EASTERN FINALS
GAME DAY PREVIEWS
GAME 6:
#1 PHILADELPHIA FLYERS vs #4 NEW JERSEY DEVILS
Philadelphia leads 3-2
Game time: Wednesday May 24th, 2000 7pm at New Jersey
All eyes will be on No. 88 in the black and orange sweater. After just one practice, Eric Lindros was deemed fit for duty and will be in the lineup tonight when the Philadelphia Flyers again look to close out the New Jersey Devils in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals at the Continental Arena.
The Devils cut the Flyers' lead in the best-of-seven series to 3-2 with a 4-1 victory in Philadelphia on Monday.
Lindros, 27, who has been sidelined with a series of concussions, skated with the Flyers on Tuesday for the first time in more than two months, and he is anxious to get into a game. "It felt great to be out there and skating again," said Lindros, who has not played in a game since March 12. "That's what it's all about, to play hockey and enjoy it at a great time of year."
The 6-foot-4, 238-pound Lindros obviously gives the Flyers an added dimension, but the decision to bring him back this soon is a calculated risk. "We talked about his role and what he can do," Flyers coach Craig Ramsay said. "He'll have a limited role from the past when he's had full strength. But we feel it's a great addition to the club, and we're excited to have him back."
Lindros' quick return is a bizzare twist -- even by Flyers' standards -- as many had thought he had played his final game with the team. His contract expires at the end of the season and the Flyers figure to tender him an offer before July 1. Many expect Lindros will then be traded.
The rugged center bitterly criticized team management for misdiagnosing the severity of his initial concussion. Later, Lindros was stripped of the captaincy in favor of defenseman Eric Desjardins.
With Desjardins handling the role, the Flyers snatched the top seed in the East and defeated the Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins to reach the conference finals.
The Flyers have been playing like a team of destiny, getting within a victory of the Stanley Cup Finals despite playing without Lindros and coach Roger Neilson, who was replaced by Ramsay while undergoing treatment for a rare form of bone cancer. Neilson has been assisting Ramsey since the Pittsburgh series.
As for the players, they say they are glad to have their former captain back.
"He's a great player," Desjardins said. "We know he's going to be rusty, but I think he's a natural and the kind of guy who can come in and play great for us. We can't expect him to carry us for the win. We have to do it as a team. He has to come in and fit. That's what we expect from him."
The Devils, who lost Games 3 and 4 at home, will be looking to force a Game 7 in Philadelphia on Friday. New Jersey has reached the Finals once, winning the Stanley Cup in 1995.
New Jersey and Philadelphia have played 11 postseason games against each other and the road team has won nine of them. Both of the Devils' wins in this series have come at the First Union Center.
After a pair of sub-par efforts at home, Martin Brodeur had one shaky episode Monday, but made 20 saves as New Jersey improved to 4-9 when facing elimination. The Devils are trying to become the 16th team in playoff history to win a seven-game series after trailing 3-1.
Philadelphia is 33-24 when trying to eliminate an opponent and 14-1 in series in which they have taken a 3-1 lead.
Sergei Nemchinov, who has been one of the Devils' better defensive forwards, is questionable for tonight's game after being rammed into the edge of the Plexiglas at the penalty box by Philadelphia's John LeClair in the second period. He needed 40 stitches to close cuts on the left side of his face.