Devils Stay AliveArchived from 1999-2000 season. | |
Martin Brodeur made 20 saves as New Jersey staved off elimination with a 4-1 victory over Philadelphia Monday night. The Flyers still lead the Eastern Conference finals 3-2.
"We had to win this game, bottom line," New Jersey captain Scott Stevens said. "We had our backs against the wall here tonight coming into a hostile building. We won the game and have to go back to our building and get it." Jason Arnott, Bobby Holik, Petr Sykora and Patrik Elias each scored for the Devils, who had lost three straight games. "There was no tomorrow," said Holik. "We had to start playing well from the first drop of the puck to the last." The Flyers announced that Eric Lindros was cleared to resume full team practices by his doctors. The big question is whether he will play in Game 6 on Wednesday after missing two months to concussions. "We've always bounced back after bad losses. That's what's good about this team, we'll bounce back next game," Flyers right wing Rick Tocchet said. "We're up three games to two, we play well on the road. We had a stinker today, but we'll be all right." "We came out flat. We didn't compete in the first period, we were completely outplayed and it cost us," said Flyers left wing John LeClair. "It's one of those things, we weren't as prepared. I guess we were thinking it was going to happen like it did in Jersey without going out and doing it." The Devils' center Sergei Nemchinov was hurt after he was checked to the boards and hit his head to a metal partition after the glass partially gave in. The Devils came to the game determined to play their best game after being yelled at by coach Larry Robinson following Game 4. "He was very mad because we lost two games just because we didn't work hard for 60 minutes," Elias said. "I think we figured it out that we didn't realize how close we are to accomplish something great here." Thirteen teams have rallied from 3-1 deficits to win a series, but never in a conference final. That does not include two teams which came back from 3-0 to win, both in the Stanley Cup finals. "We don't want to get too down here," Flyers goalie Brian Boucher said. "We are still up 3-2 and we have a wonderful opportunity to go up there and do it. We know we can play better than that and hopefully we can get it done in Game 6." |
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