|
 |   |
|
EVENTS Fantasy Central Inside Game Multimedia Central Statitudes Your Turn Message Boards Email Newsletters Golf Guide Cities Work in Sports
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE |  |
Inside the NHL
Posted: Tuesday April 25, 2000 01:23 PM First-rateA passel of rookies did big things during the first round of the playoffs By Kostya Kennedy
Flyers rookie center Simon Gagne scored the game-winning goal on a backhander in a 3-2 victory over the Sabres in Game 1 and added another goal and three assists as the Flyers won the series in five games. Meanwhile, Philly goaltender Brian Boucher stopped .935 of the shots he faced to become the first rookie netminder to win a playoff round since Martin Brodeur led the Devils to the Eastern Conference finals in 1994. Rookies also helped New Jersey beat the Panthers. In Game 1 of the Devils' sweep, center Scott Gomez, the Calder Trophy favorite, scored an unassisted game-winner. In a 2-1 victory in Game 2, center John Madden assisted on both goals, the first coming after he boldly burst down the left wing with New Jersey skating two men down. In Game 3, a blistering third-period slap shot from rookie defenseman Brian Rafalski gave the Devils a 2-1 lead they would not relinquish. "Part of me was thinking, This is for the Stanley Cup, so don't screw up," Madden says of his first postseason action, "but then instincts take over." The Avalanche was aided in its five-game defeat of the Coyotes last week by rookie left wing Alex Tanguay, who says, "My legs were a little shaky for the first few shifts." Nonetheless, he calmly converted a rebound in Colorado's 6-3 victory in Game 1, and he snapped home another goal in the Avalanche's 3-1 win in Game 2. For the Blues, who through Sunday were tied with the Sharks at three games apiece, rookie center Jochen Hecht was the leading scorer, with 10 points. Even the Capitals, who were upset in five games by the Penguins, could at least be happy about the dazzling play of rookie center Jeff Halpern, who scored a third-period goal to snap a 2-2 tie in Washington's win in Game 4. Afterward coach Ron Wilson said, "Our future lies with people like Jeff Halpern." He was referring to the Capitals' future, but Wilson could have been speaking about the NHL as a whole. Issue date: May 1, 2000
For more Inside the NHL see this week's issue of Sports Illustrated, on newsstands Wednesday, April 26. Click here to subscribe to SI.
| ||||||||||||||||||||
