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Roy dominates Dallas Avs snap Stars' eight-game home playoff win streak
Posted: Sunday May 14, 2000 02:12 AM
DALLAS (AP) -- The way Patrick Roy is playing, the Stanley Cup looks closer than ever for the Colorado Avalanche. First he has a score to settle with the Dallas Stars and goalie Ed Belfour. Fired up by Belfour's claims of supremacy and seeking payback for last year's conference finals, Roy made 13 of his 24 saves in the third period as Colorado beat Dallas 2-0 in the opener of the Western Conference finals Saturday night. Milan Hejduk scored on a power play midway through the second period and Aaron Miller added another goal in the period to end the Stars' eight-game home winning streak in the playoffs. "I see this club as focused as ever," Roy said. "Guys are sharp and we're doing whatever we need to be successful. The level of commitment is fantastic." The Avalanche won their third straight game without Ray Bourque, their sentimental leader and star of their power play and defense. His injured left leg might heal in time for him to play Game 2 Monday night. "It's not 100 percent," he said. "I'm skating well, but I have to get over the next hurdle. I don't want to go out there and get hurt."
Belfour, who said months ago he was as good as Roy or better, allowed as many goals in this game as he did in the previous 10 periods at Reunion Arena. "I think we can play a lot better," said Belfour, who made 16 saves. "We didn't play hard from the start, and we can't do that against this team." This was the Stars' first shutout loss since Dec. 21 against Calgary. It was their first playoff shutout defeat in 34 games, dating to June 5, 1998, against Detroit. Most of their best scoring chances were in the first period. Dallas had four power plays, more than 10 minutes in the Colorado zone and even centered a pass to an open net while Roy was trapped against the end boards. But the Avalanche defense limited Dallas to seven first-period shots and just four in the second period. They peppered Roy with shots in the third, but by then he was locked in. "We had a couple of flurries in the third period, but they were thinking defense and winding the clock down," said Stars center Mike Modano, who took just three shots. The key for Colorado was using its speed to chase down every Dallas player near the puck, then pounding them. The Avalanche had 45 hits, including one that sent Modano into the Colorado bench. The Avs also won 55 percent of the faceoffs. "In the dirty areas, we did not play the way we can," defenseman Darryl Sydor said. "Everybody is really disappointed. We didn't play our game. We gave them the game." Colorado has won 10 of its last 12 on the road and has an unusual streak of four straight victories in series openers played on the road. That streak includes a Game 1 victory over the Stars in last year's conference finals, which Dallas won in seven games en route to the Stanley Cup. Roy had some rocky games in last year's conference finals, especially Game 6 when he couldn't hold a 1-0 lead in Denver with Colorado up 3-2 in the series. He's played much more solidly this entire postseason. This was his second shutout and the 14th of his playoff career, tying Jacques Plante for No. 2 in NHL history. Roy extended his own record by winning his 119th postseason game. Although Roy's wandering from the net almost hurt him early, it paid off later with two goalie interference penalties -- one of which led to Hejduk's goal with 11:09 left in the second period. Adam Foote blasted a shot into Belfour's chest, and the rebound went to Dave Andreychuk in front of the crease. He nudged the puck to an uncovered Hejduk, who easily pushed it in for his third goal of the playoffs. "I had an open net," he said. Colorado, which improved to 7-0 when scoring first in the postseason, went up 2-0 with 2:28 left in the second period when Miller finished a great play started by Peter Forsberg. Forsberg skated up the right side, then swooped across the front of the net, pulling the defense -- and Belfour -- to his left. But Forsberg left the puck behind to his right, and Miller hit it in for his first goal this postseason. "I was all alone coming in and the puck came right to me," he said.
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