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Show The Salt Lake Tribune SPORTS Sunday, May7, 2000 . C7 Spiders Debut With an Easy Win BY PHILMILLER THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE DRAPER — Even dot-com tech stocks don't have launches this impressive. The Utah Spiders joined the state’s roster of sports franchises Saturday night with a crowd that was unexpectedly large, an atmosphere that was un- usuallyfestive, a team that was undeniably talented — and a gamethat couldn't have gone muchbetter. The Spiders routed the San Francisco Nighthawks 5-0 in front of more than 2,000 fans in Soaring Eagle Stadium at Juan Diego HighSchool. “This wastonsof fun,” said Maren Hendershot, a former Brigham Young star whoscored thefirst goal in Spiders history, a low screamerfrom right in front, 10 minutesinto the game.“It was like celebration ofsoccer.” TheSpiders hadplentyto celebrate, too, starting with the large andoften vocal crowd that showed up for the state's first Women’s Premier Soccer Frank Gunn/The Associated Press New Jersey goaltender Martin Brodeur makes a save againstfallen Toronto forward Kevyn Adams during the secondperiod of the Eastern Conference semifinal game. The Devils won andlead the series 3-2. TempersFlare as Devils Put Leafs on Brink of Elimination tempers boiled over on andoff theice. The Devils took a 3-2 lead in their best-of-seven semifinal series, with Game6 in New Jersey on Monday, The endof the game was marred by several fights, while Maple Leafs-fans littered the ice with garbage. One spectator tried to fight with a New Jersey player as the teams headed to their locker rooms. Toronto’s Darcy Tuckerignited the commotion whenhe took some swings at New Jersey goalkeeper Martin Bro- deur at thefinal horn. “T got four orfive crosschecks to the backofthe head standing in front ofthe net,” said Tucker, who had a run-in with Brodeur in the secondperiod after crashinginto the New Jerseynet. “Then,at the endof the game, I’m on. the ice and [Brodeur] sticks the end of his stick in my backandjabs mewith it. I guess if he wants to dethat, I'm going to run him overnext game.” the Devils’ last goal, can sense the growing hatred between the teams. ils overcame two one-goal deficits to build a 4-2 lead. ers on the ice have played with each After setting up Sergei Nemchinov's goal that tied the game 2-2 with 4:01 left-in the second period, Gomez madea brilliant behind-the-back pass, setting up Vladimir Malakhov’s goahead goal 7:47 into the third. “T don't think there’s history. between thetwofranchises,but the playother and against each other and ‘it’s just a lot of love-hate relationship out there,” Maddensaid. “I know lot of guys in the roomhavea lot of strong feelings towardseach other,” After the game ended, Toronto’s Steve Thomas went after New Jersey defenseman Scott Niedermayer, while Tucker threw a numberof punchesat Brodeur. And the mayhem didn’t end there. “When we were comingoff theice, oneof the Toronto fanstried to take liberties with one of our guys and came at him,” Maddensaid. “Butthe security guys pulled him back and there was a little bit of yelling and obscene words used.” Brodeur laughed off the his skir- mishwith Tucker. “T hit him with mystick,” Brodeur said. “This is the playoffs. We'll turn the cheek and go onif they wantto play that game.” New Jersey capitalized on two of five power-play chances Saturday and have scored five extra-man goalsin the last three games. Just inside the Toronto blueline, ‘THE ASSOCIATEDPRESS PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Flyers don’t haveto say it. They can sense it. They have beaten the Pittsburgh Penguins. Sure, their Eastern Conference se- ries is tied 2-2 going into Game 5 on Sundayat the First Union Center, but the Flyers own huge advantages in confidence and momentum after win- ning the third-longest game in NHL history. Maybe, a significant advantage entally, too. As the Penguins tried fitfully to recover from their 2-1, five-overtimeloss that began Thursday night and ended at be devastated after emerging from so long a game with nothingbuta footnote in the record book, the Flyers’ John LeClairsaid: “T would think so. Who knows what they're thinking,but I think every one of us would have been disappointed to lost a gamelike that.” Penguinsstar Jaromir Jagr, held New Jersey, Nerina 3 (omer, Whi), 15: Tor(bowing) 5:49; Brodeur, NI served by carpe Tucker, Tor (oughing) 7:15. TiPro, Mat | Gnas747 00dto wtoteg0 p00TiderTom ie 20:0, Thrnas, Tor, double minor high-sclang), 20: goal—Now Jersey 912-1132. Toronto iere-25 Jersey 2 of 5; Toronto 0 of 2. Powerplay 72 (25 shots22 saves). Toronto, Jo969h65 (2228), A—19477 (18.00), San Jose at Dallas, 5:30 p.m. Monday Toronto