NHL Week at a Glance:
We know what we know
Posted: Monday April 26, 1999 11:06 AM
By Jamie MacDonald, CNN/SI
Some of us have said, in the midst of a knock-down, drag-out, 82-game
regular season, "Wake me up when the playoffs have started."
Well, Mr. Van Winkle, your wake-up call has arrived.
Let's get on with this Week's glance, featuring what we know, and what we
don't.
What we know ... This is the best time of year for hockey fans,
much better than either the much-anticipated training camp or the
nail-biting weeks spent fighting for a playoff spot.
What we don't know ... Just how painful it is to be on the
receiving end of seven games of playoff punishment.
What we know ... Paul Kariya will take
more sticks to the body than Silver Charm down the stretch.
What we don't know ... If those sticks will keep Kariya from
stepping into slapshots like his first goal of the Detroit series -- a
cannon from just inside the blue line -- or stepping into traffic, where
the Ducks need him to score at close range as well.
What we know ... The Ducks need Guy Hebert .
What don't we know ... If Ottawa can maintain its lopsided shot
advantage against Buffalo.
What we know ... That lopsided shot advantage may not matter
with Dominik Hasek
in net.
What we don't know ... When the carriage will turn into a
pumpkin in Tommy
Salo 's driveway.
What we know ... Salo is making a bold statement between the
pipes, keeping the overmatched Oilers close to the mighty Stars.
What we don't know ... When you'll see a classier move than the
postponement of the Colorado-San Jose series.
| Storylines We're Following
| |
Get well soon ...
... or get out soon. The Ducks
were forced to use goaltender Tom Askey (before Game 1, perhaps
only his family and friends could have told you he was the Ducks' backup)
when Hebert went down with an injury. Askey was called in as an emergency
No. 2 because Dominic
Roussel had the flu. Roussel is expected to return, but in the
best case, the Ducks' two goaltenders are not 100 percent -- this is no way
to compete with the defending Cup champions.
Upset special?
Last week we mentioned that
Colorado was ripe for an upset, and that was before anyone knew the
Avalanche would have to play its first two games in San Jose. The Sharks
are a rugged team and this could be the nastiest series of the first round
-- thanks in large part to guys like Bryan Marchment ,
Theo Fleury , Mike Ricci , Claude Lemieux and
Owen Nolan . It will
be interesting to see if the Sharks are able to take advantage of their
home ice at the start.
| |
| NHL's Three Stars
|
| Each week, we'll take a look at a few of the
individuals making a significant impact on team success.
1. Dominik Hasek, Buffalo -- His active arm, leg, stick and body
movement make shooters feel like they're trying to get the puck through the
blades of a spinning fan. This time of year, when goals are at a premium,
his acrobatic saves take something out of you mentally and can have you
out-thinking yourself when you get a shot. Jacques Martin may
want to draw up a few tip drills -- there's no shame in bouncing a shot off
someone's backside.
2. Steve Yzerman,
Detroit -- The Wings' depth allows him to skate around virtually
unnoticed at times. Two of his three goals in the opener against Anaheim
were scored within a stick-length of the net. Last season's Conn Smythe
winner is the really early clubhouse leader to win the award in
1999.
3. Scott Young, St.
Louis -- Six goals in his last six games going into the playoffs,
including two in the Blues' last regular-season meeting with their
first-round opponent, Phoenix.
| |
| Bandwagon |
| Pavol Demitra
|  | Pass cost him
$500,000 |
| Mighty Ducks
| | Needing all the help they
get |
| Derian Hatcher
|  |
Absence really hurts
team |
| Old guard |
|
Carbonneau, Chelios,
Bourque | | |
|
