STANLEY CUP PLAYOFF SCHEDULE

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Seven

Playoff schedule set
By Shawn P. Roarke NHL.com April 8, 2001
The National Hockey League's playoff schedule opens Wednesday as six teams begin what they hope will be a two-month march toward the Stanley Cup. Eight teams that qualified for the postseason will begin their first-round series Thursday. And, finally, Toronto and Ottawa will kick off their series on Friday
The New Jersey Devils, defending the Stanley Cup they won last season, open the playoffs Thursday at home against the Carolina Hurricanes, who finished in eighth in the East after Sunday's loss to Pittsburgh.
The Eastern Conference champions, who set a team record with 111 points in the regular season, will host the first two games at the Continental Airlines Arena before moving to Raleigh on Tuesday for Game 3. New Jersey has won 10 straight road games, tying the NHL record for consecutive away wins.
This year's first-round matchups definitely have a feeling of deja vu about them. Six of the eight series are rematches from last year's first round. In the East, Washington and Pittsburgh will go at it again, as will Philadelphia and Buffalo. Canadian rivals Toronto and Ottawa also have a first-round date again this year. In the West, traditional playoff rivals Edmonton and Dallas will renew acquaintances in the first round for the third straight year. Also, San Jose hopes to repeat last year's stunning first-round upset of the St. Louis Blues. Detroit and Los Angeles also will meet for the second-straight season.
With a 2-1 victory over Buffalo Sunday on the road, Philadelphia earned the fourth seed in the East and will enjoy home-ice advantage for their grudge match against the Sabres. Philadelphia won all four regular-season games this year and took last year's playoff matchup in five games. That series will open Wednesday at the First Union Center.
The Capitals' reward for winning the Southeast Division and the third seed is another date with the Penguins. Some reward.
The Penguins have won five of six playoff series against Washington in the recent past, including a five-game upset in Round 1 last spring. To make matters worse, the Pens have Mario Lemieux in the lineup. He was inactive last year, but has 76 points in 43 games so far this season. That series will open Thursday at the MCI Center.
The only all-Canada matchup of the first round completes the Eastern Conference quarterfinal slate. Second-seeded Ottawa, which finished just two points in back of the Devils, will open against seventh-seeded Toronto, which earned their position when Carolina lost its final game Sunday.
The favored Maple Leafs persevered in a brutal series last year against their Northeast Division rivals, taking the series four games to two. Ottawa went 5-0-0 against their Ontario rivals this season. This year's festivities will start with games Friday and Saturday at the Corel Centre.
In the Western Conference, the matchup between top-seeded Colorado and Vancouver is the only new matchup in the bracket.
