Mike Modano Weekly Wrap-Up: Playoff Edition No. 4
Nobody is happy with the way things ended for Dallas Sunday night, but Mike
Modano did everything he could to bring the Stars back from a 3-1 deficit.
Modano was a marked man all series and hounded by Anaheim’s shutdown forward,
Steve Rucchin. Still, he created numerous scoring chances and made his
speed a factor in opening up ice space for his teammates. In the end, the
breaks and bounces just fell the Mighty Ducks’ way and Dallas faces an early end
to their season, much earlier than anyone expected.
Monday, May 5, Game 6 at Anaheim (L, 3-4)
Stat line:
One assist
Plus/minus: -1
23:10 of ice time, 30
shifts
• 3:15 power play
• 2:39 shorthanded
9 of 23 faceoffs
won (39%)
Five shots on goal
Notes:
• Despite only scoring one goal in the Anaheim series, Modano
finished as the top point-getter for the Stars in their two playoff series with
15 points.
Quotes:
“I think some of our guys have to play with an edge in the game to
be effective. There are some good penalties and some bad penalties.
As long as they’re hardworking and aggressive penalties, we feel like we can
kill those off. But when you start getting into the reaching and grabbing,
those are just lazy penalties that can get us in trouble.”
Modano,
prior to Game 6
“It’s a really disappointing end to it all. Our goals are to make the
finals and win the Stanley Cup every year. We built a team around to do
that. Lucky bounces, a lucky rebound to Ozolinsh. It is kind of how
these playoffs have gone for us.”
Mike Modano
Saturday, May 3, Game 5 vs. Anaheim (W, 4-1)
Stat line:
One assist
Plus/minus: E
18:19 of ice time, 26
shifts
• 0:38 power play
• 3:48 shorthanded
9 of 15 faceoffs
won (60%)
Two shots on goal
Notes:
• Despite not scoring the last two games before Game 5, Modano
was tied for the lead in playoff scoring.
Quotes:
“It’s good to get the ball rolling. This is how we have to
play. It’s unfortunate it took this long in the series to get it
going.”
Mike Modano
“The officiating ought to respect Mike Modano as much as they do (Anaheim’s)
Paul Kariya. That’s an issue that needs to be addressed. The
liberties that have been taken against Modano compared to Kariya seem out of
whack compared to the rest of the players.”
Stars GM Doug Armstrong
“In the playoffs, defense wins championships, and defense wins series.
They’re not going to play our game, they’re going to play the way they are
playing, and that’s the fact. They’re 7-1 in the playoffs (before Game
5). They’re not going to change now.”
Modano
“Now we realize how we have to play. It was especially important for us
to dominate physically.”
Modano
Wednesday, April 30, Game 4 at Anaheim (L, 0-1)
Stat line:
Plus/minus: E
23:51 of ice time, 34 shifts
• 6:21
power play
• 3:12 shorthanded
11 of 21 faceoffs won (52%)
Two
shots on goal
Notes:
• Modano was named as one of three finalists for the NHL’s
Lady Byng Trophy awarded annually to the player that best displays a combination
of performance, sportsmanship and gentlemanly play.
Quotes:
“It’s not impossible (to come back from a 3-1 deficit in games),
but it’s going to be grinding and tough. We need to have our whole lineup
playing. Anything short of that and we’re done.”
Mike Modano
“It’s nice we have two days off before Saturday. It wears on you.
It’s the mental part that’s really tough. We had moments where we really
forced the issue (in Game 4), and that’s how you have to play. They’re
riding four defensemen, so the more you wear those guys down, the better.
We haven’t really sustained that over a 60-minute period, and that’s something
we have to really focus on.”
Modano
The Week Ahead
Rest, recovery and golf….
