Memories of '98 help Stars force decisive Game 7

6/1/99

By Mike Heika
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Guy Carbonneau didn't even have to be prodded. He conjured up vivid memories of last year's Game 6 Western Conference finals loss to the Detroit Red Wings at first mention.

"I just think in that game we weren't ready. We didn't know as a team just how much it would take," Carbonneau said as he remembered the loss that ended the 1997-98 season for the Stars. "This year, we know what it's like to suffer, we've grown from it, we've learned from it. And I think that's what has carried us."

Last night that experience carried the Stars to the biggest victory in their six years in Texas, and possibly the biggest in the 31-year franchise history. Backed to the wall in Game 6 vs. the Colorado Avalanche, the Stars came up with a gusty 4-1 victory that forces Game 7 on Friday night at Reunion Arena.

Although the franchise went to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1981 and 1991 as the Minnesota North Stars, the team lost as huge underdogs on both occasions. If the Stars win Game 7, they will play the Stanley Cup Finals as the favorites against the Buffalo Sabres.

"Look, we can't think about that, and we weren't even thinking about Game 7. All we can think is that we don't want this to end," Stars defenseman Craig Ludwig said. "We came in here with the thought that we were going to do anything and everything possible to keep our season going, and that's exactly what we did."

The turnaround from a 7-5 loss in Game 5 was both startling and expected, if that's possible. It was startling in that in 48 hours the Stars completely changed their game plan. It was expected in that the Stars' players said they knew exactly what they were doing.

"This was the same game plan we played in this series before we just had a meltdown," Stars defenseman Richard Matvichuk said. "What we did was we got back to the sound defensive game that we used for most of this series. But we didn't back off on being aggressive. We just did what we knew we could do."

After yielding 17 giveaways in Game 5, the Stars' trimmed their giveaways to seven last night. After taking themselves out of position with 36 hits in Game 5, the Stars limited themselves to 16 last night. After hanging goalie Ed Belfour out in the wind in Game 5, the Stars battled to prevent second shots last night.

"Sometimes you have to whack us over the head with a board to get the point through, but we're not stupid," Ludwig said. "We've done a great job of learning from our mistakes."

But even with everything they fixed, the Stars trailed 1-0 at the end of the first period after an exceptional play by Avalanche center Peter Forsberg. The gritty Swede who carried the Avalanche in the past two games fought off the checks of Jere Lehtinen, Derian Hatcher and Richard Matvichuk -- the Stars' best defensive players -- to get the puck to Adam Foote at the point. Foote's long-distance shot was deflected in by Avalanche winger Claude Lemieux, and Colorado had the lead in the game with 34.9 seconds remaining in the first period.

It was the third time in five periods that the Stars had allowed a goal in the final minute, and the Stars appeared shaken.

Ludwig disagreed with that assessment.

"I don't think it changed momentum at all," Ludwig said. "We thought we did exactly what we wanted in the first period, and we were going to stick with it."

A minute and 55 seconds into the second period, the Stars gained the game-tying goal on a Lehtinen's sixth goal of the playoffs. Lehtinen lifted a rebound over Avalanche goalie Patrick Roy to break a six-game scoring drought.

The score stayed that way until the Stars finally got the game-winner. Jamie Langenbrunner, who has been a Stars' savior of sorts, beat Aaron Miller off a check in the corner and slammed in a rebound at the 6:49 mark of the third period.

It was the second rebound goal, and a symbol of the determination the Stars were using to get to Roy. The Stars finished with 40 shots, while being defensively responsible.

"I think when they were down a goal, they were mentally tougher," Avalanche defenseman Sandis Ozolinsh said.

Added Avalanche center Joe Sakic: "They deserved this win, obviously."

The Stars didn't back off even after leading 2-1. They stretched it to 3-1 on another Langenbrunner goal and made it 4-1 on a Matvichuk goal.

In the end, they seized the momentum they lost in Game 5. In the end, they buried any memories of the Game 6 loss to the Red Wings last season.

Now, the Stars have another challenge.

"Everything we've worked for, everything we've suffered through, everything that's made us closer, that's what we used tonight," Carbonneau said. "And hopefully, this was our second-best game of the year."

The best, Carbonneau said, needs to come Friday night.

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