Detroit Red Wings Darren McCarty celebrates afteer scoring one of his three goals. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        DETROIT — The Detroit Red Wings always talk about unlikely heroes making timely plays.

        Darren McCarty stepped into that role Saturday against the Colorado Avalanche in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals.

        McCarty, who had just five goals during the regular season, got three straight in the third period of a 5-3 victory.

        McCarty's first goal, at 1:18, broke a 2-2 tie. He completed his first hat trick in 650 NHL games, regular season and playoffs. He had three goals at home in the regular season.

        “I suppose when you score five in the regular season, and none in the playoffs, you're due,” McCarty said.

        McCarty became the second Red Wings player to get three goals in a period of a playoff game. Ted Lindsay got a hat trick in the second period against the Canadiens on April 5, 1955.

        McCarty became the seventh Red Wings player to get three points in a period of a playoff game.

        “They were all great shots, too, they weren't garbage goals,” Brendan Shanahan said.

        “It's a wonderful effort from a guy who gives it his all every game,” coach Scotty Bowman said. “He's been a player that's done great things before.”

        Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is Monday night at Joe Louis Arena.

        Tomas Holmstrom (power play) and Brett Hull also scored for the Wings.

        Joe Sakic (power play), Milan Hejduk and Alex Tanguay (power play) scored for the Avalanche.

        “Their execution was much better than ours in the third period,” Avalanche coach Bob Hartley said.

        McCarty beat Patrick Roy from near the circles on the first two goals, at 1:18 and 12:41 of the third. He pounced on a rebound in front of the net to complete the hat trick.

        “They were all great goals,” Bowman said of McCarty's hat trick. “There wasn't anything lucky about them. You're doing it against one of the greatest goalies that ever played.”

        Bowman reunited the Grind Line of McCarty, Kris Draper and Kirk Maltby in the third period to thwart Sakic.

        “We were looking for defense,” Bowman said. “But that's how those things happen sometimes.”

        Hull tied the score at 2 at 16:29 of the second period. It was his sixth goal and got the Wings back even heading into the third period.

        With the Avalanche in the midst of a change, Roy made the initial stop on Pavel Datsyuk but couldn't get his glove on Hull's shot.

        “We knew that line (Hull, Datsyuk and Boyd Devereaux) had practiced well all week,” Bowman said. “They've created chances for themselves all season. That made a great play on the tying goal.”

        Hejduk gave the Avalanche a 2-1 lead at 13:36 of the second period. The goal, his third of the playoffs, capped a three-on-two rush and appeared to shift the momentum toward the Avalanche.

        The teams traded power-play goals in the first period. Sakic got his eighth of the playoffs at 2:48, with Shanahan in the penalty box for interference.

        Sakic took a pass from defenseman Adam Foote, skated down the right wing, slipped through defensemen Nicklas Lidstrom and Chris Chelios and beat Wings' goalie Dominik Hasek to make it 1-0.

        The Wings were able to tie it before the end of the period. With Avalanche forward Mike Keane in the penalty box for goalie interference, the Wings quickly capitalized on Holmstrom's goal, his fifth of the playoffs.

        Shanahan's shot sailed past the net, but rebounded directly to the side of the crease. Holmstrom, creating pressure in front of Roy, was down on the ice. But he flicked his stick on the rebound before Roy had a chance to cover up.

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