When the Western Conference Finals began, it was widely believed that the Anaheim Ducks’ toughness would pose a huge problem for the Detroit Red Wings. During the regular season, the Ducks led the NHL with 71 fighting majors, while the Wings finished dead last with only 10. And so, the story went, the tough team from posh Orange County would prevail in the grind of a long playoff series against the presumably softer club from the Motor City.

But by questioning the Wings’ toughness, hockey pundits were ignoring a lesson first learned when the Brooklyn Dodgers signed Jackie Robinson. Then Dodgers GM Branch Rickey wasn’t worried about whether Robinson could perform on the field; he knew that he was signing one of the era’s finest baseball players. Instead, his concern focused on whether Robinson was tough enough to turn the other cheek — rather than fight — when he was the victim of inevitable racial abuse.

Although what they go through now pales in comparison to Robinson’s experience, today’s Red Wings also find themselves in a near constant battle to dispel racial stereotypes. For most of the past decade, the Wings have iced a lineup filled predominantly with European players. Their captain, Nicklas Lidstrom, is a Swede, and seven other Wings starters hail from Sweden. Czechs and Russians are also prevalent on this Detroit club, and the Wings’ first-ever Finnish player — Valtteri Filppula — has made a big impact in his first season with the team.

The story has long gone that “Euros” lack the toughness to compete in the rough-and-tumble NHL playoffs, and despite the Wings’ tremendous success, the stereotype is still perpetuated today by the likes of outspoken CBC hockey analyst Don Cherry.

But when watching these Red Wings, it’s impossible not to notice their toughness, as they shrug off violent hit after violent hit and keep on battling. No Wing personifies this more unerringly than power forward Tomas Holmstrom.

Dating back to his emergence during the 1998 playoffs (when he scored 19 points in 22 games), the 34-year-old Holmstrom has been one of the Wings’ most reliable clutch performers, consistently battling his way to the front of the opposition’s net and wreaking havoc in and around the goal crease. Though his regular season numbers often fail to reflect his importance, every member of the Red Wings organization knows just how critical Holmstrom is to the team’s success.

He scored two goals and an assist in the Wings’ 5–0 drubbing of the Ducks in Game 3 on Tuesday night, helping his team take a 2–1 series lead, but it was his resilience that stood out most of all. During the second period, with the game quickly falling out of the Ducks’ reach and frustrations running high, Holmstrom was the recipient of a vicious tag-team hit delivered by Chris Pronger and Rob Niedermayer.

He was skating around the leftwing boards and up toward the blue line in the Ducks’ zone. He looked to his left and saw Niedermayer en route but probably didn’t realize that Pronger was also skating up behind him. First, Pronger delivered a thunderous hit that knocked Holmstrom’s helmet off; Niedermayer followed up a split-second later with a similarly crushing blow, blasting him face-first into the Plexiglas. The Wings’ forward was left lying on the ice with a bloody gash on his forehead that required 13 stitches to close.

Niedermayer was assessed a five-minute boarding major on the play, and though the Wings failed to score on the ensuing power play, the five minutes spent shorthanded dashed any hopes the Ducks had for a comeback.

And though he didn’t receive a penalty for his part, the league announced yesterday that Pronger has been suspended for Game Four, dealing the Ducks what might well be a critical blow.

“Chris Pronger is an elite player in our league,” Ducks GM Brian Burke said yesterday. “He’s a tough Canadian kid that plays the game the way we want to play. We don’t approve of guys headhunting. We don’t think that’s what this was. (Holmstrom) had two cuts, both of which would have been covered by his helmet if it had been properly attached. I think it came off four times last night.”

Holmstrom remained on the ice for a couple of minutes before being helped off, and there was abundant concern for his well-being as well as for whether or not the Wings could survive a prolonged absence by their power forward.

But the irrepressible Holmstrom joined his teammates on the ice for the start of the third period, and he looked no worse for wear, setting up Valtteri Filppula for the Wings’ fifth and final goal of the night.

Holmstrom’s triumphant, Rocky-like return had an incredibly positive impact on the Wings’ collective psyche. But just as important, it certified for the Ducks that even a tag-team hit by two of their toughest players wasn’t enough to stop Holmstrom.

No, these Wings don’t drop the gloves very often. And with a slew of foreign-named skaters challenging Cherry’s pronunciation abilities at every step, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking this team is soft. But the Red Wings keep on ticking, no matter how hard a licking they take, and despite a dangerous combination of age and injuries, they’ve gained control of a series against a younger and presumably tougher Ducks team.

Falling prey to presumptions and stereotypes where these Red Wings are concerned is a mistake. For while it’s their crisp puck-possession game that’s been their calling card over the years, it’s the Wings’ ability to stand up to the biggest bullies on the block that’s enabled them to achieve tremendous postseason success.

Mr. Greenstein is the editor in chief of InsideHockey.com.