EASTERN FINALS
GAME DAY PREVIEWS
GAME 2:
#4 TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS vs #7 BUFFALO SABRES
Buffalo leads 1-0
Game time: Wednesday May 25th, 1999 7:30pm at Toronto
With the playing status of goaltender Dominik Hasek a game time decision, the Buffalo Sabres look to complete a road sweep of the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight in Game Two of the Eastern Conference finals.
This series did not get off to a good start for the Sabres on Sunday when they found out Hasek would be unable to play due to a groin injury. But backup Dwayne Roloson made 28 saves and the offense came alive in a 5-4 victory in Game One.
Hasek, who had won eight of his first 10 playoff games, sat out with the same groin injury that sidelined him for a month during the regular season. Hasek's status for tonight will not be known until right before game time.
"I don't have to be 100 percent to be in the game. I have to be able to go up and down," said Hasek, who aggravated the injury in Game Four of the conference semifinals against Boston. "I'm not able to make the butterfly save and get all the rebounds because the pain is so big."
Buffalo scored first for the 10th time in 11 playoff games and improved to 9-2 in this postseason. The Sabres are 4-2 on the road in the playoffs.
Losing the series opener at home is nothing new for the Maple Leafs, who dropped Game One at home in both the conference quarterfinals against Philadelphia and the semifinals against Pittsburgh. Toronto rebounded to win Game Two in both series.
The Sabres have been extremely consistent on the power play, tallying one goal in all 11 playoff games. They are 11-for-48 overall with the man advantage.
After going 1-for-23 on the power play against Pittsburgh, Toronto was 3-for-9 in Game One.
Sabres center Curtis Brown has three goals and two assists during a four-game points streak. Right wing Lonny Bohonos and left wing Sergei Berezin each have four-game points streaks for the Leafs. Bohonos has two goals and three assists while Berezin has three goals and three assists.
The series shifts to Buffalo for Game Three on Thursday.