Three stars and Game 1 at a glance
By Brian A. Shactman
ESPN.com
Before getting to the stars of the game, take a quick look at what each team needs to focus on moving forward to Thursday's Game 2.
Dallas: The Stars need to forget about what happened and start over. The game was almost surreal. Not too physical and not too emotional. That will change, especially since some major pride was wounded in Game 1. Having Derian Hatcher and Jamie Langenbrunner in the lineup is a must, and regardless of what legal substances Ed Belfour puts in his system, his team needs him to not only play better but play great.
New Jersey: Maybe the Devils' forwards are better than Colorado's. They did better in Game 1 than most of the Avs did the entire West finals. It's doubtful New Jersey will get cocky, but in a strange way they also need to forget about Game 1. Keep the knowledge of the win, but replace some of the euphoria with the fact that a Dallas win in Game 2 throws home-ice advantage to the Stars. To win the Cup, a 2-0 lead is essential. And expect the Elias-Sykora-Arnott line to get a lot more attention in Game 2. That means pressure will be on the other lines to produce.
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No. 1 star: Ken Daneyko
He would have a solid case for this lofty perch on the sheer merits of him scoring for the first time in more than a year. But the fact that it broke a tie in a Stanley Cup game clinches it. When a popular leader such as Daneyko scores, it lifts the whole team. If there ever were a Mr. Devil, it is Daneyko, who has played in every playoff game in Devils history -- and more than 1,000 in the New Jersey organization. |
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No. 2 star: Petr Sykora
Sometimes, he's the forgotten guy on his line. Much of that has to do with the fact that the Devils like to make sure the center is stationed closer to the defensive end than any of the opposing forwards. But his four points in Game 1 show how dangerous he can be. Patrik Elias can make all the moves in the world, and Jason Arnott can punish people in the corners, but Sykora can finish as well as anyone. He deserves the attention. |
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No. 3 star: Jason Arnott
The only reason the entire line didn't take all three stars is that Daneyko is just too good a story. But Arnott gets the nod over Elias because so much is expected of Elias these days. For Arnott -- and Sykora -- to get four points can only help Elias get some space in this series. If the Stars have to give equal respect to all three players, that plays to New Jersey's advantage. Plus, Arnott's team-leading four shots means he's playing aggressive with the puck, as well as his usual checking game. |
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