There wasn't enough time to come up with a cool-ass story like last
column, so let's just leave the second installment of The Tale of
Evil St. Patrick for next issue. We now join our regular program in
progress...
Well, it's been four games since last column - and there's only
really one thing to say: (Sunshine) You, Detroit! Aw, you know I'm
just kidding. We're only havin' a little fun here. Besides, I
loves me some Red Wings!
[clears throat unassumingly, removes tongue from cheek]
OK, so Dallas lives to fight another day - barely. This series has
been nothing short of incredible. If you haven't been on the edge
of your seat and in awe of all the majorly cool hockey goin' on
here, you must not have been watching. Strap yourself in for a
quick recap of all the fun antics to this point.
Game One
The Stars got a wake-up call from the Avs' Forsberg and Kamensky
during Game 1. Dallas failed in containing Peter Forsberg, and he
burned them for the first goal. Kamensky had returned triumphantly
from mending a broken arm by scoring a goal that was called back.
Scoring a non-goal wasn't the issue- it was that the frustration
from losing the goal sparked the Avalanche into a frenzy, and
Kamensky scored again. That last goal proved to be the game-winner,
as Patrick Roy was able to hold the fort while his team put the
clamps on the Stars with the lead.
Game Two
Containing Peter Forsberg and denying Valeri Kamensky has proven to
be recurring themes in this series thus far. During the second
game, the Stars were a little more successful by holding Kamensky
off the board and Forsberg to a single assist.
The Avalanche struck first, but Dave Reid tied it. The Avs bounced
back, and then Dallas scored two more to put away the victory. Joe
Nieuwendyk, who had ten points in the previous ten playoff games up
to that point, netted the game-winner for the Stars.
Dallas outshot Colorado 15-1 in the third period. Patrick Roy was
peppered with 45 shots!
Game Three
Eddie Belfour took over and personally assured Dallas would not lose
Game 3. The Eagle pitched his first shutout of the series, and after
turning away a furious Avalanche onslaught in the first period, made
the statement to his team that he would give them the chance to win
this one.
Dallas opened the scoring with a freak
bounce-off-the-skate-and-into-the-net goal by who else? Joe
Nieuwendyk. Yes, this goal was the game-winner. Hey, he'll take 'em
any way they'll come right about now! Nieuwy's the man. Mike who?
The Stars pretty much owned the rest of the game, and sealed the lid
on the Avs' coffin with great goals by Langenbrunner and Reid.
Jamie Langenbrunner put away a sweet pass by Joe Nieuwendyk (he da
mission-man) top-shelf to beat Roy as the two came in on a
breakaway. Langenbrunner may prove to be the eventual hero of the
series, but more on that later.
Dave Reid scored his second goal in as many games, proving Dallas'
roster was deep enough to allow them to rebound from losing Benoit
Hogue to the RAIR Syndrome.
Belfour was seriously challenged by the Avs late in the third
period, but protected his shutout by denying the Avs 2-3 times
straight during a flurry in front of his net. Eddie's clearly out
to ram the criticism he's faced this season down the critics'
proverbial throats.
Game Four
"You've got two teams that are maxing out," coach Ken Hitchcock
said. "There's nothing left in the tank for anybody. That's what
you hope for at this stage. It was just a tremendous hockey game. I
don't know what else to say."
Well, there wasn't much else to say. The Avs came out with purpose,
and vowed not to let their first victory go to waste by scoring two
quick goals early.
Dallas answered back by playing a furious, hard-hitting game.
Richard Matvichuk leveled Milan Hejduk, who is out of the series
with a broken collarbone. Matvichuk was later felled by a groin
strain in the third period. He would return within a few games.
The Stars were boosted by their previous two straight wins, but the
Avalanche would not be denied, and both teams played full-throttle
playoff hockey.
The Stars tied the game with goals from Langenbrunner and Hull to
send it into overtime, but Colorado won with a goal from the rookie
Drury. Enough said.
Game Five
Oh, baby - what a game! The fans got their dreams answered when the
Avs suckered the Stars into playing a wide-open, run-and-gun
scoring clinic. Dallas is a great team, but great is not a word
usually associated with their offensive output this year.
