EASTERN SEMI-FINALS
GAME DAY PREVIEWS
GAME 2:
#4 TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS vs #8 PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
Pittsburgh leads 1-0
Game time: Sunday May 9th, 1999 7pm at Toronto
The Toronto Maple Leafs hope to revive their sleeping offense tonight and even their Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Pittsburgh Penguins at one game apiece.
Toronto's offensive woes in the playoffs continued with a 2-0 loss in the series opener Friday as Tom Barrasso stopped 20 shots for his sixth postseason shutout.
The Maple Leafs led the league with 268 goals during the regular season, averaging 3.27 goals per game. But they have tallied just nine times in seven postseason contests, scoring the first goal only once.
One of the main culprits has been Toronto captain Mats Sundin, who has just one goal and one assist this postseason. He was the team's top scorer in the regular season with 83 points. Defenseman Bryan Berard leads the Leafs with five points.
The lack of scoring has placed an even larger burden on goaltender Curtis Joseph, but he has not disappointed. "Cujo" has allowed just 11 goals on 206 shots through seven games for a .949 save percentage. Joseph is 30-33 lifetime in the postseason.
Friday's victory was the third straight in the postseason for the Penguins, who have won three of five road games against New Jersey and Toronto.
Barrasso, who was hardly tested in Game One, has surrendered 17 goals on 216 shots in the playoffs for a .927 save percentage. He is 58-46 lifetime in the postseason.
Center Martin Straka leads Pittsburgh with six goals and 11 points. Right wing Alexei Kovalev is second with four goals and 10 points.
The series shifts to Pittsburgh for Game Three on Tuesday.
#6 BOSTON BRUINS vs #7 BUFFALO SABRES
Boston leads 1-0
Game time: Sunday May 9th, 1999 2pm at Boston
Winners of four straight postseason games, the Boston Bruins seek to complete a home sweep of the Buffalo Sabres today in Game Two of their Eastern Conference semifinal series.
Byron Dafoe outplayed Dominik Hasek and Dmitri Khristich scored a pair of goals in Boston's 4-2 victory in the series opener Thursday. The Bruins have won four consecutive contests since losing Games Two and Three to Carolina in the quarterfinals.
Dafoe continues to sparkle in the playoffs. He recorded two shutouts in the first-round victory over the Hurricanes and is 5-2 with a 1.53 goals-against average and a .938 save percentage this postseason.
Center Jason Allison has points in all seven playoff games for the Bruins and is tied with captain Ray Bourque for the team lead with eight points.
Hasek certainly did not play poorly in the opener, allowing three goals on 21 shots but was not his usual dominant self. He surrendered just six goals in the four-game sweep of Ottawa in the quarterfinals. "The Dominator" is 20-17 lifetime in the playoffs.
Captain Michael Peca leads Buffalo with six points while four Sabres are tied for the team lead with two goals.
The Sabres are 0-11 when losing the opener of a best-of-seven series.
Buffalo was without right wing Miroslav Satan due to a foot injury in Game One. Satan led the Sabres with 40 goals and 66 points during the regular season.
Game Three is Wednesday at Buffalo.