EASTERN SEMI-FINALS
GAME DAY PREVIEWS
GAME 6:
#4 TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS vs #8 PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
Toronto leads 3-2
Game time: Monday May 17th, 1999 7:30pm at Pittsburgh
The Toronto Maple Leafs look to clinch their first conference finals appearance in five years tonight when they visit the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game Six of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Sylvain Cote and Mike Johnson scored in the first period and Sergei Berezin had a goal and an assist as the Maple Leafs smothered the Penguins en route to a 4-1 victory on Saturday and a three games to two lead in their best-of-seven semifinal series.
Curtis Joseph enjoyed his easiest game of the playoffs, facing just six shots in each of the first two periods and four in the third. Joseph has only needed to make 27 saves over the last two games, both wins.
Toronto guns for its first conference finals appearance since 1994 when it fell to the Vancouver Canucks in the West.
Right wing Lonny Bohonos has been one of the surprise stories in this series for the Leafs. Bohonos, who will turn 26 on Thursday, has two goals and four assists over the last three games.
Facing elimination is nothing new for the Penguins. They trailed the New Jersey Devils in the first round three games to two before rallying to capture the series.
Martin Straka and Jaromir Jagr, both of which had three-game points streaks snapped in Game Five, need to get on track if the Penguins want to keep their season alive. Straka is second in league with 14 points while Jagr has recorded 10.
Pittsburgh could also be playing to keep its future alive. The team is in bankruptcy court and the NHL has already made plans to dissolve the franchise if no one is able to purchase the club.
Penguins right wing Alexei Kovalev sat out of his second straight game due to a foot injury and his status for tonight is unknown.
Game Seven, if necessary, is Wednesday in Toronto.
#6 BOSTON BRUINS vs #7 BUFFALO SABRES
Buffalo leads 3-2
Game time: Tuesday May 18th, 1999 7:30pm at Buffalo
The Buffalo Sabres hope to continue their home ice mastery and clinch a place in the Eastern Conference finals tonight when they face the Boston Bruins in Game Six of their semifinal series.
The Sabres failed to eliminate the Bruins in Game Five on Sunday as Sergei Samsonov, Mattias Timander and Dmitri Khristich scored on Dominik Hasek in a 12:19 span of the second period, helping Boston to a 5-3 victory.
Stellar through the first five games of this series, Sabres goaltender Dominik Hasek was pulled following the second period on Sunday. "The Dominator" surrendered four goals on 26 shots in Game Five but is 7-2 with a .943 save percentage in these playoffs.
Buffalo has to feel confident with tonight's contest at Marine Midland Arena. The Sabres have won all four playoff games on home ice this year while outscoring opponents, 13-5.
Sabres captain Michael Peca had collected a point in the first eight playoff games before going pointless in Game Five. He leads Buffalo with 10 points.
Buffalo has scored one power-play goal in all nine postseason games and is 9-for-41 overall. Boston is 4-for-30 on the power play in this series.
Center Jason Allison had a goal and one assist Sunday for his first points of the series. Samsonov also gave the Bruins a lift with one goal and one assist for his first points since Game Three of the quarterfinals against Carolina.
Should the Bruins win tonight, Game Seven would be Thursday at Boston. The winner of this series faces Toronto in the conference finals.