Colorado, which held off Detroit to win the Presidents' Trophy, will have home ice as long as they last in this year's tournament. The Avs and Canucks have already met five times this season, with Colorado holding a 3-2 advantage. The series will open Thursday at the Pepsi Center.
The rest of the West is all about revisiting bitter postseason rivalries.
The second-seeded Red Wings, who enter the playoffs riding a team-record 19-game home unbeaten streak, will entertain Los Angeles in Game 1 of their series Wednesday at Joe Louis Arena. Detroit swept the Kings in last year's playoffs, outscoring L.A., 15-6, in the process.
But the Kings, who overtook Phoenix and Vancouver in the final week of the season, are riding high after losing just four of 16 games down the stretch. Goalie Felix Potvin has fueled that run, going 15-5-5 with a 1.98 goals-against average since joining the club in a trade from Vancouver.
Dallas, which fell to New Jersey in a memorable six-game series in last year's Cup Finals, will once again have to get by Edmonton to start its playoff march. The teams will meet in the postseason for the fifth straight year, and the third in a row in the opening round.
Dallas took a 4-1 series win in last year's first round, with three games decided by one goal. In the 1999 playoffs, Dallas swept the Oilers in the first round, but all four games were decided by one goal. The year before, Dallas took a second round series from Edmonton in five games, with three games being decided by a goal. And both teams still remember the classic first-round series in 1997, when the Oilers earned a seven-game upset. Three of those games, including Game 7, were decided in overtime.
This year's war will begin Wednesday at Reunion Arena, which will be involved in its last playoffs. The Stars will begin play next fall in the brand-new American Airlines Center.
The Blues, who followed up last year's Presidents' Trophy campaign with a fourth-place finish this season, couldn't shake the Sharks. San Jose survived a late-season tailspin to claim the fifth seed and will visit the Savvis Center for Thursday's series opener.
In last year's Western Conference quarterfinal matchup, San Jose won three straight games to take a 3-1 lead in the series, watched St. Louis claw back to tie the series 3-3, and then took Game 7 with a 3-1 decision for the biggest upset of last year's tournament.
Eastern Conference
#1 New Jersey vs #8 Carolina
Game Date Matchup Network TV Time/Score
1 Thu., April 12 Carolina at New Jersey ESPN (B-net) 7:30 p.m. ET
2 Sun., April 15 Carolina at New Jersey ESPN 3 p.m. ET
3 Tue., April 17 New Jersey at Carolina ESPN2 7:30 p.m. ET
4 Wed., April 18 New Jersey at Carolina ESPN2 7:30 p.m. ET
5* Fri., April 20 Carolina at New Jersey ESPN2 7:30 p.m. ET
6* Sun., April 22 New Jersey at Carolina ESPN 3 p.m. ET
7* Tue., April 24 Carolina at New Jersey ESPN2 7:30 p.m. ET
* - if necessary
#2 Ottawa vs #7 Toronto
Game Date Matchup Network TV Time/Score
1 Fri., April 13 Toronto at Ottawa CBC, ESPN, SRC 7 p.m. ET
2 Sat., April 14 Toronto at Ottawa CBC, ESPN, SRC 7 p.m. ET
3 Mon., April 16 Ottawa at Toronto CBC, SRC, ESPN (B-net) 7 p.m. ET
4 Wed., April 18 Ottawa at Toronto CBC, SRC, ESPN (B-net) 7 p.m. ET
