First Look

KINGS VS. AVALANCHE

OFFENSE: While the search for balance continues, Jason Allison, Ziggy Palffy and Adam Deadmarsh have been the Kings’ only consistent scoring threats. Joe Sakic is the leader of an Avalanche attack that has sputtered at times. The wild cards are Peter Forsberg, who has sat out all season but could return for this series, and Milan Hejduk, recovering from abdominal surgery.

DEFENSE: A versatile, high-scoring corps of mobile defensemen led by Olympians Mattias Norstrom and Aaron Miller and all-star Jaroslav Modry is the Kings’ greatest strength. For the Avalanche, Rob Blake, Adam Foote and Darius Kasparaitis rank among the league’s best defensemen and helped Colorado lead the league in goals-against average.

GOALTENDING: As Felix Potvin goes, so go the Kings. Colorado’s Patrick Roy led the league with a career-best goals-against average of 1.94 and was second with a .925 save percentage. Against the Kings, however, the game’s preeminent goaltender was 2-2 with a 3.26 goals-against average and .859 save percentage.

COACHING: Andy Murray deserves credit for keeping the Kings focused when they were on the verge of falling out of playoff contention in early December. Bob Hartley guided the Avalanche through the final two rounds of the Stanley Cup playoffs last season and to their eighth consecutive division title this season without Forsberg.

KING LINES

RONNING-ALLISON-DEADMARSH: Allison, Deadmarsh club’s top two scorers.

BEDNAR-SMOLINSKI-PALFFY: Palffy always dangerous.

ELORANTA-CHARTRAND-LAPERRIERE: Consistent checking line.

JOHNSON-E. BELANGER-BUCHBERGER: Blend of speed, veteran leadership.

AVALANCHE LINES

TANGUAY-SAKIC-VRBATA: Sakic was NHL’s 2000-01 MVP.

DRURY-REINPRECHT-HINOTE: Solid second line.

MESSIER-YELLE-KEENE: Will try to contain Allison line.

PODEIN-NEDORAST-PARKER: Forsberg return will scramble lines.

FINAL ANALYSIS: Roy makes the Avalanche the better team, but his struggles against the Kings this season give Murray & Co. hope. The Kings nearly derailed the Avalanche’s championship run last spring before losing in Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals.