Desperate time
Stars facing must-win Game 5
Posted: Monday June 01, 1998 09:45 PM
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Kozlov (13) and the Red Wings have had their way with Belfour and the Stars so far in the series (AP) |
DALLAS (AP) -- Ed Belfour is a tough man to convince. He thinks the Detroit Red Wings should be thankful for their 3-to-1 edge over Dallas in the Western Conference finals.
"The last two games we've dominated but they've had a lot of luck," the Dallas goalie said. "A lot of our shots have hit goal posts, cross bars, shafts of Chris Osgood's stick. That's just luck."
The defending champion Red Wings can clinch the best-of-seven Western Conference series with the Stars on Wednesday night in Reunion Arena. While Belfour believes Detroit is surviving on luck, some believe the blame for back-to-back losses falls directly on the feisty and defiant Dallas goaltender.
Signed as a free agent last July to provide the big playoff victories that Andy Moog couldn't produce, Belfour was involved in two plays in Detroit that led to critical Red Wings goals. In Game 3, Belfour ventured into the corner to play the puck and fell after he hit Martin Lapointe. Not drawing a penalty, Belfour scrambled back into the crease just as Lapointe took a pass and shot the puck between Belfour's legs. It stopped a Dallas comeback in an eventual 5-3 Detroit win. On Sunday with Dallas trailing 1-0, Belfour slashed Lapointe and the Red Wings scored on the ensuing power play.
"I shouldn't have taken that penalty," Belfour said. "That was a bad penalty to take at that part of the game with Detroit already leading."
Center Mike Modano, who has scored only one goal against Detroit, is worried about the Stars getting bad bounces and starting slowly.
"The last two games have been tough-luck games," said Modano, who hit a post on one of his shots. "You can pinpoint little things that aren't going our way."
But he admitted the Stars need to get off to a quick start Wednesday.
"We keep painting ourselves in the corner at the start of the game," Modano said. "We have to come out and control the game early. We have two days to regroup. We know what we have to do."
The Stars may have to do it with fewer skaters. Defenseman Richard Matvichuk was knocked out of Game 4 with a shoulder injury, and defenseman Shawn Chambers is out with an injured knee. Matvichuk, who is listed as doubtful by team doctors, remains confident that the Stars will win the series.
"We're not going down without a fight," he said. "We fought all year to get home ice advantage. The puck is just not going in for us right now. Hopefully, we can change that around."
If the Stars win, Game 6 is set for Friday night in Detroit. Detroit's Bob Rouse said the Red Wings are bracing themselves for the Stars' best effort on Wednesday.
"The games just keep getting bigger and bigger," Rouse said. "We expect their best game."
Vyacheslav Kozlov, who scored the winning goal in Game 4, said the Red Wings expect Stars to be flying around.
"I think Dallas will play their best game of the series," he said. "But I also think Dallas will be surprised by us."
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NHL Finals
