Sunday April 26 3pm
The Dallas Stars can take a commanding lead in their Western Conference quarterfinal series with a road win over the San Jose Sharks today. Pat Verbeek scored twice and Derian Hatcher and Benoit Hogue had a goal and an assist apiece as Dallas overcame the loss of Mike Modano to post a 5-2 victory over San Jose on Friday.
Modano was injured with just over five minutes remaining in the second period when he collided with the Sharks' Marcus Ragnarsson and slammed his head against the ice. Modano was helped off and held out of the rest of the game as a precaution. Stars coach Ken Hitchcock confirmed after the game that Modano would play today.
Part of the Stars' success through the first two games has been in large part because of their power play. Dallas was 4-for-15 with man advantage on Friday and 5-for-22 in the first two games of the series. Dallas, which is without leading scorer Joe Nieuwendyk and offensive stalwart Greg Adams, has been getting points from its defense. Hatcher has two goals and an assist while fellow backliner Sergei Zubov has three assists in the first two games of the series.
If San Jose is going to come back in the series, it had better start scoring. The Sharks have managed just three goals in the first two games of the series. Owen Nolan and Bill Houlder each have a goal and an assist.
Game Four of the best-of-seven series will take place Tuesday night in San Jose.
#2 COLORADO AVLANCHE vs #7 EDMONTON OILERS
Sunday April 26 6pm
A physical series moves north of the border when the Colorado Avalanche travel to Edmonton to battle the Oilers in Game Three of the Western Conference quarterfinals tonight. Peter Forsberg tied a club playoff record with five points to power Colorado to a 5-2 rout of Edmonton and even the series at one game apiece. The teams combined for 186 penalty minutes.
Forsberg had two goals and three assists, tying the mark set by Risto Siltanen against the Hartford Whalers on April 14th, 1987 when the team was known as the Quebec Nordiques. Forsberg, who had 18 points in six regular-season games against Edmonton this season, leads all playoff scorers with four goals and three assists in two games.
Valeri Kamensky also had two goals and an assist and Joe Sakic returned from a one-game suspension to record a goal and an assist as the Avalanche dominated after dropping a 3-2 decision to Edmonton in Game One on Wednesday. Bill Guerin scored twice in Friday's loss and has three of Edmonton's five goals in the series.
The Oilers dropped all three regular-season home decisions to Colorado this season and were outscored, 14-3.
Game Four of the best-of-seven series will be played in Edmonton on Tuesday.
#3 DETROIT RED WINGS vs #6 PHOENIX COYOTES
Sunday April 26 3pm
After gaining a split in the Motor City, the Phoenix Coyotes return to the Valley of the Sun to battle the defending champion Detroit Red Wings in Game Three of their Western Conference quarterfinal series today. Jeremy Roenick tied an NHL record with two shorthanded goals in a playoff game and finished with four points as Phoenix posted a 7-4 victory over Detroit on Friday, evening their Western Conference quarterfinal series at one game apiece.
Roenick needs one goal for 40 in his playoff career and just two points to match his output from last season's playoffs. He had two goals and four assists in six playoff games last season. Rick Tocchet, who was suspended for five games after kneeing Detroit's Steve Yzerman on January 30th, leads the Coyotes with three playoff goals thus far.
The Coyotes are also improving their power play against the Red Wings. Phoenix is 1-for-9 with the man advantage during the playoffs after going 2-for-23 during the regular season. Sergei Fedorov scored twice for Detroit in Friday's loss. Fedorov has three goals in two playoff game after posting six in 21 regular-season games. Fedorov missed 61 games following a holdout, but will receive a $12 million bonus if Detroit advances to the Western Conference finals.
Detroit has outshot Phoenix, 73-48 through the two games.
The Red Wings went 1-1-1 against the Coyotes in Phoenix this season. Game Four of the series will be played on Tuesday at America West Arena.
#4 ST. LOUIS BLUES vs #5 L.A. KINGS
Monday April 27 10:30pm
The Los Angeles Kings face what amounts to a must-win situation tonight when they host the St. Louis Blues in Game Three of their Western Conference quarterfinal series. The Blues rolled to an 8-3 victory in the series opener on Thursday and then had a much tougher time of it in Saturday's 2-1 win. But the Kings are hoping to turn things around in their first home playoff game since a 3-2 overtime loss to the Montreal Canadiens on June 7th, 1993, in Game Four of the Stanley Cup Finals. Los Angeles lost that series in five games.
Unlike the Kings, there is no doubt who will be in net for St. Louis. Grant Fuhr, whose playoff record stands at 82-40, has been very sharp in the first two games, stopping 54 of 58 shots for a .926 save percentage.
Stephane Fiset, who was the No. 1 goaltender through the regular season, was blitzed in the series opener and had to be replaced by young Jamie Storr, who got the start on Saturday. Storr allowed two goals on 27 shots and would seem the more likely candidate to play tonight. Left wing Geoff Courtnall leads the Blues with six points, while Pierre Turgeon, Jim Campbell and Pavol Demitra each have two goals. Campbell has scored each of the first two game-winning goals.
The Blues are 4-for-18 on the power play thus far and have held the Kings scoreless in 16 opportunities with the man advantage.
Glen Murray, Yanic Perreault and Jozef Stumpel each have two points to lead Los Angeles. Captain Rob Blake is pointless in the first two games.
Game Four is Wednesday in Los Angeles.