at New Jersey, 5 p.m. Brooks, who, asked how heslept fol- lowing the Marathonon Ice, said, “Like a baby. I'd sleep an hour and cry an hour.” The Penguins tried putting the longest, and one of the most disappointing, nights in franchise history behind them as'they practiced’ briefly Saturdaybefore flying to Philadelphia. Butthe fatigue theyfelt Friday no doubt will still be there Sunday “It’s very tough when you playthat the Penguins, those first two games in TOPSOIL & ROCK PRODUCTS PNT ai Ce any ta a: eye ds! Na oer tt in “We had a 2-0 advantage and two had lot to do withit, but Utah is very strong,” said San. Francisco Coach ‘With Every Windshield You Get probablybetter than what you sawtonight,” she said. “We haven't gelled Brian Taylor.“Their movementon of- yet. ‘They will get their chance on the gamesare outside Utah. The Spiders returnto Draperon July to play Van- former Weber State keeper Meagan Thunell, whoplayed the first 75 minutes, and ex-Utah State Aggie Mackenzie Hyer. “Once we got ahead, the shutout became a matter ofpride,” THE ASSOCIATEDPRESS roadnow, since the Spiders’ next eight couver before what General Manager Mark Drownpredicts will be an even bigger crowd. “This is great,” Drown said, “but this is only the beginning.” Nota badplacetostart, though. “Tt wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t typical,” Sharks defenseman Jeff Norton said. “Wehadopportunitiesto beat them but DALLAS — Now that the Dallas Stars are back home, they'd like to stay we couldn't muster it. When you score four goals against Dallas you should win. It was just ridiculousout there. We awhile. With a victory Sunday night, the should have won andnowourbacks are really againstit.” San Jose hasn't scored a goal in Re- union Arenathis series. The Stars haven't lost a homeplayoff gamethis postseason and are 7-0 dating to last season. Belfour has made four of those back here,” center Joe Nieuwendyk Said after scoring the game-winning goalin the Stars’ wild 5-4 victory Friday nightin San Jose. Should the Sharks win Game5, the victories shutouts. Better news for Dallas is seeing Nieuwendykscore. Hegot twogoalsin the secondperiod, including the game- Philadelphia now seemasif they were played weeks ago. Maybe it’s because it seemsthis series shouldbeover, evenif they have played only four games, Correction, make that 54 games, since Game4 was the equivalent of24% winner,hisfirst this postseason after another game Tuesday. Thatalso would give the Avalanche moretimeto rest, particularly injured defenseman Ray scoring We're up 3-1 and we definitelyfeel good about it. We wanted theopportunityto end theseries in five games and’ now we'll see what happens.” Dallas blew a chance for a sweep with a 2-1 loss in Game 3. ThenSan Jose blew a chance to knot the series in Game4, The Sharksnever led Fridaynight, but they nevertrailed by more than one. There were three short-handed goals, two byDallas. San Jose scored on two powerplays. playoff-record 10 last Nieuwendyk, the Conn Smythe winner as the MVPcf last year’s postseason. The Stars faced a similarsituation in thefirst round, bringing a 3-1 lead back from Edmonton. They closed the series in the fifth gameand avoided anlongtrip to Edmonton. “We don't like playing extra games,” captain DerianHatchersaid. “We definitely want to wrap this up Sunday. a summer, “T've been pushing hard,” said “Fortunately,it paid off with a couple of Sharon M. Steinman/TheAssociated Press Joe Nieuwendyk of the Dallas Stars scored the game-winning goalFridaythatlifted the Stars to a3-1 series lead overthe Sharks. The Sharks finally rattled Stars goalie Ed Belfour, who had allowed only two goals in the previous three games. Belfour gave upfour goals in the first two periods. He wasso frustrated that he drew two roughing penalties within 37 seconds in the final period, although the shoving inspired him to stopthenext 10 shots of the game. goals.” His re-emergence along with the continued stellar play of Mike Modano, whohaspoints in eightstraight games, gives the Stars twoscoringlines. San Jose, though, has emerged from. a hole before. Few thought the Sharks could beat top-seeded St. Louis in the first round, and even some of those supporters doubted whether San Jose would win Game7 in St. Louis. Now,the Sharks mustfind a wayto bringthe series back to San Jose and thenhopeforyet anothertriptoDallas for yet another Game7. “Wegot burned here,” Sharks center Mike Ricci said. “We didn’t battle through it. We're going to have to scratch and craw] now.” games. BUTTERFIELD FORD'S” peTENE TRUCK CENTER LER LL NULew aaaale gaa] Es aaa Tog HE TABS Y THE BEST CASH PRICES, We WiLL NOT BE UNDERSOLD!” Spiders five goals — “and our offense is fenseis very good. The better team won