Three stars and Game 5 at a glance
By Brian A. Shactman
ESPN.com
Take a look at who ESPN.com chose as the three stars of Game 4. And then check out what each team needs to focus on moving forward to Monday's Game 5:
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No. 1 star: John Madden
He did it in college, and now he's doing it in the NHL, namely scoring shorthanded goals. He owns the NCAA record in the category and tied a rookie record this season. But none of them could match the significance of the one he scored in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup finals. The goal not only was shorthanded but also was the game-winner. The Stars went from taking the momentum back -- to being dead in the water. This is why this Devils team is even better than the Cup-winning team from '95: They have incredible young talent. And they are all clutch; Madden's goal was the sixth game-winner scored by a Devils rookie this postseason. |
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No. 2 star: Martin Brodeur
He only made 16 saves. But Monday night, Brodeur looked stronger than he had all series, and the majority of the 16 shots were legitimate scoring opportunities. Of course, there were some hair-raising moments, but Brodeur had control over many rebounds and had a steady balance to his movement. Perhaps, there has been a shift in confidence from Belfour to Brodeur. The Devils veteran better build on that confidence because he will be tested in Game 5. |
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No. 3 star: Claude Lemieux
Lemieux didn't register a point, but he led all skaters with seven shots on goal and was involved from start to finish. Although he is widely considered a clutch playoff scorer, his play remains valuable even when he doesn't get goals because he leads with intensity. His antagonistic play both motivates his team and distracts the opposition. Lemieux is so demanding of his teammates, and that has helped keep the talented young Devils humble and hungry. |
Dallas: The Stars executed their game plan to perfection for the better part of 40 minutes. Then, for a few short minutes, it all fell apart. With so much talk about teams of destiny, perhaps, it's New Jersey's year. To crawl back in the series -- which Dallas is capable of doing -- the Stars must understand that, now, they have nothing to lose. Maybe playing loose will be easier than playing like a team that is the defending Cup champ. If something doesn't change, this series won't make it to the weekend.
New Jersey: The Devils answered a major question on the "How to be a champion" exam. New Jersey had every reason to be complacent in Game 4. Home-ice advantage was theirs, and they could be on track to take the series in seven. After two periods, the Stars looked in relative control with a 1-0 lead. But the Devils -- coaching staff included -- completely understood how important a Game 4 win would be. The most encouraging component of the win was that all three scorers weren't named Patrik Elias, Petr Sykora or Jason Arnott -- and they still won.
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