WESTERN SEMI-FINALS
GAME DAY PREVIEWS
GAME 2:
#2 DALLAS STARS vs #8 SAN JOSE SHARKS
Dallas leads 1-0
Game time: Sunday April 30th, 2000 7:30pm at Dallas
The Stanley Cup champion Dallas Stars look to take a commanding two games to none lead on the eighth-seeded San Jose Sharks when they clash Sunday night in Game 2 of the Western Conference Semifinals. Mike Modano and Joe Nieuwendyk scored power-play goals and Sergei Zubov returned from a knee injury to assist on both as the Stars captured the opener on Friday, 4-0. Dallas went 2-of-7 on the power play after going just 2-of-26 against Edmonton in the West quarterfinals.
Modano's goal was his 35th career postseason tally, tying him with Steve Payne for first on the Stars' all-time list. He has a point in each of his last five contests.
Dallas has won its last five series in which it has enjoyed a two games to none lead. The Stars have not lost with such an advantage since falling to Detroit in the 1992 Norris Division semifinals.
One thing San Jose has to look at in order to climb back into the series is special teams. The Sharks are 1-for-13 on the power play over the last three contests and have given up at least one power-play tally in all eight playoff games this season.
The play of goaltender Steve Shields has also dictated San Jose's success. He has allowed just six goals in the Sharks' four postseason victories and a whopping 19 in their four losses.
San Jose has never been shut out in consecutive playoff games in franchise history and never rallied from a two games to none deficit to win a series.
Game 3 is Tuesday in San Jose.
#3 COLORADO AVALANCHE vs #4 DETROIT RED WINGS
Colorado leads 1-0
Game time: Saturday April 29th, 2000 3pm at Colorado
The Colorado Avalanche look to get another strong performace from goaltender Patrick Roy and go up two games to none in the Western Conference semifinals today against the Detroit Red Wings.
Roy stopped 25 shots for his 13th career postseason shutout as Colorado blanked Detroit, 2-0, in Game One on Thursday.
Already the holder of the NHL record with 115 playoff wins, Roy moved into a tie with Turk Broda for third on the all-time shutout list. Jacques Plante is next with 14 and Clint Benedict has 15.
Peter Forsberg and Sandis Ozolinsh tallied for the Avalanche, which has won 13 of 14 and showed no ill effects of having six days off since completing a five-game elimination of Phoenix in the quarterfinals.
It was the first time Detroit was shut out in the postseason since Game Five of its 1999 semifinal series with the Avalanche.
In the fiercest rivalry in hockey, Colorado used its stifling defense to stop Detroit's high-flying offense, which had cruised to a four-game sweep of Los Angeles in the opening round.
Except for the two tough goals, Detroit netminder Chris Osgood gave another strong performance, collecting 24 saves, but lost for the first time in the postseason.
Since the Avalanche moved to Denver before the 1995-96 season, the teams have met in the playoffs four straight years, with each winning twice. Last season, the Avalanche rallied from down two games to win the series in six.
Colorado's power-play tally was the first allowed by the Red Wings after 25 straight penalty kills in the playoffs.
Since moving to Denver in 1995, the Avalanche have never lost a second-round series.