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Marty Turco shut the door on the defending Stanley Cup champion Anaheim Ducks. Now the door that leads to hockey's Holy Grail is wide open.

Turco was simply the best player for either team during the six game series. He made spectacular acrobatic saves in games five and six that enabled the Dallas Stars to withstand an early flurry of Anaheim shots. For a guy that has been labeled a playoff choker, Turco certainly seemed like he elevated his game to a new level.

The maturation of Turco actually started in the Vancouver series during last year's playoffs. He was the difference in two games and provided solid support throughout the series. The questions about the talented goaltender's inner fortitude began to wane.

Every team needs a goaltender that can cover up mistakes and make the big save when his team is shorthanded. There are games when teams just come out flat and it's up to the goaltender to keep them in the game until the players find their legs. Turco provided insurance protection for his teammates in every game against the Ducks, and the Stars responded with a rousing game six clincher.

But it's not like Turco wore a cape and single handedly played against the Ducks. The key to the Anaheim series was the maturation of the Stars young defenseman. Nicklas Grossman, Matt Niskanen, and Mark Fistric all played beyond their years against an Anaheim squad that was loaded with playoff tested personnel. The young core of defensemen need to continue their focused play in the next round in order for Dallas to move forward into the Conference Finals.

Dallas seemed to have slipped under the NHL radar for most of the season. Like Colorado, the Stars are in the midst of a rebuilding project. The glory years that brought Dallas one championship and years of playoff excitement are long gone. Only Jere Lehtinen, Sergei Zubov, and Mike Modano remain from those teams.

This rendition of the Dallas Stars is built on youthful exuberance and resiliency. Unlike the Dallas teams of the past five years, this team displays a determined character against more seasoned opponents. If they didn't back down from the defending Stanley Cup champions, then they won't back down from any other team as they move forward.

The Stars balanced their youth movement with a handful of proven veterans that are playoff tested. Stu Barnes is an excellent two way player, displaying the type of skills that can shut down another team's best player while also scoring clutch goals. Brendan Morrow and Zubov provide

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