5* Fri., April 20 Toronto at Ottawa CBC, ESPN, SRC 7 p.m. ET
6* Sun., April 22 Ottawa at Toronto CBC, ESPN2, SRC 7 p.m. ET
7* Tue., April 24 Toronto at Ottawa CBC, SRC, ESPN (B-net) 7 p.m. ET
* - if necessary
#3 Washington vs #6 Pittsburgh
Game Date Matchup Network TV Time/Score
1 Thu., April 12 Pittsburgh at Washington ESPN, RDS 7:30 p.m. ET
2 Sat., April 14 Pittsburgh at Washington ABC, RDS 1 p.m. ET
3 Mon., April 16 Washington at Pittsburgh ESPN, RDS 7 p.m. ET
4 Wed., April 18 Washington at Pittsburgh ESPN, RDS 7 p.m. ET
5* Sat., April 21 Pittsburgh at Washington ABC, RDS 3 p.m. ET
6* Mon., April 23 Washington at Pittsburgh ESPN, RDS 7 p.m. ET
7* Tue., April 24 Pittsburgh at Washington ESPN, RDS 7 p.m. ET
* - if necessary
#4 Philadelphia at #5 Buffalo
Game Date Matchup Network TV Time/Score
1 Wed., April 11 Buffalo at Philadelphia ESPN2 7 p.m. ET
2 Sat., April 14 Buffalo at Philadelphia ABC 1 p.m. ET
3 Mon., April 16 Philadelphia at Buffalo ESPN2 7:30 p.m. ET
4 Tue., April 17 Philadelphia at Buffalo ESPN 7 p.m. ET
5* Thu., April 19 Buffalo at Philadelphia ESPN2 7:30 p.m. ET
6* Sat., April 21 Philadelphia at Buffalo ABC 3 p.m. ET
7* Mon., April 23 Buffalo at Philadelphia ESPN (B-net) 7 p.m. ET
* - if necessary
Western Conference
#1 Colorado vs #8 Vancouver
Game Date Matchup Network TV Time/Score
1 Thu., April 12 Vancouver at Colorado ESPN2, CBC 10 p.m. ET
2 Sat., April 14 Vancouver at Colorado ESPN2, CBC 10 p.m. ET
3 Mon., April 16 Colorado at Vancouver CBC 10:30 p.m. ET
4 Wed., April 18 Colorado at Vancouver CBC 10:30 p.m. ET
5* Sat., April 21 Vancouver at Colorado ESPN2, CBC 10 p.m. ET
6* Mon., April 23 Colorado at Vancouver CBC 10:30 p.m. ET
7* Wed., April 25 Vancouver at Colorado ESPN2, CBC 10:30 p.m. ET
* - if necessary
#2 Detroit vs #7 Los Angeles
Game Date Matchup Network TV Time/Score
1 Wed., April 11 Los Angeles at Detroit ESPN 7 p.m. ET
2 Sat., April 14 Los Angeles at Detroit ABC 1 p.m. ET
3 Sun., April 15 Detroit at Los Angeles ESPN2 11:30 p.m. ET
4 Wed., April 18 Detroit at Los Angeles ESPN2 10:30 p.m. ET
5* Sat., April 21 Los Angeles at Detroit ABC 3 p.m. ET
6* Mon., April 23 Detroit at Los Angeles ESPN2 10:30 p.m. ET
7* Wed., April 25 Los Angeles at Detroit ESPN 7 p.m. ET
* - if necessary
#3 Dallas vs #6 Edmonton
Game Date Matchup Network TV Time/Score
1 Wed., April 11 Edmonton at Dallas CBC, ESPN (B-net) 8 p.m. ET
2 Sat., April 14 Edmonton at Dallas CBC 4 p.m. ET
3 Sun., April 15 Dallas at Edmonton CBC, ESPN2 8 p.m. ET
4 Tue., April 17 Dallas at Edmonton CBC, ESPN (B-net) 9 p.m. ET
5* Thu., April 19 Edmonton at Dallas CBC 8 p.m. ET
6* Sat., April 21 Dallas at Edmonton CBC, ESPN 7 p.m. ET
7* Mon., April 23 Edmonton at Dallas CBC 7 p.m. ET
* - if necessary
#4 St. Louis vs #5 San Jose
Game Date Matchup Network TV Time/Score
1 Thu., April 12 San Jose at St. Louis ESPN2 7 p.m. ET
2 Sat., April 14 San Jose at St. Louis ABC 1 p.m. ET
3 Mon., April 16 St. Louis at San Jose ESPN2 10:30 p.m. ET
4 Tue., April 17 St. Louis at San Jose ESPN2 10:30 p.m. ET
5* Thu., April 19 San Jose at St. Louis ESPN 7:30 p.m. ET
6* Sat., April 21 St. Louis at San Jose ABC 3 p.m. ET
7* Mon., April 23 San Jose at St. Louis ESPN2 7:30 p.m. ET
Gopher

