Red Wings general manager says surgery idled Lidstrom for playoff games

Detroit Red Wings' captain Nicklas Lidstrom, of Sweden, right, shakes hands with Pittsburgh Penguins' Evgeni Malkin (71), of Russia, after the Penguins beat the Detroit Red Wings 2-1 to win Game 7 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup finals in Detroit, Friday, June 12, 2009. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS/Paul Sancya

DETROIT - General manager Ken Holland says Detroit Red Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom missed the last two games of the conference final because of surgery.

Holland said Sunday the operation was May 24, although he would not say what kind of surgery. Lidstrom told the Detroit Free Press he had testicular surgery after he was speared by Chicago's Patrick Sharp on May 22.

Lidstrom's operation came on the same day the Red Wings beat the Blackhawks 6-1 in Game 4. Detroit won the Western Conference final in Game 5.

Lidstrom returned to the ice for the Stanley Cup final, which the Pittsburgh Penguins won in seven games.