WESTERN CONFERENCE CAPSULES

NO. 1 DALLAS (49-22-11) VS. NO. 7 EDMONTON (35-37-10)

* Season series: Dallas, 3-1.

* Top scorers: Dallas--Joe Nieuwendyk 39-30--69; Edmonton--Doug Weight 26-44--70.

* Team goals-against average: Dallas 2.01 (second); Edmonton 2.70 (16th).

* Power play: Dallas 20% (first); Edmonton 15.9% (12th).

* Penalty killing: Dallas 88% (second); Edmonton 83.7% (22nd).

* Top playoff scorers: Dallas--Mike Modano 3-3--6; Edmonton--Weight 1-7--8.

* First-round result: Dallas over San Jose in six; Edmonton over Colorado in seven.

* Keys: Edmonton comes in with momentum, and goalie Curtis Joseph comes in with a shutout streak of 163 minutes 40 seconds, having blanked the Avalanche in the last two games of their first-round series. The Oilers have speed throughout their lineup and a young, mobile defense led by Janne Niinimaa, Roman Hamrlik and Boris Mironov. They also have a game-breaker in right wing Bill Guerin (six goals). One potential drawback is their lack of muscle on defense. The Stars’ depth will be tested without Nieuwendyk, Jere Lehtinen and Greg Adams. Defenseman Darryl Sydor will move up to the wing, which he has played before. Edmonton in seven, because the Stars are depleted and Joseph has been solid under pressure.

NO. 4 WASHINGTON (40-30-12) vs. NO. 8 OTTAWA (34-33-15)

* Season series: Ottawa, 3-1.

* Top scorers: Washington--Peter Bondra 52-26--78; Ottawa--Alexei Yashin 33-39--72.

* Team goals-against average: Washington 2.43 (11th); Ottawa 2.40 (ninth).

* Power play: Washington 15.7% (13th); Ottawa 12.8% (22nd).

* Penalty killing: Washington 89.2% (first); Ottawa 84.5% (17th).

* Top playoff scorers: Washington--Adam Oates 3-4--7; Ottawa--Yashin 3-2--5.

* First-round result: Washington over Boston in six; Ottawa over New Jersey in six.

* Keys: The Capitals allowed the Bruins to take an average of nearly 40 shots a game and must tighten up defensively. Brian Bellows, lured back from Germany late in the season, contributed two key goals against Boston, and Oates was outstanding. They need Bondra, their offensive catalyst, to be recovered from the ankle injury that kept him out of three games. The Senators are swift and skillful up front, led by Yashin and right wing Daniel Alfredsson (three goals, four points). Their defensemen play a big offensive role, having scored five of their 13 goals against the Devils. It will come down to goaltending: Washington’s Olaf Kolzig (1.85 goals-against, .946 save percentage) or Ottawa’s Damian Rhodes (1.80, .936). Defying conventional wisdom and every principle hockey writers hold dear, the Capitals in six.