Turning Point: Can Recchi and LeClair be stopped?
By Brian A. Shactman
ESPN.com
Scott Stevens and Brian Rafalski have made a cottage industry out of shutting down the opposition's top line.
| |  | | | LeClair |
| |  | | | Recchi |
But with the Panthers and Maple Leafs, the No. 1 line revolved around one exceptional player and two solid but lesser talents. For Florida, Pavel Bure was accompanied by different combinations, but mainly skated with Ray Whitney and Viktor Kozlov. For Toronto, Mats Sundin's line consisted of Jonas Hoglund and Steve Thomas.
Not to slight them, but would any two from those lines matchup to John LeClair and Mark Recchi?
And that's the challenge for New Jersey's giant killers. Can they contain a line with two superstar talents?
In the the final few games against Pittsburgh, Recchi's legs didn't stop moving. He is one of the few players who can truly accelerate wide on defenders with the puck in his possession and with two hands on his stick. In addition, he is an exceptional playmaker.
And LeClair has been phenomenal, not just scoring goals, but forechecking and going to the net aggressively. He does not need Eric Lindros beside him to be a force.
The little guy who can scoot and the lumberjack who can punish physically -- a combination that New Jersey has not faced in this year's playoffs.
On the flip side, Stevens, at 36, might be as imposing as ever. He flattened people all over the ice against Toronto. And as nasty as he can get, almost all of his checks were clean -- in Game 6, Tie Domi went after Stevens more out of embarrasment because of being dropped on his behind than anything else.
Stevens will do his job. Do not doubt that.
The X-factor here is Rafalski. His situation has been well documented: An undersized rookie defenseman who isn't really a rookie because he has played four years professionally in Europe. His speed can probably match Recchi's, but the question is whether he'll be able to handle LeClair's power game. He should be OK in transition, but the key to the series could be how Rafalski deals with LeClair down low and in the corners of the defensive zone.
Brian A. Shactman is the NHL editor for ESPN.com. |
