EASTERN FINALS
GAME DAY PREVIEWS
GAME 3:
#1 PHILADELPHIA FLYERS vs #4 NEW JERSEY DEVILS
Series tied 1-1
Game time: Thursday May 18th, 2000 7pm at New Jersey
The Philadelphia Flyers hope to build off of Tuesday's emotional victory and take the series lead as they meet the New Jersey Devils in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Rick Tocchet had two goals and an assist and nearly was credited with the game-winner early in the third period as the Flyers rallied for a 4-3 victory over the Devils that squared the series at one win apiece.
After taking Sunday's series opener, 4-1, the Devils dominated this contest for 39 minutes and built a 3-1 cushion before falling apart. Tocchet scored in the final minute of the second period and tied it 66 seconds into the third before Daymond Langkow tallied the eventual game-winner 52 seconds later.
Moments later, Langkow took a hard shoulder check from Devils defenseman Scott Stevens and appeared to strike the left side of his face as he hit the ice. He was diagnosed with a concussion on Wednesday and did not accompany the team to New Jersey.
Philadelphia center Keith Primeau sustained a concussion in the clincher of the conference semifinals at Pittsburgh but has played the first two games of this series. The Flyers still are without former captain Eric Lindros, who is trying to battle back from his second concussion in less than two months. He resumed skating Tuesday but is not expected to rejoin the team before Game Six.
New Jersey did not leave completely healthy either as rookie John Madden suffered a right knee injury following a third-period collision with Primeau. Madden, who led the league with six shorthanded goals during the season, is out indefinitely.
Seven different players have scored for New Jersey in the first two games of this series. After combining for five points and a plus-6 rating in Game One, the Devils line of Bobby Holik, Randy McKay and Sergei Brylin registered no points and was a minus-7 on Tuesday.
The Devils killed the Flyers lone power play in Game Two, improving to 36-for-37 in the playoffs.
New Jersey is 4-1 in home playoff games this year and also hosts Game 4 on Saturday.