Playoffs 2000:Frozen Moment: Mo's goal gives Stars momentum

Frozen Moment: Mo's goal gives Stars momentum
By Joe Lago
ESPN.com

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- With one quick shot and one quick flick of a stick, the longest scoreless overtime game in Stanley Cup finals history was suddenly over.

On the 89th shot, in the 106th minute, Mike Modano ended the drama of an already legendary Game 5 early Friday morning by tipping Brett Hull's innocuous shot from the right point past Martin Brodeur in Dallas' 1-0 triple-overtime win over New Jersey.


	Modano took a long look back to make sure his tip went in to win the game for the Stars and force a Game 6 in Dallas.

One second, these teams were digging in for another 20 minutes of heart-stopping hockey. The next second, NHL officials were packing up Lord Stanley's Cup for Game 6 in Dallas on Saturday.

The goal was Modano's first even-strength tally in 10 games and his second career game-winner in a playoff OT. Modano could see the play developing nicely once he gave the puck to Sergei Zubov in Dallas' zone.

Zubov passed the puck to Jere Lehtinen, who then got it to Hull at the New Jersey blueline along the right boards. Hull's first shot attempt hit Devils defenseman Scott Stevens' foot, but his second shot got through just in time to meet a charging Modano at the net.

Modano, who beat Vladimir Malakhov to the crease, said the puck hit the shaft of his stick and off the post before skipping past Brodeur.

"Usually those shots at the point find a way of getting through," said Modano, who called the goal the biggest of his career. "I still felt good. Some people still had some jump, some freshness to us."

"Modano was coming through the middle and he hit it in midair," Brodeur explained. "It went through my legs, I think."

"It's unfortunate," Brodeur added. "It (a game-winning goal) had to happen. It was a great hockey game. We had chances to score. Now it's all over with. Now we've got to move on."

Modano played another marathon game, logging the most ice time of any Stars player with 43 minutes, 37 seconds. Only the Devils' Stevens (45:37) played more minutes than Modano.

"We're pretty much running on fumes right now," Modano said. "I think everyone feels a lot better. We've got that rejuvenation back. We can't wait to get back home and get in front of our fans again and play another day."

Dallas coach Ken Hitchcock didn't praise Hull for his assist on the game-winner, but for the right wing's all-around play. "I think our unsung hero is Brett Hull," Hitchcock said. "I've never seen him play so well. He's doing all the little things. He's doing more than his share of work."

After scoring the winning goal, Modano was ready to hop on a plane to Dallas with his skates on. His initial reaction was to "hurry up and get off the ice."

"It's a sense of relief," Modano said. "It's a once-in-a-lifetime deal when you're playing in a game like this."