WESTERN

No. 1 DALLAS (51-19-12)

vs.

No. 5 ST. LOUIS (37-32-13)

* Season series: Dallas, 3-1.

* Top scorers: Dallas--Mike Modano 34 goals-47 assists--81 points. St. Louis--Pavol Demitra 37-52--89.

* Team goals-against average: Dallas 2.02 (first). St. Louis 2.51 (13th).

* Power play: Dallas 18.8% (sixth). St. Louis 20.3% (third).

* Penalty killing: Dallas 86.5% (sixth). St. Louis 87.9% (second).

* Keys: The Stars have had eight days off since sweeping the Oilers. The Blues will have less than 48 hours rest since their Game 7 overtime clincher against the Coyotes. The Stars got past the Oilers despite a one-assist performance from Brett Hull and a two-for-22 effort by their power play. Derian Hatcher has a game left on a seven-game suspension for an illegal hit, and center Guy Carbonneau will sit out another week because of a sprained knee, but defenseman Richard Matvichuk and right wing Pat Verbeek have recovered from injuries. Joe Nieuwendyk (three goals) and Modano (three goals, four points) must withstand the Blues’ physical play, and they probably will. The Blues got goals from 13 players and points from 17 against the Coyotes--true balance. But checking and defense are their strength: Either Al MacInnis or Chris Pronger was on the ice for every shift of the third period and overtime in Game 7. Pierre Turgeon and Scott Young create scoring sparks and the power play (nine for 33) is a threat, but the Stars are deeper. Dallas in six.

EASTERN

No. 6 BOSTON (39-30-13)

vs.

No. 7 BUFFALO (37-28-17)

* Season series: Buffalo, 4-1.

* Top scorers: Boston--Jason Allison 23 goals-53 assists--76 points. Buffalo--Miroslav Satan 40-26--66.

* Team goals-against average: Boston 2.17 (fourth). Buffalo 2.09 (second).

* Power play: Boston 17.7% (eighth). Buffalo 13.5% (21st).

* Penalty killing: Boston 89.8% (first). Buffalo 86.2% (seventh).

* Keys: Ray Bourque, 38, led the Bruins with six points and has the best playoff beard, but the story of their six-game triumph over the Hurricanes was the emergence of young forwards Joe Thornton and Anson Carter (five points each) and defensemen Kyle McLaren and Hal Gill. These aren’t the old lunch-pail Bruins: They have speed, creativity and youthful energy. Byron Dafoe had two shutouts against Carolina, but Dominik Hasek--who stopped 156 of 162 shots in Buffalo’s sweep of Ottawa--is every goalie’s measuring stick. Buffalo center Michael Peca smothered Ottawa’s Alexei Yashin defensively and contributed a team-leading six points, and wingers Vaclav Varada and Miroslav Satan scored clutch goals. Both teams have decent power plays, solid penalty killing and good amounts of quickness. The Sabres’ edge is in muscle, grit and goaltending--the key ingredients for playoff success. Sabres in six.