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DALLAS -- Joe Nieuwendyk is once again coming through for
the Dallas Stars when they need him the most.
Nieuwendyk re-directed a long blast from Richard Matvichuk 12:10
into overtime Tuesday night, giving the Dallas Stars a 3-2 victory
over the Colorado Avalanche and putting the Stanley Cup champions
within a win of returning to the finals.
"We had some good luck there," Nieuwendyk said. "It seemed
like the only way to get to the net is to outrace a guy. I was able
to do that and just got my stick on it."
|  | | Dallas goalie Ed Belfour (29 saves) kept the Stars in it until Nieuwendyk won Game 5 in overtime. |
Niewuendyk beat rookie Martin Skoula to get just enough of the
puck to send it past Colorado goalie Patrick Roy, giving Dallas a
3-2 lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference finals. Game 6 is
Thursday night in Denver.
Nieuwendyk was the MVP of the playoffs last year after tying an
NHL record with six postseason game-winners, two of them in
overtime. It was only fitting then that he ended Dallas' first
overtime game of these playoffs, notching his second game-winner.
His goal was the Stars' first this series that came without
Brett Hull, Mike Modano or Jere Lehtinen on the ice. The trio came
up big in the second period, though, as Lehtinen and Hull each
scored and Modano assisted on both.
Stars goalie Ed Belfour also had another outstanding night,
stopping 29 shots. He's made 105 saves in three games and has yet
to allow the Avalanche to score more than twice in a game.
"He's got a strong focus," Stars coach Ken Hitchcock said.
"He has to be the difference for us if we expect to beat
Colorado."
Belfour played his best when time was running out. He blocked
five shots during a power play in the final minutes of regulation,
then in overtime turned away Joe Sakic on a breakaway and handled a
three-shot flurry from Sakic and Dave Andreychuk. Andreychuk
chopped his stick at the ice in frustration when it ended.
"That's my job, to come up with the big saves," said Belfour,
who has won 10 of his last 11 home playoff games. "I got a couple
of saves there, I got maybe a little lucky, and we needed that."
Roy, who allowed four goals in the first 11 shots in Game 4,
failed to protect a 1-0 lead and had some shaky moments. He was
solid in overtime, turning away strong shots from Hull, Modano and
Sylvain Cote before the bouncing finale got past him.
"It deflected right in front of me and I made the save
sideways," Roy said. "After that, I saw the puck hit the post and
then cross the line."
When these teams met in the conference finals last season,
Colorado went home for Game 6 leading 3-2 only to see Dallas win in
seven games. Now the Avalanche, coming off their first consecutive
losses since mid-March, will try doing the same thing.
"We have to keep playing hard and keep putting pucks at the
net," Avalanche coach Bob Hartley said. "We had a lot of chances,
especially in overtime. We have to find a way to play better
hockey."
"We're still confident," said Sakic, who hasn't scored this
series and has just two goals in 15 playoff games. "We've got to
keep doing the same things and maybe they'll go in."
Colorado's power play remained stuck in neutral. The Avalanche
went 0-for-4 for the second straight game, making them 1-for-18
over the last three games.
This was the first overtime game of the series, which is
surprising considering four of the five regular-season meetings
went beyond the third period. Colorado won three and there was a
tie.
This also was the first overtime game this postseason for
Dallas, which last summer had eight, including two triple-overtime
games.
Colorado led 1-0 midway through the first period when Jon Klemme
flicked a rebound over Belfour. Milan Hejduk tied it at 2 by
scoring on a great feed from Sakic 2:19 into the third period.
Lehtinen tied it early in the second period by controlling a
rebound and backhanding it past Roy. Hull made it 2-1 late in the
period by blasting in a one-timer on a power play.
"It was a howitzer," said Hull, who moved into the lead for
postseason points with 19 and tied Modano for the playoff lead in
goals with eight.
Hull -- whose father, Hall of Famer Bobby Hull, watched from a
rink-level walkway -- also tied former New York Islanders star Mike
Bossy for fifth place on the career postseason list with 85 goals.
The save of the game was made by Matvichuk, who in the first
period reached from outside the crease to swat away a shot by Shjon
Podein just before it crossed the goal line. Belfour had come out
to play the puck after failing to catch a long shot, then made a
poor pass straight to Podein and fell trying to get the puck back.
"I went to play the puck and then I thought he was going to
play it," Belfour said. "We just got mixed up and I whiffed it."
Dallas lost a key player when Jamie Langenbrunner went down with
a knee injury in the first period. He's expected to miss Game 6 and
will likely be replaced by rookie Jon Sim, who has yet to play this
postseason.
Colorado's first-period goal was the first allowed by the Stars
in 13 home playoff games, setting an NHL record.
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ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard
Colorado Clubhouse
Dallas Clubhouse
RECAPS
Dallas 3
Colorado 2
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Joe Nieuwendyk scores the game-winner in OT.
avi: 1120 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Richard Matvichuk gives Ed Belfour a helping hand.
avi: 766 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Jere Lehtinen puts the puck in off the rebound.
avi: 833 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Brett Hull fires a one-timer past Patrick Roy.
avi: 837 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Jon Klemm puts the Avalanche up early.
avi: 990 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Milan Hejduk makes it a 2-2 game.
avi: 771 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
 Joe Nieuwendyk is pleased to be in a position to win the series.
wav: 75 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
The battle's still not over for Ken Hitchcock and the Stars.
wav: 97 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Bob Hartley felt the chances were there for Colorado.
wav: 106 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Ray Bourque feels things just aren't going their way.
wav: 72 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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