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Reactions: Time for Plan B
Posted: Sunday June 04, 2000 09:35 PM
CNNSI.com asked users to respond to the Devils' defeat of the Stars in Game Three of the Stanley Cup finals. A sample of your responses follows: I am glad to see the great Dallas Stars get out played, out planned, and defeated against a team that was not given much credit coming into the Stanley Cup Finals. The New Jersey Devils are playing at such an intensity right now after rallying to defeat Philly in seven. For Dallas to lift Lord Stanley they are going to have to put together an offense capable of getting through the Devil's defense. Otherwise, the cup will be moving back to New Jersey. Hopefully that will happen!! Go DEVILS!!!
If Dallas doesn't do something drastic, like actually play like they want the Cup, then Jersey is just going to roll right over them. It is about time the Stars (and all their wanna-be fans) learned that their defense isn't all that. All throughout this season as well as last season, the Stars have been content with an early lead. They just shut down and play defense. Not only is this style of game BORING, but Dallas often gets beaten. Dallas finished 21st out of 28 as far as goals scored this year, just beating out teams like Tampa Bay and the Islanders (there's a stat for all of you Stars fans). Seems to me, if it weren't for Belfour this team wouldn't even be in the playoffs (sounds a little like Buffalo, ironic isn't it?). I don't understand why the Stars get so much hype. They might be one of the best teams in the NHL, but they don't always play like it. Why would you cheer for a team that doesn't give a 110%. The Devils by far are the best team in this series and whole-heartedly deserve to win. Go Devils!!!
I think another key to this game, and the entire series, is the absence of Jamie Lagenbrunner from the Stars' lineup. Last year he brought a lot of energy to the Stars' offense that just hasn't been there this year. Dallas has been good enough throughout the playoffs to beat less talented teams, but now that they are facing a Devils team that is intense both offensively and defensively, not having Lagenbrunner available is starting to really hurt their chances to repeat as champions.
The Dallas Stars had better change their game plans because if they continue on with their lacklustre play, New Jersey will take them in five. The Devils have dominated the action right from the drop of the puck in game one, as they did in the Toronto series. They are simply playing quicker and stronger than the Stars. This will be the year that NJ finally gets the respect that they deserve as being the top team in the NHL. Also, Stevens is a no-brainer as winner of the Conn Smythe. He has been the inspiration behind the Devils throughout the entire playoffs.
Anyone that has watched the first three games can only come up with one conclusion.... IT'S OVER JOHNNIE!!! New Jersey has destroyed them in two of the three games played. And although the media loves to write nice little stories about what a wonderful game Dallas had in game two the truth is the devils handed them the game... Dallas has played 3 terrible games and two more and its ADIOS AMIGOS!
The Devils are burning up the ice with their speed and crisp passing, creating a lot of offensive pressure on the Stars, something Buffalo was unable to do for the most part last year. The cup finals last year looked more like a wrestling match as the Sabres were unable to get past the Stars Clutch and Grab suffocating defense. Now Jersey is skating around and passing the puck past those traps. I think they will win it in six games!
Since the start of the series New Jersey has been the more dominant team. Yet, Dallas for the most part have been right in the mix. There is one reason and one reason only that Dallas has a chance to steal this series: Ed Belfour. With the exception of game one's aberration, he has been simply spectacular. He'll need to continue to play at such a high level, because the Devils speed and defensive poise are proving to be quite a problem for the Stars. Belfour is going to have to steal game four, because the Devils an excellent road team, have their top line running on all cylinders and in the final period of game three it seemed that Martin Brodeur decided it was time to wake up and match Belfour's heroics. If Brodeur plays up to Belfour's level, the series will be over soon.
I think we now see that the supposed moniker of being a slow, boring team is replaced by a speedy opportunistic one. That is very good.
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