Seven,
Well, I didn't know you were such a sports fan! I assume you are favoring the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Do you ever talk to Cygnus, that rabid Buffalo Sabres fan?
As for me, we just got pro hockey back in Minnesota this year. With coach Jacques Lemaire (who coached the Devils to the Stanley Cup in 1995) I believe our "Minnesota Wild" team could make the playoffs in about 3 years. They are already a very entertaining team.
When I think of Pittsburgh, I remember the 1991 Stanley Cup finals against the old Minnesota North Stars. Behind Mario Lemieux, the Pens rallied from a 2-1 deficit in the series, took it over and won in six games. It was a great year for both teams.
Gopher
Seven

Hey Gopher!! May 25, 1991 at the Met Center. I'll never forget that night. Mario, Paul Coffey, Ulfie, Ron Francis, Joey Mullen, put the biscuit in the basket 8 times while Tom Barrasso said "NO!" 39 times.
8-0. Then came the presentation and carrying the cup around the rink.
I just wanted it to go on forever. I don't think I slept for two days. Fast forward 10 years and quest begins again. Only this time with inconsistency between the pipes. Can the 'Guins do it this year?
I'd like to think so-always the dreamer. There are some great match-ups again in the first round. Being a big 'burgh and Philly sports fan
having the Flyers there too is icing on the cake. Soon Gopher, with Lemaire at the helm, your Wild will be right in the hunt in no time. I log in more hours in front of the TV during the Cup playoffs than any other time of the year. We've got the Flyers at home tonight with Buffalo, and Pens and Caps tomorrow. This is paradise.
Seven
Seven

An opening round update for yinz. Was that a smile I saw across Pat Quinn's face as Corey Cross rifled the puck past Patrick Lalime in OT
at the Air Canada last night? What an outstanding job he's done with the Leafs so far. Cujo's playing out of his mind. Stick a fork in the Sens-they're done. The Pen's netminder Johan Hedberg said "NO" to 34 shots from the Caps for his first shutout. He's standing tall and playing beyond expectations. What a goal by Kovie in the third as he smoked Kolzig like a bad cigar! Great goal by Hrdina a few minutes later off one of those, "how'd he do that?" passes through the crease from Jagr-Sweet! The Sabres are up 2-1 and the Devils look awesome again. I still think the Avs will come out of the West. There's still alot of hockey left.
Apr 17, 2001
Avs, Leafs on brink of sweeps, Flyers win in NHL playoffs
JERSEY CITY, New Jersey (Ticker) -- No one will ever mistake Peter Forsberg for Cory Cross. But both scored overtime goals on Monday to put the Colorado Avalanche and Toronto Maple Leafs within one win of sweeps in the NHL conference quarterfinals.
Regarded as one of the world's top two-way players, Forsberg scored on a spectacular solo effort 2:50 into overtime to give the Avalanche a 4-3 victory over the Vancouver Canucks.
A rugged defenseman who has 19 goals in 448 regular-season games, Cross skated onto a long rebound of Nik Antropov's shot and scored past goaltender Patrick Lalime 2:16 into the extra period as the Maple Leafs edged the Ottawa Senators, 3-2.
In Monday's other Western Conference game, Dallas Drake scored twice and the St. Louis Blues used a stellar special teams effort to reclaim home-ice advantage in their Western Conference series with a 6-3 thrashing of the San Jose Sharks.
Back in the East, defenseman Andy Delmore scored another big playoff goal as the Philadelphia Flyers held on for a 2-1 victory that trimmed the Sabres' lead in their Eastern Conference series to two games to one.
And the Pittsburgh Penguins got another solid effort from rookie goalie Johan Hedberg in a 2-1 triumph over the Washington Capitals that gave them a two games to one lead.
The Avalanche won the Presidents' Trophy as the top team during the season, finishing 28 points ahead of the undermanned Canucks. But they have pulled out three straight one-goal victories to move within a victory of their fifth trip to the conference semifinals in six years.
On Monday, Colorado got a power-play goal from defenseman Adam Foote with 10:08 remaining to force overtime. A roughing penalty on Todd Bertuzzi negated a Vancouver power play, and Forsberg scored 43 seconds into the ensuing 4-on-4.
Forsberg picked up a turnover in the neutral zone, skated around Brendan Morrison and Murray Baron in the right faceoff circle and avoided goalie Bob Essensa's pokecheck before scoring on a snap shot from the left side.
"We've been lucky to get away with a win in each of the three games in this series," Forsberg said.
The goal put Colorado on the brink of its first series sweep since the 1996 Stanley Cup Finals and kept the Canucks winless in the postseason since 1996.
It's been 52 years since the Maple Leafs have swept a best-of-seven series. But they're in position to duplicate the feat, thanks to Cross.
Ottawa finally solved goalie Curtis Joseph, ending a postseason scoring drought of 223 minutes, 41 seconds by tallying twice in the final 3:09 to force overtime. But Cross emerged as the unlikely hero.
The Blues were blanked at home by Evgeni Nabokov, 1-0, on Saturday but put three goals past the rookie goaltender in the first 14 minutes on Monday and never looked back.
One of Drake's goals was shorthanded and Scott Mellanby and Pierre Turgeon added power-play tallies for the Blues, who have killed all 12 Sharks' power plays in the series. St. Louis also has held snipers Owen Nolan and Teemu Selanne without a point in taking a two games to one lead.
Philadelphia got a boost from the return of leading scorer Keith Primeau but an even bigger one from Delmore. A healthy scratch in the last two games of the regular season and the first two games of this series, Delmore tipped Daymond Langkow's pass over Dominik Hasek's right arm with 8:54 left in the third period to break a 2-2 tie.
Last year, Delmore scored twice in Game Three of the conference semifinals in Pittsburgh, including the overtime winner, as Philadelphia got within two games to one. Once again, the Flyers recorded a road win after dropping the first two games of the series at home.
Hedberg was thought to be the Penguins' weak link when the playoffs began, but the 27-year-old Swede has limited the Capitals to two goals in the first three games of the series. He stopped 34 shots on Monday for his first NHL shutout.
Alexei Kovalev and Jan Hrdina scored 2:38 apart in the third period to break open a tight game for Pittsburgh, which is trying to eliminate Washington from the postseason for the fifth time in six meetings
Gopher

