Three stars and Game 2 at a glance
By Brian A. Shactman
ESPN.com
Take a look at who ESPN.com chose as the three stars of Game 2. And then check out what each team needs to focus on moving forward to Saturday's Game 3.
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No. 1 star: Brett Hull
Obviously, he shares credit with his linemates, especially Mike Modano. But Hull is the guy who put the puck in the net. He's done it what seems like a thousand times: Setting up in the high slot, just waiting for the puck to come his way. Modano and Jere Lehtinen do the dirty work, and Hull gets the glory. And when it results in a win, no one on the Stars cares who gets the spotlight. |
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No. 2 star: Ed Belfour
Regardless of the varied opinions on his medicated excuse for stinking up the joint in Game 1, Belfour made all the saves -- 27 in all -- he had to make in Game 2. The Devils had several excellent chances before Hull's second goal, at least two of which were pretty scary. He looked solid with rebounds and stable on his feet. Belfour's back, and so are the Stars. |
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No. 3 star: Alexander Mogilny
Mogilny displayed his game-breaking ability with his then game-tying goal. Shooting across one's body is difficult for a goalie to stop, especially at top speed. If the Devils could somehow get him the puck in the right position a little more, his presence could pose more problems for Dallas. They need to utilize his speed to open up space for others. |
Dallas: In a lot of ways, the momentum has completely turned around. Home-ice advantage is big, but even more so heading back to Dallas for Game 3. It will be hot, and the ice is likely to be bad. The puck will bounce around quite a bit on Saturday, and the Devils won't have the experience to deal with it. New Jersey will focus on stopping Hull and Modano -- just like Dallas did with the Devils' top line in Game 2 -- so the other three lines must be ready to produce.
New Jersey: This is a game the Devils should have won. They out-chanced Dallas but couldn't score. At certain times, New Jersey passed up good shots to make the perfect pass. Conventional wisdom says that in a tight game, a slap shot in the slot is a lot better than a pass to the goal line. Instead of being up 2-0 with confidence as a great road team, the Devils head to Dallas' heat, sweating it out because they need to win one of the next two. |
