WESTERN QUARTER-FINALS
GAME DAY PREVIEWS
GAME 6:
#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
Colorado leads 3-2
Game time: Monday May 3rd, 1999 9:30pm at San Jose
The pesky San Jose Sharks try to stave off elimination and force a decisive Game Seven tonight when they face the Colorado Avalanche in their Western Conference quarterfinal series.
After losing the first two games of the series at home, the Sharks went into Colorado and won twice to even the series. But Colorado returned to form in a 6-2 victory in Game Five Saturday.
Theoren Fleury scored his first two goals of the postseason and Claude Lemieux added his first goal and three assists for the Avalanche, who became the first team in this series to win at home.
Colorado captain Joe Sakic has points in all five games of the series with three goals and seven assists. Peter Forsberg also has points in all five games with two goals and five assists, while Fleury has two goals and six assists.
Fomer Avalanche center Mike Ricci has five points and Sharks defenseman Jeff Norton has picked up one assist in all five games.
San Jose's power play has came alive late in the series. After going 1-for-11 in the first two games, the Sharks are 5-for-22 over the last three contests. Colorado is 6-for-39 on the power play in the series.
Expect the Sharks to go back to goaltender Mike Vernon tonight. Vernon started the first four games but was rested Saturday in favor of backup Steve Shields.
Should San Jose win tonight, Game Seven would be Tuesday in Colorado. If the Avalanche finish the series tonight, the two-time Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings will be their next opponent.
#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 3-2
Game time: Sunday May 2nd, 1999 2pm at St. Louis
The Phoenix Coyotes will once again try to eliminate the St. Louis Blues when they meet today in Game Six of the Western Conference quarterfinals.
Scott Young saved the Blues' season with his first goal of the playoffs 5:43 into overtime, giving St. Louis a 2-1 triumph on Friday to cut the Coyotes lead to three games to two. Al MacInnis scored the tying goal in the third period Friday and has a league-leading nine points in the postseason.
Also presenting a problem for Phoenix is center Pierre Turgeon, who is on a four-game points streak for St. Louis with a goal and three assists. Grant Fuhr made 26 saves for his 88th career playoff victory, tying Billy Smith for second on the all-time list behind Patrick Roy.
Dallas Drake scored the lone goal for Phoenix and is on a four-game goals streak. Drake is tied for second in the playoffs with seven points and is the lone Coyote to record a point in each game of the series. He is tied for fourth in the league with seven points.
Phoenix has lost eight straight playoff series since the Winnipeg Jets defeated Calgary in the 1987 Smythe Division semifinals. Since moving to Phoenix, the Coyotes are 0-2 in Game Six.
Game Seven, if necessary, is scheduled for Tuesday night in Phoenix.