How They Match Up

OFFENSE

Joe Sakic centering for Alex Tanguay and Milan Hejduk. Peter Forsberg centering for Chris Drury and Ville Nieminen. Then there’s the solid third line of Steven Reinprecht between Eric Messier and Shjon Podein. To compete with them, the Kings need the assertive, involved Jozef Stumpel who had a goal and two assists in Game 6 against Detroit, not the sometimes passive Stumpel. Adam Deadmarsh was getting stronger as the Detroit series ended, and his performance against his former teammates will be pivotal to the Kings’ success. He has added grit to the finesse of linemates Stumpel and Ziggy Palffy. Bryan Smolinski did a good defensive job against Sergei Fedorov and will have to be as good, if not better, no matter whom he faces. Edge: Avalanche.

DEFENSE

Another array of all-stars, with Ray Bourque, Rob Blake and stalwart Adam Foote. They averaged 24:32, 28:44 and 25:52, respectively, in Colorado’s first-round sweep of the Vancouver Canucks. They’re not youngsters, but they’ve had more than a week’s rest since the first round. Mathieu Schneider was solid against Detroit, and defense-minded Mattias Norstrom and Aaron Miller were impressive. The Kings must try to pressure Colorado’s defense into making bad passes and keep them from joining the play. Edge: Avalanche.

GOALTENDING

Perhaps the key to the series. Three-time Stanley Cup winner Patrick Roy wasn’t sharp against Vancouver, and he had knee problems late in the season. Felix Potvin is the reason the Kings made the playoffs, but he hasn’t had a stand-on-your-head performance. Roy has proved he’s a money goalie, but Potvin has thrived for two months with no margin for error. Edge: Avalanche, but slight.

POWER PLAY

The Kings were three for 20 in six games against Detroit (15%) and haven’t found a triggerman since they traded Blake. The Avalanche was five for 19 (26.3%) in four games against Vancouver, and two were without an injured Bourque. They have cannons at the points and use them well. The Kings will have to bang for rebounds and down-low plays. Edge: Avalanche.

PENALTY KILLING

The Kings’ regular-season woes carried over to the playoffs, and they killed 18 of 27 disadvantages (66.7%). Colorado was slightly better, killing 12 of 16 disadvantages (75%) against Vancouver. During the season, the Avalanche was 19th (82.7%) and the Kings were 24th (81.2%). Edge: Avalanche.

COACHING

King Coach Andy Murray has a good feel for when to lower the hammer and when to stroke egos. He’s also good at adjusting on the fly and finding the right roles for players who don’t have enormous talent. Avalanche Coach Bob Hartley is a yapper behind the bench, which annoys some referees. He guided the team to the Western Conference finals the last two seasons, but with so much talent at his disposal, he merely has to open the door to the bench. Edge: Kings.

INTANGIBLES

The Kings will ride the emotion of having won their last four games in upsetting the Red Wings. They’ve learned how to overcome adversity and create their own luck. The Avalanche is under considerable pressure, with a big payroll and high expectations built during a spectacular season. If they don’t win the Stanley Cup, they’re failures. Edge: Kings.

PREDICTION: Avalanche in six, with fast-paced games and little thuggery.