Seven,
Looks like the Pens have the Capitals' "number" when it comes playoff time. The series is almost "in the bag". Wow! I was worried a bit after the first game.
So we've got your Pens, Kismet's Maple Leafs, Cygnus' Sabres all leading in their playoff series so far. But of course only one team can come out of the East!
This is fun.
Gopher
Seven

Hey Gopher! Elvis has left the building!! At 13:04 into OT last night
Marty Straka went top shelf on Olie the goalie. It's on to Buffalo.
Conference Semifinal Playoff Schedule
International TV Schedules
Eastern Conference
#1 New Jersey vs. #7 Toronto
Game Date Matchup Network TV Time/Score
1 Thu., April 26 Toronto at New Jersey
2 Sat., April 28 Toronto at New Jersey
3 Tue., May 1 New Jersey at Toronto
4 Thu., May 3 New Jersey at Toronto
5* Sat., May 5 Toronto at New Jersey
6* Mon., May 7 New Jersey at Toronto
7* Wed., May 9 Toronto at New Jersey
* if necessary
#5 Buffalo vs. #6 Pittsburgh
Game Date Matchup Network TV Time/Score
1 Thu., April 26 Pittsburgh at Buffalo
2 Sat., April 28 Pittsburgh at Buffalo
3 Mon., April 30 Buffalo at Pittsburgh
4 Wed., May 2 Buffalo at Pittsburgh
5* Sat., May 5 Pittsburgh at Buffalo
6* Mon., May 7 Buffalo at Pittsburgh
7* Wed., May 9 Pittsburgh at Buffalo
* if necessary
Western Conference
#1 Colorado vs. #7 Los Angeles
Game Date Matchup Network TV Time/Score
1 Thu., April 26 Los Angeles at Colorado
2 Sat., April 28 Los Angeles at Colorado
3 Mon., April 30 Colorado at Los Angeles
4 Wed., May 2 Colorado at Los Angeles
5* Fri., May 4 Los Angeles at Colorado
6* Sun., May 6 or
Mon., May 7 Colorado at Los Angeles
7* Wed., May 9 Los Angeles at Colorado
* if necessary
#3 Dallas vs. #4 St. Louis
Game Date Matchup Network TV Time/Score
1 Fri., April 27 St. Louis at Dallas
2 Sun., April 29 St. Louis at Dallas
3 Tue., May 1 Dallas at St. Louis
4 Thu., May 3 Dallas at St. Louis
5* Sat., May 5 St. Louis at Dallas
6* Tue., May 8 Dallas at St. Louis
7* Thu., May 10 St. Louis at Dallas
* if necessary
stephenw20

