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Get well soon ... not! Banged-up Stars get no sympathy from Oilers
Posted: Wednesday April 12, 2000 12:31 AM
DALLAS (AP) -- The Dallas Stars open the playoffs Wednesday with their best puck-handling defenseman out for at least two games and their best checking forward allowed to play in games but not practices. The strange thing is, that qualifies as a good injury report for the defending champions, who these days have more dings than the Stanley Cup. "It's been a rough ride," coach Ken Hitchcock said. "You have 400 man-games lost; there's other teams that have those numbers. But our losses have been to impact players, so it's been an adjustment." Superb goaltending by Ed Belfour and a second-half resurgence by Mike Modano enabled the Stars to win the Pacific Division and earn the No. 2 seed in the West. They open the playoffs against seventh-seeded Edmonton, marking the fourth straight postseason the teams have met. Dallas went into the last two playoffs as the top seed. Good health was a big reason for the regular-season success. This season, the Stars have endured long stretches without Jere Lehtinen, Joe Nieuwendyk and Derian Hatcher. They've had brief absences by Modano, Jamie Langenbrunner and Richard Matvichuk. Lehtinen, two-time winner of the Selke Trophy for top defensive forward, is barely back from an ankle injury that cost him 65 games. He'll skate only in games to save strength and avoid further damage. "We know what he can do," Hitchcock said. "The downside is the rust that's going to be there, but he's going to play a checking role when he plays." A bigger concern is Sergei Zubov, the triggerman on the Stars' power play. He tore a knee ligament March 29 and was supposed to be out for up to a month. He'll definitely miss the first two games, Wednesday and Thursday, but could return for game three Sunday in Edmonton. "It's been a long time since we've had a lineup with everybody we want in there and all our guns ready to go," Modano said. "But we've found ways to do it all season long. I think that's really made us learn a lot about ourselves and our team." One thing the Stars seem to know is how to beat the Oilers. Dallas has won eight of the last nine playoff games against Edmonton and won this season's series 3-0-1. But it hasn't been as lopsided as it seems. The last seven Stars victories have been by one goal, giving the Oilers enough confidence to be dangerous. "I think a lot of people would've liked to play somebody different, but we're fine with Dallas," right wing Bill Guerin said. "When you have close games like that, anybody can win. Sooner or later, you're going to get some bounces. Hopefully those will come in these playoffs." Edmonton has little sympathy for Dallas' injuries as it starts the playoffs without winger Mike Grier and center Boyd Devereaux. Both are postseason veterans who excel at killing penalties. Any absence hurts the Oilers because they already can't match the Stars' depth. Dallas rolls four productive lines and six solid defensemen. The Stars also have more experience, especially in the net. While Edmonton's Tommy Salo is coming off his best season and a career-best .914 save percentage, Belfour had a career-best .919. The Eagle also will be out to prove that his starring role in last season's championship run was no fluke. He also wants people to focus on his play, not his recent run-in with the law at a posh Dallas hotel. "This year, we're maybe more relaxed," said Belfour, who is 12-1 lifetime against the Oilers in the playoffs. 'But everyone is looking forward to playing and getting started." Neither teams is going into the playoffs on a roll. Dallas coasted a bit after locking up the Pacific and was winless in its last five games. Edmonton went 6-5-1 the last month.
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