Over the past few seasons, the Dallas Stars have relied on a few things to elevate themselves to the upper echelon of the NHL.
Outwork.
Outthink.
Outscheme.
Outmaneuver.
Dallas does all of the above better than any team in professional hockey. Just ask the Edmonton Oilers, San Jose Sharks and Colorado Avalanche. The Stars manhandled each of those teams as a whole and destroyed Colorado in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals to earn the right the defend their championship against the New Jersey Devils.
The Stars, mainly due to the discipline that Ken Hitchcock has instilled in them, have been able to take control of a game more often than not with their punishing defense and suffocating forecheck. The Stars pursued the same strategy as last year's Game 7 thrashing of Colorado, guaranteeing themselves a spot in the finals and as well as a spot in history if they can repeat.
The Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings have secured their spot as two of the greatest teams in history because of their ability to repeat as champions. Dallas will have to win on the road in order to do that, but the Stars should be up to the challenge.
Brett Hull and Mike Modano have been unstoppable in wins and horrible in losses. The rest of the team will need to pick up their game for the Stars to have success, because New Jersey will key on Modano and Hull.
That's where Scott Stevens enters.
The New Jersey Devils captain and defensive bruiser has left his mark on anyone who has dared to come across the middle. He single-handedly knocked out the Philadelphia Flyers' Damon Langkow and may have sent Eric Lindros into a sabbatical away from hockey. Stevens is flat-out dangerous and will probably win the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the playoffs should the Devils pull off the upset.
Stevens can alter a game simply by being there, and he may have the upper hand against the Stars' Darien Hatcher in a battle of the big men.
In Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals, Ed Belfour finally realized who he was - an overachiever who has a good defense in front of him. Belfour was yanked after allowing six goals on 18 shots and the Stars were throttled 7-3.
Three of the six goals were soft, and now the Stars have to wonder how he will come back. ABC sure hopes he plays better. ESPN, whose parent company is ABC, has Gary Thorne and ex-Flyer Bill Clement as the broadcast team, and they have let the listening audience know how they feel about the Stars, and particularly Belfour.
Stay tuned to the "All Belfour Channel" and see for yourself.
As far as the series goes, the Devils are in a good spot after winning Game 1. Should they win Game 2, the Devils will throw a serious crimp into Dallas' hopes of repeating.
Watch for Patrik Elias and Jason Arnott to come up big for the Devils, and a second-liner will need to do the same for Dallas. Dallas has the big names, but New Jersey has the grit and motivation to bring the Eastern Conference their second title since 1995, when the Devils beat the Red Wings.
New Jersey in 6.
Trevor Smith is the Nevada Appeal hockey columnist.