go Devils!
Gopher

Hey everyone,
So on this board we have big fans for the following winning teams:
New Jersey Devils....Stephenw20
Toronto Maple Leafs....Kismet and Moxy
Pittsburgh Penguins....Sevenofnine
Buffalo Sabres...Cygnus
What about the Western Conference? Any fans of L.A., Colorado, St.Louis or Dallas? (I know aChristian's Red Wings were shown the exit door early.)
Gopher (whose Minnesota Wild will be in the playoffs around 2003)
SixofNine

I'm not really a "fan" of any sports teams, but, Dallas is my city, so if you wish, I'll be happy to rub your noses in it as Dallas wins on its' march to the cup.
I won't be paying too much attention though, so you may have to remind me to harass you.
Seven

Are yinz ready? It's a hockey night in Pittsburgh! Ummana plan on dinner in front of the TV tonight. The Moose is loose!!! Go Pens!!
GAME THREE TONIGHT AT MELLON ARENA
Now is not the time for complacency according to the Penguins. They remember the 2000 post-season all too well.
It was just a year ago that the Pens went up 2-0 on the Philadelphia Flyers in the second round of the NHL playoffs, only to watch their cross-state rivals roll off four consecutive victories and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Pittsburgh holds an identical 2-0 lead over the Buffalo Sabres this season, and they don’t want to repeat the script from last year.
The good news for the Penguins is that the Sabres have never climbed back from a two games to none deficit to win a series. Still, the Pens will have to play a more disciplined game on Monday if they want to stretch the lead. The only Buffalo goal in the series has come on the power play, and eight of the 11 tallies the team has allowed in the post-season have come on the man advantage.
Pittsburgh apparently will also have to persevere without Jaromir Jagr for the second consecutive game. Reports today cast doubt on the captain’s ability to skate after suffering a charley horse in the second period of Game One. His replacement in Game Two - Josef Beranek - may also be out of the lineup with a groin injury. Possible replacements on the top trio include Rene Corbet, Kevin Stevens and Aleksey Morozov.
The injury bug has also bitten the Sabres. Jay McKee, one of the team’s top defenders, did not accompany Buffalo on their trip to the ‘Burgh after suffering a concussion during a collision with Mario Lemieux in Game Two. Alexei Zhitnik did make the trip, and his slight concussion may or may not keep him out of the lineup on Monday.
Pittsburgh has a record of 7-1 in Game Three when they have taken the first two games of a series, the lone loss coming last season against Philadelphia. The Penguins have won seven of nine series when they have won the first two games. The Pens defeated St. Louis in a two-game sweep in 1975 (so no Game Three), and lost to the Islanders in the 1975 Quarterfinals and the Flyers in the 2000 Semifinals after two victories. They defeated the 1968 Oakland Seals, 1989 New York Rangers, 1992 Boston Bruins and Chicago Blackhawks, 1993 New Jersey Devils and 2000 Washington Capitals after taking a 2-0 lead.
PENS NOTES:
Andrew Ference, who scored the game-winner in Game Two, is tied for first among defensemen in the playoffs with two goals...Mario Lemieux entered Sunday in a five-way tie for first in the league in playoff scoring with 10 points...His five goals were also tied for the top spot...Johan Hedberg overtook Curtis Joseph for the league goals against average lead on Saturday. Joseph let in six goals to balloon his average to 1.43, one tenth of a point higher than Hedberg’s 1.33...Hedberg’s .947 saver percentage is five one-hundredths of a point behind Joseph for the league lead.

STANLEY CUP PLAYOFF SCHEDULE

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