WESTERN QUARTER-FINALS
GAME DAY PREVIEWS
GAME 5:
#1 DALLAS STARS vs #8 EDMONTON OILERS
Dallas wins 4-0
Game time: Dallas advances to the next round
#2 COLORADO AVALANCHE vs #7 SAN JOSE SHARKS
Series Tied 2-2
Game time: Saturday May 1st, 1999 7:30pm at Colorado
After falling apart in the third period of Game Four, the Colorado Avalanche hope to put forth a much better effort tonight against the San Jose Sharks in the pivotal Game Five of their Western Conference quarterfinal series.
It looked like the second-seeded Avalanche would coast to a victory in this series after winning the first two games in San Jose. But the pesky Sharks pulled out a 4-2 victory on the road in Game Three and erupted for four goals in the third period Friday en route to a 7-3 win.
Vincent Damphousse tallied a pair of shorthanded goals during the big third period for San Jose, which scored only two goals in the first two games of the series before tallying 11 in the two games in Denver. The Sharks set a team playoff record with the seven goals, chasing Patrick Roy from the net in the final period.
Mike Vernon has played well in all four games for the Sharks, allowing 10 goals on 144 shots. Counterpart Patrick Roy, who has an NHL-best 101 postseason victories, was very shaky in Game Four. He surrendered six goals on 25 shots and has yielded 11 goals on 129 shots in the series.
Mike Ricci, formerly of the Avalanche, was held without a point in the first two games but has two goals and three assists in San Jose's two wins. Defenseman Jeff Norton and center Marco Sturm each have four points.
Despite the loss, Avalanche captain Joe Sakic continues to produce. He had two assists in Game Four and leads Colorado with seven points.
The Sharks went 2-for-7 on the power play Friday, improving to 4-for-24 overall. Colorado was 0-for-7 in Game Four, dropping to 4-for-29 in the series.
The Avalanche ended the regular season with a 10-game home unbeaten streak (8-0-2) but have lost their first two contests at McNichols Arena.
The series goes back to San Jose for Game Six on Monday.
#3 DETROIT RED WINGS vs #6 ANAHIEM MIGHTY DUCKS
Detriot wins 4-0
Game time: Detroit advances to the next round
#4 PHOENIX COYOTES vs #5 ST. LOUIS BLUES
Phoenix leads 3-1
Game time: Friday April 30, 1999 10:30pm at Phoenix
America West Arena should be at a fever pitch tonight as the Phoenix Coyotes try to finish off the St. Louis Blues for their first playoff series victory in 12 years in Game Five of their Western Conference quarterfinal series.
Since losing the series opener 3-1, the Coyotes have reeled off three straight wins, including a 2-1 victory in Game Four on the road Tuesday. A win tonight gives the Phoenix franchise its first postseason series win since 1987, when the Winnipeg Jets beat Calgary in the Smythe Division semifinals.
Even more incentive for the Coyotes is that injured center Jeremy Roenick, who was expected to miss the entire postseason with a shattered jaw, has resumed skating.
With Roenick out, right wing Dallas Drake leads the Coyotes with three goals and six points, while Shane Doan is second with four points.
Phoenix went 0-for-6 on the power play in the opener and is 3-for-21 in the last three games. The Blues have been much more efficient with the man advantage, going 6-for-18.
Defenseman Al MacInnis leads St. Louis with eight points but was held scoreless in Game Four. Right wing Pavol Demitra, the team's leading scorer during the regular season, is second with four points.
Should the Blues avoid elimination tonight, Game Six would be Sunday afternoon in St. Louis.