From Bottom to Top

When the Detroit Red Wings clinched the President's Trophy on April 11, the team looked poised to dominate on the way to the Stanley Cup. Less than a month later, the team's next round is on the golf course.

In six games, the Edmonton Oilers won the series and gave the Red Wings a shameful first-round exit. "We didn't play like the No. 1 seed," Red Wings defenseman Mathieu Schneider said after Game 6.

Detroit entered the playoffs with the expectation of a quick first round. In the Western Conference, where seeds 3-8 were separated by a margin of only eight points, Edmonton had just barely edged its way into the last playoff slot. For a team that hadn't won a playoff series since 1998, Edmonton's chances against the invincible Wings looked bleak.

Detroit started the series as expected by winning Game 1, but Edmonton retaliated quickly by winning the next two.

By Game 4, Detroit was not only looking defeated, but old. With seven players 35 or older and two over 40, experience should have been on the Wings' side. Instead, they looked more like tired WWII vets in need of a cane, not a hockey stick.

This rang especially true for captain Steve Yzerman, who struggled with a nagging back injury. Yzerman, who turns 41 on May 9, was asked repeatedly about retirement prior to the playoffs. His answer? "We'll see what happens here and make a decision sometime in late June."

Yzerman sat out for Games 4 and 5, but played in Game 6. His assist to Robert Lang's goal upped him to 185 points, and moved him into the eighth spot for all-time points leaders.

The leadership of the Wings captain wasn't enough, however. Ales Hemsky's two goals in the third period sealed the series for Edmonton.

Fans in Edmonton couldn't have been happier. As the Oilers rallied in the third period of Game 6, the crowd let their team know just how much they were behind them. "They just blew the roof off Rexall," MacTavish recalled. "That's the loudest I've ever heard it."

Meanwhile, around the city, ecstatic fans rushed to the bars for victory drinks. Vehicle occupants high-fived each other at stoplights and waved their Oilers flags proudly. Total strangers wearing Oilers gear hugged each other to the incessant sound of horns honking and chants of "Go Oilers!" Despite all of the enthusiasm, Edmonton police reported that the crowds were well-behaved, and no serious incidents occurred.

One thing is for certain: Edmonton fans want more. And so does the team. "If we didn't believe before, we certainly do now," said D Steve Staios.

Edmonton wasn't the only lower-ranked teams to advance in the playoffs. In the Western Conference, all four top seeds were defeated by their opponents. San Jose defeated fourth-ranked Nashville, while Anaheim took out third-seeded Calgary. After Edmonton, the next biggest shocker was Colorado's defeat of the Dallas Stars.

Falling Stars

In the tight Western Conference playoff race, one point made all the difference in team ranking. For Colorado, such competition wasn't kind.

Injuries to Marek Svatos and Alex Tanguay late in the season took their toll on offense. G Jose Theodore looked rusty after an ankle injury that kept him sidelined for two months. In the last three weeks of the regular season, Colorado slid from third seed to seventh, an uncharacteristically low playoff position for the team. Overall, the Avs looked beaten-down and uninspired, and a short postseason seemed very likely.

As it turns out, seven was a much luckier number than initially thought.

Colorado embarrassed the second-seeded Stars in their own house with a 5-2 win in Game 1. When the Avs took Game 2, as well, the Stars knew they were in trouble — they hadn't come back from a 0-2 deficit since 1968. Unfortunately for Dallas, their woes only got worse.

When Colorado took Game 3 and threatened a sweep, a defeated Dallas team had few answers. "It's the way it's been for us in the series. The bounces haven't gone our way," said Dallas G Marty Turco.

Now Dallas was facing a situation that only two NHL teams had ever overcome: winning four games in a row to take a series.

The Stars did win, and a relieved but still on-edge team returned to their arena with high hopes.

Meanwhile, the Avalanche took their first loss in stride. "They jumped on our mistakes and capitalized on them," said D Patrice Briesbos. Added RW Ian Laperriere, "We're just going to have to raise our level to beat a great team like that."

Just as they had done in games two and three, the Avs finished the job in Game 5 in overtime, where Andrew Brunette scored the series-winning goal.

Doubts as to whether or not the Theodore trade would work out for the Avalanche were quelled with his stellar performance. Against a desperate Dallas team, Jose Theodore made 50 saves. "He's the reason we're standing here with smiles on our face, really. He was unbelievable today," said captain Joe Sakic.

The way the Avs impressed in their series versus Dallas should be a considerable warning to Anaheim, Colorado's next opponent. They'll have their hands full.

Consider the following:

• Theodore is confident and performing well in net.
• Reliable goal scorers Alex Tanguay, Milan Hejduk, and Joe Sakic all came through at key moments against Dallas.
• Lesser-knowns Andrew Brunette, Ian Laperriere, Antti Laaksonen, Wojtek Wolski, and Brett McLean have also been pitching in. No Avalanche line seriously lacks strength, meaning that Anaheim had better be on its toes at all times.
• F Steve Konowalchuk was given the green light to play as of May 3. He suffered an injury on Nov. 21 and will return to the lineup for round two. Without a doubt, he will want to make up for the time he lost.

For the Avalanche, the postseason has been a renewal. The struggles of the regular season have been all but forgotten, and with a thrilling win over the second-ranked Stars, confidence is back on the Avs' side.

Welcome to the new NHL, where anything can happen — and it does.