No. 1 New Jersey (47-24-11) vs. No. 8 Pittsburgh (38-30-14)
1998-99 series record: New Jersey, 4-1-0.
Outlook: Under first-year coach Robbie Ftorek, the Devils earned their third consecutive Eastern Conference title. The pressure is on after last year's disappointing, first-round loss to Ottawa, which followed a second-round exit the year before. The Devils scored 248 goals, second in the league behind Toronto. New Jersey had an NHL-record 28 road victories, and goalie Martin Brodeur (39-21-10) tied Ken Dryden's NHL record with 25 road wins. Brodeur's goals-against average went up almost one-half goal to 2.29. The Penguins exited the playoffs in the first round the past two years and have stumbled heading in this year, finishing 2-8-2 to fall to the eighth spot. Jaromir Jagr won the scoring title for the second straight year with 44 goals and a league-leading 83 assists. Darius Kasparaitis is out for the season, while German Titov (hamstring) and Neil Wilkinson are day-to-day. New Jersey in six games.
No. 2 Ottawa (44-23-15) vs. No. 7 Buffalo (37-28-17)
1998-99 series record: Ottawa, 1-0-4.
Outlook: The Senators earned their third straight playoff berth, ending up two points behind New Jersey for the conference's top spot. Ottawa owned first place heading into the final week, but struggled down the stretch, finishing with a 2-2-5 mark. Alexei Yashin (44 goals, 94 points) emerged as the offensive leader, as Daniel Alfredsson (11 goals, 22 points in 58 games) was bothered by injuries. The expected return of LW Shawn McEachern (31 goals) from a groin-muscle injury should help. Goalie Ron Tugnutt (22-10-8) had a 1.79 GAA -- just 0.02 from equaling the modern NHL record shared by Chicago's Tony Esposito and Toronto's Al Rollins. All five of the regular-season matchups went to overtime, with the last three ending 1-1. Dominik Hasek (30-18-14, nine shutouts), second to Tugnutt with a 1.87 GAA, is likely to win his third straight Vezina Trophy -- fifth in six years -- as the NHL's top goalie. Hasek is the key in this series, as the Sabres will need him to counter Ottawa's considerable edge in shots. Buffalo will also need timely scoring from Miroslav Satan (40 goals, 66 points) and Michael Peca (27 goals, eight of them game-winners) to prolong the series. Ottawa in six.
No. 3 Carolina (34-30-18) vs. No. 6 Boston (39-30-13)
1998-99 series record: Tied, 2-2-1.
Outlook: This is the Hurricanes' first postseason appearance since 1992, when the franchise was the Hartford Whalers. It's also their best season since 1989-90. Carolina finished with a four-game unbeaten streak (2-0-2). Defenseman Sean Hill (cheekbone) is out 2-4 weeks, and could see action if Carolina advances. Captain Keith Primeau (back) and RW Ray Sheppard (shoulder) are day-to-day. Primeau led the team with 30 goals and 62 points. Arturs Irbe (27-20-12, 2.22 GAA) had six shutouts. The Bruins, with the league's worst record two years ago, have become one of the league's top young teams. Boston won seven of nine to close out the season and benefits from losing the season finale to Philadelphia, thereby avoiding a better Toronto team in the first round. Byron Dafoe (32-23-11, 1.99 GAA) led the league with 10 shutouts, becoming the first Boston goalie in 60 years to achieve that feat. Jason Allison led the team in scoring (23 goals, 76 points). Boston in six.
No. 4 Toronto (45-30-7) vs. No. 5 Philadelphia (37-26-19)
1998-99 series record: Philadelphia, 3-1-0.
Outlook: The Maple Leafs, the league's highest-scoring team (268 goals), had six 20-goal scorers. Toronto returns to the postseason after a two-year absence. Leading goal-scorer Sergei Berezin (37 goals, 59 points) may miss the series after suffering a possible fractured cheekbone in a collision in the season finale. Mats Sundin (31 goals, 83 points) led the team in scoring again. Alyn McCauley (concussion) is out indefinitely; Igor Korolev (fractured finger) could be back in a couple of weeks. Curtis Joseph (35-24-7, 2.56 GAA) set a club record for victories. Eric Lindros (43 goals, 93 points) is out indefinitely for the Flyers after surgery to remove a blood clot and complications from a collapsed lung. Mark Recchi (53 points) was cleared to play. Rod Brind'Amour (24 goals, 74 points) takes over as the center on the first line, joined by Mikael Renberg (38 points) and John LeClair (43 goals, 90 points). After a midseason, 24-game unbeaten string (16-0-8), the Flyers lost 11 of the next 17. Philadelphia faces a quick exit without Lindros. Toronto in five.
No. 1 Dallas (51-19-12) vs. No. 8 Edmonton (33-37-12)
1998-99 series record: Dallas, 3-0-1.
