WESTERN SEMI-FINALS
GAME DAY PREVIEWS
GAME 5:
#1 DALLAS STARS vs #5 ST. LOUIS BLUES
Series tied 2-2
Game time: Saturday May 15th, 1999 7:30pm at Dallas
With their Western Conference semifinal series tied at two games apiece, the top-seeded Dallas Stars hope their home-ice success continues tonight against the St. Louis Blues.
After recording five one-goal victories in their first six games of the postseason, the Stars had the tables turned on them in St. Louis as the Blues posted a pair of 3-2 triumphs in overtime.
Pierre Turgeon scored 5:52 into overtime in Game Four, giving the Blues their fourth win in six overtime contests this postseason.
St. Louis opened this series with a lackluster 3-0 loss in Dallas but the Stars needed overtime to win Game Two, 5-4. Dallas has won all four of its home games this postseason.
The Stars' power play struggled against Edmonton in the conference quarterfinals and that trend has continued against St. Louis. Dallas is 1-for-21 against the Blues and a dismal 3-for-43 overall in the postseason.
Joe Nieuwendyk leads the Stars with five goals and is tied with Mike Modano for the team lead with eight points. Dallas would like to get more production from Brett Hull, who has just two goals in eight playoff games.
St. Louis was 9-for-33 on the power play in seven games against Phoenix and is 2-for-21 in this series.
After he was held without a point in four straight playoff games, Blues right wing Pavol Demitra has has come alive with three goals and two assists in the last three contests. Turgeon has two goals and two assists in that span.
The series shifts back to St. Louis for Game Six on Monday.
#2 COLORADO AVALANCHE vs #3 DETROIT RED WINGS
Series tied 2-2
Game time: Sunday May 16th, 1999 2pm at Colorado
If the Colorado Avalanche come out of the locker room in their road jerseys, do not be surprised.
Colorado hosts the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion and archrival Detroit Red Wings in Game Five of their Western Conference semifinal series tonight, with the home team losing all four games so far.
The Avalanche got even with a pair of impressive victories, taking Games Three and Game Four by a combined 11-5 score after scoring a total of two goals in the first two contests. They are 5-0 away from home in the postseason and just 1-4 at McNichols Sports Arena.
Detroit outscored Colorado, 7-2, in winning Games One and Two and received stellar goaltending from veteran Bill Ranford. Acquired from Tampa Bay at the trade deadline, Ranford has given up eight goals on his last 37 shots and was pulled in each of the last two games.
Rookie Norm Maracle allowed the last three goals Thursday. He and Ranford played for No. 1 goaltender Chris Osgood, who has been sidelined with a knee injury. Osgood could return today, which would provide a much-needed lift for Detroit.
With an extra day of rest between games, the Red Wings could have veteran playmaker Igor Larionov back in the lineup. He missed Games Three and Four due to a dislocated left pinky.
Fellow Russian Vyacheslav Kozlov has a six-game points streak with six goals and an assist. He scored both goals for Detroit on Thursday.
The Avalanche continue to be led by superstar Peter Forsberg, who has points in each playoff game that the team has scored, with three goals and 10 assists.
Colorado also has the all-time postseason wins leader in the net. Patrick Roy, who stopped 75 of 80 shots in the two games at Detroit, has 105 career playoff victories.
Roy and the Avalanche defense did a better job of killing penalties at Joe Louis Arena, allowing only two goals on 11 power-play opportunities. The Wings scored four times in 15 chances at Colorado.
Game Six is Tuesday at Detroit.