Identity, but Not a Crisis

Think of the Pittsburgh Penguins, and images of Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr dashing past hapless defenders spring to mind. Yet, the Penguins have relied on solid defensive play and strong goaltending to carry them through the playoffs.

The Florida Panthers have become synonymous with dull, conservative defensive games in which two goals are an offensive spree. But in the first two rounds of the playoffs, the Panthers had four or more goals five times, and they’re winning attention--and games--with balanced scoring.

The Eastern Conference has gone topsy-turvy, producing finalists who were vastly different during the season but have taken on bits of each other’s identity during the playoffs. Along the road to their best-of-seven series, which begins today at Pittsburgh’s Civic Arena, the Penguins borrowed a page from Florida’s defensive playbook and the Panthers copied Pittsburgh’s knack of setting the tempo, although the Panthers prefer a crawl to a sprint.

“Lemieux and Jagr are one-two in league scoring, so you really don’t think too much of defense when you think of the Pittsburgh Penguins, but we have some new guys back there, some young guys, and we realized that we have to work as a team defensively,” said Penguin goalie Ken Wregget, who replaced the injured Tom Barrasso in the first round of the playoffs and kept the job because of his 2.00 goals-against average. “We have to come back as a team and go up as a team, and that’s the way we’re going to be successful.”

Said Florida’s Doug MacLean, a finalist for the coach-of-the-year award: “Some people say we’re boring, but if we’re boring, I really like boring.”

While the East has produced surprises, the West has gone according to form.

The Detroit Red Wings, who had an NHL-record 62 victories this season, developed character to complement their abundant talent during their seven-game quarterfinal series against the St. Louis Blues. Tired but wiser, the Red Wings will face the Colorado Avalanche beginning Sunday at Joe Louis Arena.

“We realize we have to take the stairs. There will be no escalator for us,” said Colorado’s Patrick Roy, who is six games from tying the NHL record of 132 playoff appearances by a goalie, set by Billy Smith of the New York Islanders. “We know Detroit will be a very good team. It will be a big challenge for us.”

The Red Wings overcame a stiff challenge from St. Louis, rallying from a 3-2 deficit to win the only seven-game series this spring. Five of the games were decided by one goal and another by two goals, unlike many of the one-sided games they played this season.

“I think you have to have some adversity before you do well,” Detroit Coach Scotty Bowman said. “A seventh game, overtime. If you’re that close, it’s a break that makes the difference, that’s what it is.”

Steve Yzerman scored the game-winner at 1:15 of the second overtime Thursday to preserve the Red Wings’ hopes of ending their 41-year Stanley Cup wait, the longest active drought in the NHL. Yzerman, who earlier this season became the 22nd player in NHL history to score 500 goals, found ways to penetrate the Blues’ defense when teammates Sergei Fedorov, Igor Larionov and Paul Coffey were held in check. Yzerman leads Detroit in scoring with eight goals and 17 points and ranks fifth among playoff scorers.

“The role I play on the team is to just go out and play hard and play responsibly defensively,” Yzerman said. “I’m not really expected to go out there and score a lot of goals. On this team, all I try to do is do all the little things well.”

The Avalanche also had to rally to win against the Chicago Blackhawks. Colorado lost the opener and trailed, 2-1, before winning the last three games. Four games went to overtime, including a double-overtime game and a memorable triple-overtime marathon.

“This makes me remember a bit 1989, when we [the Montreal Canadiens] played Calgary,” Roy said. “We finished second and Calgary was first. These things should happen in the NHL. I don’t mean it should be automatic, but if you play hard, the better team should win.”

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EASTERN CONFERENCE

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS VS. FLORIDA PANTHERS

* Regular-season records: Pittsburgh--49-29-4 (second); Florida-- 41-31-10 (fourth).

* Leading scorers: Pittsburgh--Mario Lemieux 69-92--161; Florida--Scott Mellanby 32-39--70.

* Leading playoff scorers: Pittsburgh--Lemieux 10-10--20; Florida--Stu Barnes 3-9--12.

* Team goals-against averages: Pittsburgh--3.44 (20th); Florida-- 2.82 (sixth).

* Playoff goals-against averages: Pittsburgh 2.50 (sixth); Florida--2.34 (fifth).

* Power play: Pittsburgh--26.0% (first); Florida--17.3% (16th).

* Playoff power play: Pittsburgh--17.6% (ninth); Florida--15.3% (11th).

* Penalty killing: Pittsburgh 83.3% (eighth); Florida--83.0% (ninth).

* Playoff penalty killing: Pittsburgh--82.3% (ninth); Florida--77.8% (14th).

* Esoteric facts: The Panthers are the second team to reach the semifinals in their first playoff appearance. The 1974-75 New York Islanders were the first. . . . Lemieux has 27 goals against Florida goalie John Vanbiesbrouck, the most he has scored on any goalie.

* Keys: Lemieux and Jagr (10 goals, 18 points) overwhelmed the New York Rangers in the quarterfinals. But Wregget also played a huge role in the victory and has a a playoff-best .940 save percentage. The Penguins will miss center Ron Francis, who broke his foot and is out indefinitely. He was a perfect complement to Jagr and allowed Coach Ed Johnston the option of separating Lemieux and Jagr or combining them to stack the offense. Winger Tomas Sandstrom is a threat despite having only two goals, and Petr Nedved has seven goals and 14 points.

The Panthers frustrated the talented Philadelphia Flyers with constant bumping and impenetrable defense. Defenseman Ed Jovanovski, a rookie-of-the-year candidate, is a rare find--mature, smart, muscular and only 19. Ray Sheppard, acquired late in the season from San Jose, is their top playoff goal scorer with five. Their game is basic: Finish your checks, play the body, win the puck in the corners. If their foot soldiers can stretch the Penguins’ patience, they have a chance. Vanbiesbrouck (2.24 goals-against, .936 save percentage) has given up three goals or fewer in 10 of his 11 starts and his confidence is visible. The Panthers should give the Penguins a tough time, but the Penguins’ talent will prevail. Pittsburgh in six.