STANLEY CUP FINALS
GAME DAY PREVIEWS
GAME 5:
#4 NEW JERSEY DEVILS vs # 2 DALLAS STARS DEVILS
New Jersey leads 3-1
Game time: Thursday June 8th, 2000 8pm at New Jersey
The New Jersey Devils can win the Stanley Cup for the second time in team history Thursday night when they host the Dallas Stars in Game 5. New Jersey moved within one win of its second championship in six years with a 3-1 victory at Dallas on Monday as Sergei Brylin, John Madden and Brian Rafalski scored on consecutive shots in the third period.
The Devils recorded their ninth road win of this year's playoffs -- one short of its own record -- against a team that was 9-1 at home before losing Game 3 on Saturday. They have won each of the last two games after splitting the first two at Continental Airlines Arena.
New Jersey is following a similar script as in 1995, when it also dominated on the road before winning the Stanley Cup on home ice. The Devils won 10 of 11 road games and completed a four-game Stanley Cup finals sweep of the Detroit Red Wings here.
Larry Robinson was an assistant on that championship team and took over as coach late this season after Robbie Ftorek was fired.
New Jersey goaltender Martin Brodeur had no trouble after getting the lead on Monday, stopping just two shots after the three-goal outburst before finishing with 16 saves. He is 7-1 lifetime in the Stanley Cup finals for the Devils, who have never blown a 3-1 series lead.
The Stars have scored only seven goals in the first four games against Brodeur. In Dallas' three losses, the combination of Brett Hull and Mike Modano have been held without a point.
The only negative for the Devils was an injury to center Jason Arnott, their leading scorer, who took a questionable hit to the head from Stars captain Derian Hatcher with 7:42 to play and did not return. Arnott is expected to play tonight as is Hatcher, who was not suspended.
Joe Nieuwendyk scored the lone goal for Dallas, which had won its previous nine games following a loss. The Stars have never overcome a 3-1 playoff series deficit since joining the league as the Minnesota North Stars in 1967.
Only one team in Stanley Cup finals history has ever overcome a 3-1 deficit to win the series. The Toronto Maple Leafs rallied from a 3-0 deficit in 1942 to upend the Red Wings.
If the Stars win tonight, Game 6 would be Saturday in Dallas.