Outlook: This is the third consecutive year these teams will meet in the postseason. The Stars won in five games in the conference semifinals last year. Dallas captured the Presidents' Trophy for the second straight year, setting team records for home wins (29), overall wins and points (114). The Stars were eighth in the league in scoring, but first in defense. Dallas is led by captain Mike Modano (34 goals, 81 points) and Brett Hull (32 goals). Pat Verbeek (strained knee) could miss the first round. Goalies Ed Belfour (35-15-9, 1.99 GAA) and Roman Turek (16-3-3, 2.08 GAA) gave up only 168 goals in 82 games between them, giving Dallas the Jennings Trophy (fewest goals yielded) for the first time. The Oilers finished the season 5-0-1. Bill Guerin (30 goals, 64 points) led the team in scoring, followed by Josef Beranek (49 points). However, both are out with knee injuries and could be back in a week. Goalie Tommy Salo (25-28-9, 2.57 GAA) makes his first playoff appearance. Dallas in four.
No. 2 Colorado (44-28-10) vs. No. 7 San Jose (31-33-18)
1998-99 series record: Colorado, 3-1-0.
Outlook: The Avalanche captured its fifth straight division title, finishing on a 9-2-1 clip and a 10-game home unbeaten streak (8-0-2). Colorado has three 90-point scorers -- Peter Forsberg (30 goals, 97 points), Joe Sakic (41 goals, 96 points) and trade-deadline acquisition Theo Fleury (40 goals, 93 points). Claude Lemieux (51 points) is a perennial playoff standout. Forwards Adam Deadmarsh (blurred vision) and Valeri Kamensky (broken right forearm) are out indefinitely. Patrick Roy (44-28-10, 2.29 GAA) is the NHL's career leader in playoff wins with 99. Jeff Friesen (22 goals, 57 points) led the Sharks in scoring again, though Joe Murphy (25 goals) was the top goal scorer. Mike Vernon (16-22-10, 2.27 GAA) missed time with a groin injury, but will get the bulk of time in goal. Defenseman Gary Suter (torn triceps) is out. Colorado in five.
No. 3 Detroit (43-32-7) vs. No. 6 Anaheim (35-34-13)
1998-99 series record: Detroit, 3-1-0.
Outlook: The two-time, defending Stanley Cup-champion Red Wings struggled early in the season, but finished 9-2-1 after acquiring Chris Chelios, Ulf Samuelsson, Wendel Clark and Bill Ranford at the trade deadline. Scotty Bowman, the NHL's winningest playoff coach at 194-111, seeks his third straight Cup, something no team has done since Al Arbour guided the Islanders to four straight in 1980-83. Brendan Shanahan led the team with 31 goals; Steve Yzerman (29 goals, 74 points) was the leading scorer.Defenseman Uwe Krupp (back) is out indefinitely, while forward Joe Kocur (abdomen) is day-to-day. Chris Osgood (34-25-4, 2.42 GAA) is backed up by Ranford (6-18-4, 3.64 GAA), who went 3-0-1 with a 1.96 GAA in four starts after coming to Detroit. Anaheim closed out the season 1-5-1. The Ducks have two of the NHL's most prolific scorers in Teemu Selanne (league-leading 47 goals and 107 points) and Paul Kariya (39 goals, 101 points). Kariya took 429 shots, falling short of Phil Esposito's 550 in the 1970-71 season. Guy Hebert (31-29-9, 2.42 GAA) had six shutouts. Detroit in six.
No. 4. Phoenix (39-31-12) vs. No. 5 St. Louis (37-32-13)
1998-99 series record: St. Louis 2-1-1.
Outlook: The Coyotes ended a five-game losing streak in the season finale and reached the 90-point mark for only the second time in franchise history. Jeremy Roenick (broken jaw, broken thumb) is out for the playoffs, while defenseman Gerald Diduck (broken foot) could miss the first round. Defenseman Jyrki Lumme returned after missing 16 games with a shoulder injury, but then sat out the last two and is day-to-day. Left wing Keith Tkachuk (36 goals, 68 points) has moved to center in place of Roenick (72 points). Robert Reichel (69 points) and Rick Tocchet (56 points) had 26 goals apiece. Nikolai Khabibulin (32-23-7, 2.13 GAA) had eight shutouts. Geoff Courtnall is back in the St. Louis lineup after missing most of the season with post-concussion syndrome. Pavol Demitra led the Blues with 37 goals and 89 points. Norris Trophy candidate Al MacInnis -- winner of the hardest-shot event during All-Star weekend -- led all defensemen with 20 goals and 42 assists. Grant Fuhr (16-11-8, 2.44 GAA) shares the goaltending duties with Jamie McLennan (13-14-4, 2.54 GAA). St. Louis in five.
Pub Date: 4/21/99