EASTERN FINALS
GAME DAY PREVIEWS
GAME 5:
#1 PHILADELPHIA FLYERS vs #4 NEW JERSEY DEVILS
Philadelphia leads 3-1
Game time: Saturday May 22nd, 2000 at Philadelphia
The Philadelphia Flyers hope to clinch their second Stanley Cup Finals berth in four years Monday night when they host the New Jersey Devils in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals. The Flyers put the Devils on the brink of elimination Saturday as Craig Berube and rookie Simon Gagne scored third-period goals in a 3-1 victory. Mark Recchi scored in the first period, his fifth goal in six games, to open the scoring for Philadelphia, which opened a three games to one lead in the series.
Flyers rookie goaltender Brian Boucher continued to be the story as he stopped 24 shots for his third straight victory, but faced just four shots in the third period. He improved to 11-4 with a .922 save percentage in the playoffs.
After dropping the opener, Philadelphia has outscored New Jersey, 11-6, over the last three games and improved to 8-0 in the playoffs when scoring first. The Flyers have killed 23 of the last 24 shorthanded situations and hope to go to the Finals for the first time since being swept by the Detroit Red Wings in 1997.
Bobby Holik tallied the lone goal for the Devils, who have given up five goals in the third period goals over the last three contests.
The Devils have killed their last 30 shorthanded situations but are just 1-for-10 on the power play in the last five games. They are 3-9 when facing elimination.
New Jersey is trying to post just its second victory on the road in an elimination game. The Devils only such win came against the Washington Capitals in Game Seven of the 1988 Patrick Division finals.
Should New Jersey win, Game 6 would be Wednesday at the Continental Airlines Arena.