WESTERN FINALS
GAME DAY PREVIEWS
GAME 1:
#2 DALLAS STARS vs #4 COLORADO AVALANCHE
Series tied 0-0
Game time: Saturday May 13th, 2000 7:30pm at Dallas
The Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche battle in the Western Conference finals for the second straight season when their series opens tonight at Reunion Arena. Dallas rallied from a three games to two deficit last season to defeat Colorado and eventually capture its first Stanley Cup. Stars goaltender Ed Belfour was the story as he held the Avalanche to just two goals over the final two contests in a pair of 4-1 victories.
Dallas has been off since Sunday when it defeated San Jose, 4-1, in Game Five of the West semifinals. Belfour made 32 saves and Scott Thornton had a goal and two assists.
Brett Hull also scored for the Stars and is riding a seven-game points streak in which he has three goals and seven assists. He leads Dallas with 12 points in the postseason. Colorado has also enjoyed an extended layoff. Peter Forsberg, Joe Sakic, Stephane Yelle and Shjon Podein scored as the Avalanche topped the Detroit Red Wings, 4-2, on May 5 to take that series in five games. Goaltender Patrick Roy made 20 saves and stopped 150 of 160 shots in the series.
Forsberg brings a six-game points streak into tonight's game for the Avalanche. He has five goals and three assists during the streak and is tied with Chris Drury for second on the team with 10 points. Right wing Adam Deadmarsh leads the way with 11.
Colorado is 20-4-1 since acquiring five-time Norris Trophy winner Ray Bourque from the Boston Bruins. But Bourque's status for tonight is questionable after he missed the final two games of the Red Wings' series with a mysterious knee injury.
Game Two is here on Monday.