Especially on the power play. (something like 6-for-60, pretty bad)
It didn't help that both goalies had terrible nights. But then,
Dallas did leave Belfour hung out to dry during much of the game,
and there's only so much magic in the bag.
The Avalanche commanded the game in the last few minutes, and Forsberg capped off a three-point night
with the empty-netter to put the Avs up by two goals. Avs win 7-5, put the Stars in the brink of elimination.
Dallas must win two straight.
Game Six
Do or die time. You have to come out pumped, and ready for battle.
What does Dallas do? Play their absolute worst period of the
series, that's all.
The Stars came out flatter than Brooke Shields during the first
period of game six. It was almost embarrassing. Well, not as
embarrassing as the way the Avs folded during last year's playoffs.
Now THAT was embarrassing. But, Colorado is obviously serious this
time. And they were clearly playing like a team with superior
skill.
The only trouble with skill is, it doesn't take the intangibles like
heart and determination into account. And those intangibles are what
have defined the Dallas Stars all season long.
Dallas pulled what hopefully isn't its last trick out of the book,
and slammed the door shut on their elimination with a rocking 4-1
victory over the somewhat-disinterested Avs.
Now Colorado did have interest, and had scored the first goal late
in the first period, but when Dallas went up by two goals, it was
almost as if Colorado began folding the tents - again.
It had been said that Dallas needed a hero to emerge to rescue their
season. A hero from the shadows, not a marquee player like Modano or
Hull. Jamie Langenbrunner more-than-gladly accepted this challenge,
and scored twice - as well as being denied on a clean one-on-none
breakaway.
"I thought we came close to a perfect game," Nieuwendyk said. "We
gave them opportunities, but not like we did the last couple of
games. That helped us to play disciplined while we were able to
maintain some offense at their end."
Yeah, Joe. Some offense. How about Jere Lehtinen's first goal of the
playoffs, Langenbrunner's first goal (that Joe assisted on, also the
game-winner), Jamie's second goal, and a gravy goal from a sweet
rising slapshot by d-man Richard Matvichuk, only fourteen seconds
later. Belfour worked his usual magic.
"I don't see any advantage between these two teams," Stars' coach
Hitchcock said. "Every game goes down to the last 10 minutes. It's
unbelievable. It's up for grabs."
Epilogue
Yep. That pretty well sums it up. It's totally up for grabs for game
seven. Will Dallas stifle the Avs with another defensive materpiece?
Or will the Avalanche light up the afterburners and torch Belfour
with five or more goals?
Who knows. One thing's for sure - this is a classic battle of a
contrast of styles - Dallas' defense to Colorado's skilled offense.
And you have two world-class netminders to provide plenty of
suspense.
Dallas never likes to do anything easy. But as mentioned before,
sometimes you have to have faith. The Stars usually find their way
out of the dark.
Other Notes
* Joe Nieuwendyk is amongst the league leaders with 9 goals, 8
assists for 17 points. Nieuwendyk leads the league in game-winning
goals with 5. Nieuwendyk's 9 goals leads all remaining players.
Joe's second line has been carrying this team throughout the
series.
* Hull and Lehtinen have joined Modano with very meager points
totals in this series. Lehtinen scored only his first goal of the
series in game six. Modano is still amongst the leaders with 16
points, but how many came during this series? Maybe he can still
redeem himself in game seven.
* Jamie Langenbrunner is only one goal behind Nieuwendyk with 8. He
also has scored 3 game-winning goals, and 4 power-play goals - that
even leads Nieuwy's power-play goal total of 3. Jamie has accounted
for 4 of Dallas' 19 goals in this series. All of this from a guy
that was in and out of the lineup during the regular season, and
only managed 12 goals all season long. It's no surprise, really.
The Stars have always had someone step up from the shadows to be
the rescuing hero. Recognize the name of Carbonneau?
* Speaking of Carbonneau (GUUYYY!), he and teammates Mike Keane and
Brian Skrudland have played like men who know what it takes to win.
Keane, especially, has taken it to his former Avalanche team, being
one of the most effective players for Dallas at any given time during
this series.
