sutherland ruled that Holmstrom, in the process of screening Turco, illegally was in the crease. Replays showed that determination was wrong, even if Sutherland's "butt-end" (and not of the stick) explanation to Detroit captain Nick Lidstrom came into play.

In effect, Sutherland told the Wings that Holmstrom — the pain in the posterior who had made contact with Turco earlier on the shift, without drawing a call — had his posterior in the crease.

"I've seen it on TV and I was clearly outside," Holmstrom said later. "So it was a bad call."

Was his rear end in the crease?

"It didn't look like that, no," Holmstrom said. "From the top, you can see the line. Unfortunately, it's a bad call. There's not much we can do."

Asked if the call was made because of his reputation, Holmstrom said: "Who knows? I don't want to go there. . . . They disallowed the goal, and what can you do? It doesn't matter how much you (gripe) at the ref, they're not going to make a different call."

Lidstrom said Sutherland told him that Holmstrom's "skates are outside, but his rear end was over the line. I didn't even know about that rule. I thought it was the skates they were looking at."

Said Detroit coach Mike Babcock: "That's a reputation call, totally. It's disappointing. I mean, 'Homer' got a (goaltender interference) penalty the other night and he bumped Turco earlier in the game. But I guess the way I look at it is this: In the league, there's lots that goes on on the ice. Sometimes a guy gets tripped and you miss it. Some things go wrong and you miss it. Just don't make stuff up, that's all.

"These men are doing their very best, just like us. They want to get to the Stanley Cup Finals. Kelly is a good referee. He just blew the call. That's life."

So unlike the Avalanche, the Stars won't be swept into the offseason.

"Now we've got a thread of life," said Dallas coach Dave Tippett, whose team kept alive its hopes of becoming the third team in NHL history to come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a series. Dallas at least can cite the pattern — if it happens every 33 years, as with the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs and the 1975 New York Islanders, it's due to happen again.

Terry Frei: 303-954-1895 or tfrei@denverpost.com