tonight. The Nighthawks were shut out by series would go back to San Jose for gamesat home. Wedidn’t take advantage. It’s kind of hard,” Jagr said. Especially on Penguins Coach Herb unliketheFlyers, they won't be coming off a victory. Or playing at home. To two games 18 playersand hadto use a goalkeeper as an offensive player, were obviously affected by the altitude and outrun by Utah's 20-strongroster. “Thealtitude Stars Look to Close Out Sharksin 5 ‘Saturday bers how easily the Penguinsfinished off the Capitals in 1996, worked to get byoutscoring the Flyers bly moreluck than anythingI did.” About 20 minutes later, Barney gathered a looseball that sprungfree from a crowd 75feetfrom the net, and against the Colorado Avalanche. The first two games would be in Dallas. “Wecertainly don’t want to come roundseries against Washington. 61 in the first Philadelphia to me,” said Barney, who headed the NHLPlayoffs monthsto recover from a race? — and, twice in Landover, Md., including a 3-2, Barney did. Two minutes into the Stanley Cup champions would eliminate San Jose and set up a rematch of last year’s Western Conferencefinals goals in the first three games, remem- four-overtime gamethat, at the time, was . yes, the third-longest gamein NHL history. TheCapitals never wonagain in the evenif you don’t knowcertain players, they're good enough to know where to be and whatto expect.” Barneysaid. Hendershot and fellow BYU alum Kim LowescoredUtah'sfirst-half goals, Lowe's on a rebound that she put back left-footed. Hendershot also added a penalty kick late in the game, giving the Period—3, Toealeen Korolev), 2:19. 4, doesn’t it take marathon runners long andthat hard andlose,”hesaid. Even worse, he said, the Penguins now havesacrificed the 20 lead they blasted a shotfrom 40 feet awaythat a San Francisco defendercould onlyget a footon at the goalline. The Nighthawks, who dressed only Joanna Barney, who scored two goals despite a bulgingdisc in her back.“And pass easily past Nighthawks goalkeeper Amy Voiland. “That was proba- scoreless in Game4 after scoringfive edly wonthefirst two games in Pittsburgh,and the Capitals seemed primed for an upset. But the Penguins won former University of Utah forward crapshoot whenyougetoutthere,”said Devils 4, Leafs 3 2:35 a.m.Friday, they couldn’t help but draw eerie parallels to their 1996 first‘That year, Washington unexpect- Utah's Maren Hendershotcelebratesafter scoring thefirst goalfor the Spiders in their season-opening game against the San Franciscd Nighthawks. The Spiders won 5-0. snapped a 20-footer that beat Curtis Joseph. toric i104 113 Pert Tecra Vik Raps Dan) 64% 2 Noe verso, 16.11 (Gp). Penaties—Korey,T (Seep 1 Trrmgg Tei7 Soa Neb aide ‘Trent Nelson/TheSaltLakeTribune two practices before Opening Night, but looked in synch right from thestart. “The majority of our players have played with each otherbefore. It's not a Jordan Krieger threaded a long cross through the defense, “I lost it in the lights. I saw itjust a'second beforeit got behind, Malakhov games, one in each city. Just as the Flyers hope to close out the Penguinsby winning Sunday,then again Tuesdayat Pittsburgh's Mellon Arena, where the Flyers claimed oneofthe storied victories in their history in Game4. Asked if the Penguinscan’t help but and former Utah collegians, held only stop him from With Toronto’s Kevyn Adamstrying to Te Pittsburgh at Philadelphia, 10 a.m. them out by winning the next two a good time.” Especially once the Spiders madeit clear they have a dangerousoffense. The team, made up mostly of current second half, with Utah holding a 2-0 lead, Barneystoodinfrontofthe goal as New Jersey 4, Toronto 3, Devils lead series 3-2 series, as the Penguins quickly closed said Coach Marco Rossi. “It made everyonea little nervous, buttheyall had Gomez faked a shot, freezing a Leafs defender, and passed to Malakhov. Penguins Must Regroup After Tough 5-OT Loss pected that. This was a great crowd,” Ansty one another. Scott Gomez hadtwocritical assists and the Devils moved within onevictory ofthe Eastern Conference finals by beating Toronto 43 Saturday night as Gomezplayed bigrole as the Dev- the parkinglot and madeplenty ofnoise during the Spiders’ many scoring chances.“I don’t think the players ex- ct TORONTO — The NewJersey Devils and Toronto Maple Leafs, meeting in the playoffs for thefirst time, quickly have developed an intense dislike for John Madden, a rookie who scored What they got was a crowd that mostly filled the stadium, overflowed wena dakaead ‘THE ASSOCIATED PRESS League game. Organizers and players weren't sure whatto expect on Opening Night. g 50/ eet aesese eS ee) WE VOLVO CROSS COUNTRY SPECIAL € ITION FEATURES. 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