NHL Eastern

By DAMIAN CRISTODERO

© St. Petersburg Times, published May 13, 2000

Flyers (1) vs. Devils (4)

• PLAYOFFS: Flyers beat the Sabres 4-1 and the Penguins 4-2; Devils beat the Panthers 4-0 and the Maple Leafs 4-2.

• SEASON SERIES: Devils 4-1.

• THE LOWDOWN: Any questions about how the Flyers would survive with 23-year-old goaltender Brian Boucher and without Eric Lindros and coach Roger Neilson have been answered. Philadelphia has gotten great leadership from players such as John LeClair, Mark Recchi and Eric Desjardins, and has been guided by the steady hand of interim coach Craig Ramsay. Now things really get rough against the Devils, who have found solid footing with coach Larry Robinson; play a stifling, trapping defense featuring Scott Stevens and Ken Daneyko, and can match the Flyers check for check. Poise and stamina will be key, as will goaltending. Boucher is hot, and the Flyers will have as tough a chore beating Martin Brodeur, who benefits from New Jersey's defense and has a playoff-best 1.51 goals-against average.

• KEYS TO VICTORY: Flyers -- Screen Brodeur, jostle him, get him off his game. Keep priming a power play that has converted a playoff-best 25 percent of its chances. Devils -- Frustrate the Flyers in the neutral zone the way they did the Maple Leafs, who got only six shots in Game 6 of the conference semifinals. And even though the Devils are the playoffs' best at killing penalties, allowing one goal in 34 chances, stay out of the box.

• DAMIAN CRISTODERO'S PREDICTION: Devils in seven.

• WESTERN CONFERENCE Stars (2) vs. Avalanche (3)

• PLAYOFFS: Stars beat the Oilers 4-1 and Sharks 4-1; Avalanche beat the Coyotes 4-1 and Red Wings 4-1.

• SEASON SERIES: Avalanche 3-1-1.

• THE LOWDOWN: Talk all you want about how Ray Bourque has elevated the Avs and how the Stars' Mike Modano is on top of his game. Talk endlessly about how great Colorado's Peter Forsberg is playing and how Derian Hatcher leads a stout Stars defense. Talk about it all but realize the series comes down to goaltending. Colorado's Patrick Roy against Dallas' Ed Belfour. Roy (8-2, 1.67 GAA, .935 save percentage) is the game's best money goaltender. Belfour (8-2, 1.80, .927) is a technician who gained confidence with last season's Stanley Cup win. The Avs come at opponents with three lines. The Stars have four with Modano double-shifting. Give Colorado credit. Even without Bourque for the final two games of the conference semis, veterans Adam Foote and Sandis Ozolinsh, and rookie Martin Skoula stepped up.

• KEYS TO VICTORY: Stars -- Keep the checking tight and take advantage of scoring chances, as they did against the Sharks. Belfour must stay in a zone, and Dallas must stay out of overtime. The Stars lost three such games to the Avs during the regular season. Avalanche -- Play positional defense to give Roy a good look at the puck and eliminate easy scoring opportunities. Take advantage of a power play that is the playoffs' third-best, converting 22.6 percent of its chances.

• CRISTODERO'S PREDICTION: Avalanche in six.

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