Tribune hockey reporter Neil Milbert breaks down the first round of the playoffs.
EASTERN CONFERENCE MATCHUPS
1. New Jersey Devils
W: 48, L: 19, T: 12, OL: 3, PTS.: 111, GF: 295, GA: 195
The defending Stanley Cup champions flaunt the most powerful offense and the second-best defense in the Eastern Conference. Martin Brodeur provides solid goaltending, Scott Niedermayer and Scott Stevens are outstanding defensemen and Patrick Elias, Alexander Mogilny and Petr Sykora lead a balanced scoring attack.
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8. Carolina Hurricanes
W: 38, L: 32, T: 9, OL: 3, PTS.: 88, GF: 212, GA: 225
Penalty killing and faceoffs are the strong points of the speedy Hurricanes. Defense is their bay window of vulnerability. During the season they gave up 13 more goals than they scored, even though they were playing in the weakest of the NHL’s six divisions.
NEIL MILBERT’S PICK: New Jersey.
2. Ottawa Senators
W: 48, L: 21, T: 9, OL: 4, PTS.: 109, GF: 274, GA: 205
Ottawa has speed and scoring ability. The Senators’ 88 percent penalty killing led the league and their 19.6 percent power-play success ratio was the sixth best in the NHL. Goaltender Patrick Lalime is a question mark because of his lack of playoff experience. Equally untested Jani Hurme, a rookie, is Lalime’s backup.
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7. Toronto Maple Leafs
W: 37, L: 29, T: 11, OL: 5, PTS.: 90, GF: 232, GA: 207
Of the playoff teams, erratic Toronto was the NHL’s biggest underachiever during the regular season. Even outstanding goaltender Curtis Joseph didn’t play up to his usual sky-high standards. The Leafs have five 20+ goal-scorers but no 30-goal scorers.
NEIL MILBERT’S PICK: Toronto.
3. Washington Capitals
W: 41, L: 27, T: 10, OL: 4, PTS.: 96, GF: 233, GA: 211
Team defense, faceoffs and the power play are the Capitals’ major assets. They thrive on close, low-scoring games. Goaltender Olaf Kolzig knows the playoff ropes. Right wing Peter Bondra was the league’s fourth biggest goal-scorer and center Adam Oates tied for the league lead in assists despite having a wide assortment of wingers.
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6. Pittsburgh Penguins
W: 42, L: 28, T: 9, OL: 3, PTS.: 96, GF: 281, GA: 256
The Penguins have the league’s most explosive offensive machines. Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr, Alexei Kovalev, Martin Straka and Robert Lang provide awesome firepower. But of the 16 teams that made the playoffs, the Penguins have by far the worst defense.
NEIL MILBERT’S PICK: Washington.
4. Buffalo Sabres
W: 46, L: 30, T: 5, OL: 1, PTS.: 98, GF: 218, GA: 184
A good playoff omen: The Sabres had only one overtime loss this season. Their brilliant goaltender, Dominik Hasek, is the primary reason why. If Hasek (11 shutouts, 2.05 goals-against average and .922 save percentage) plays the way he did in leading the Czech Republic to the 1998 Olympic gold medal, Buffalo can make it to the finals.
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5. Philadelphia Flyers
W: 43, L: 25, T: 11, OL: 3, PTS.: 100, GF: 240, GA: 207
The Flyers have improved significantly–particularly on offense–since Bill Barber replaced Craig Ramsey as their coach. Goaltender Roman Cechmanek, a 30-year-old rookie, is the top-ranked goaltender in the Eastern Conference. He leads the East with a 2.01 goals-against average, and his .925 save percentage is second best.
NEIL MILBERT’S PICK: Buffalo.
WESTERN CONFERENCE MATCHUPS
1. Colorado Avalanche
W: 52, L: 16, T: 10, OL: 4, PTS.: 118, GF: 270, GA: 192
Colorado boasted the best record in the NHL this season. Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg and Milan Hejduk are in the forefront of a mighty offense; Ray Bourque and Rob Blake are superlative defenseman; and goaltender Patrick Roy knows how to win the Stanley Cup.
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8. Vancouver Canucks
W: 36, L: 28, T: 11, OL: 7, PTS.: 90, GF: 239, GA: 238
The Canucks barely edged Phoenix to get into the playoffs, and their stay is expected to be short. They lack depth, their penalty-killing is poor and their seven overtime losses is the most by any team that made the playoffs. Vancouver also is minus its captain and leading scorer, Markus Naslund (41 goals, 34 assists), who sustained a broken leg late in the season.
NEIL MILBERT’S PICK: Colorado.
2. Detroit Red Wings
W: 49, L: 20, T: 9, OL: 4, PTS.: 111, GF: 253, GA: 202
Scotty Bowman, who has coached eight Stanley Cup championship teams, showed during the regular season he hasn’t lost his magic touch. He has an aging team but one that knows how to win. Forwards Igor Larionov, Sergei Fedorov, Steve Yzerman and Brendan Shanahan, and defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom make Bowman’s team a dark horse to win the Cup.
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7. Los Angeles Kings
W: 38, L: 28, T: 13, OL: 3, PTS.: 92, GF: 252, GA: 228
Instead of collapsing after superb defenseman Rob Blake was traded to Colorado, coach Andy Murray’s team came on strong. The Kings’ record for their last 10 games was an impressive 6-1-3. Right wing Ziggy Palffy and left wing Luc Robitaille provide a powerful 1-2 punch, while former Avs center Adam Deadmarsh adds some much-needed grit.
NEIL MILBERT’S PICK: Detroit.
3. Dallas Stars
W: 48, L: 24, T: 8, OL: 2, PTS.: 106, GF: 241, GA: 187
Dallas has the best defensive record in the Western Conference and goaltender Ed Belfour has gotten his act back together. Although coach Ken Hitchock’s accent is on defense, Mike Modano and Brett Hull are among the NHL’s most talented offensive players.
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6. Edmonton Oilers
W: 39, L: 28, T: 12, OL: 3, PTS.: 93, GF: 243, GA: 222
The Oilers were the surprise team in the second half of the season. From Feb. 20-March 13 they won nine straight games, a feat not even the powerhouses of Wayne Gretzky’s heyday could accomplish. Led by center Doug Weight, Edmonton has a free-flowing offensive style. Workhorse goalie Tommy Salo (.904 save percentage) has often been sensational.
NEIL MILBERT’S PICK: Dallas.
4. St. Louis Blues
W: 43, L: 22, T: 12, OL: 5, PTS.: 103, GF: 249, GA: 195
Last year the Blues had the best regular-season record in the NHL but were upset by the Sharks in the opening round. Injuries to Chris Pronger, Al MacInnis and Pavol Demitra cramped the Blues’ style in the second half of the season. But their return and the arrival of Keith Tkachuk in a trade with Phoenix make the Blues a Cup contender.
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5. San Jose Sharks
W: 40, L: 27, T: 12, OL: 3, PTS.: 95, GF: 217, GA: 192
Like the Blues, the Sharks got off to an outstanding start but then faltered when they were overtaken by injuries to several key players. The late-season acquisition of right wing Teemu Selanne has bolstered an already potent offense. Coach Darryl Sutter has a very good goalies–rookie Evgeni Nabokov (this sentence as published has been corrected in this text).
NEIL MILBERT’S PICK: San Jose.
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– See microfilm for complete graphic.
