Monday, May 7 7:00pm ET
Defending Cup champs dodge elimination
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
TORONTO (AP) – On the brink of elimination, the New Jersey
Devils played like Stanley Cup champions.
|  | | A shot by Petr Sykora eludes Curtis Joseph. |
The Devils picked up their play in time to snap a two-game
losing streak to the Toronto Maple Leafs and force a seventh game
in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
"We are the champions and we want to play like it," said Jason
Arnott, who had a goal and an assist in New Jersey's 4-2 victory
Monday night. "We knew we had poor outings before and we didn't
want to be put out that way. We wanted to go out strong.
"Now we're back in it."
Coach Larry Robinson put it in a different light when describing
the passion his team showed.
"It's not because we're the Stanley Cup champions. It's because
we're the New Jersey Devils," Robinson said. "We like to pride
ourselves in having a lot of heart and never saying die and playing
for each other, and that's what we did tonight."
The Devils won by rediscovering a determined, gritty effort that
appeared lacking over the past few weeks. Since opening their
first-round series with three victories against Carolina, the
Devils are 4-5.
Monday night, New Jersey opened the scoring five minutes into
the game and, despite a number of undisciplined penalties, never
relinquished the lead.
After Toronto's Mats Sundin scored a power-play goal 2:17 into
the third period to cut New Jersey's lead to 3-2, Arnott sealed the
win less than four minutes later.
Toronto goalie Curtis Joseph made the initial stop, blocking
Patrik Elias' spin-around backhand shot from the slot, but the
rebound rolled to Arnott, who fired a low shot just inside the near
post.
Not surprisingly, the game did not end without incident.
Toronto's Darcy Tucker was penalized after he drove to the net
with the puck and bowled over New Jersey goalie Martin Brodeur with
1:47 remaining.
The Devils tried to get even when, with 25.9 seconds remaining,
New Jersey's Randy McKay traded punches with Joseph.
McKay said he retaliated after Joseph got in the first blows,
including a slash across the back of his leg and shove to the back
of the head.
"The first (hit) I can accept. The second one, he really came
at my head, so I just figured it was enough," McKay said.
Replied Joseph: "Usually, when you're up 4-2 with 25 seconds
left, the winning team doesn't have that much frustration."
The frustration between these two teams has been building since
Thursday, when Toronto's Tie Domi blindsided Devils defenseman
Scott Niedermayer with a vicious elbow to the face well behind the
play.
Toronto's 3-2 victory on Saturday was decided when Tomas Kaberle
scored with 29.4 seconds left after New Jersey goalie Martin
Brodeur was bowled over by Shayne Corson.
On Monday, Petr Sykora added a goal and an assist, and McKay and
Brian Rafalski also scored for the Devils, who won despite some
anxious moments.
Two undisciplined penalties led to both Toronto goals. Sundin
scored with New Jersey's Colin White off for roughing Tucker. Steve
Thomas tied it 1-1 in the second period after Bobby Holik was off
for tripping.
The Leafs knew it wasn't going to be easy to knock off the
Devils, the team that beat them in last year's second round.
"They're a great club, they've been there before, so you know
it was going to be a battle," Toronto's Gary Roberts said. "This
team has accomplished a lot this playoff run and I think we've got
a long way to go."
The Devils drew upon last year's Eastern Conference finals in
which they fell behind 3-1 against Philadelphia before rallying
back to win the final three games.
"We gave ourselves an opportunity to decide the series at
home," Holik said. "I feel like we needed to be put against the
wall, that we would come up with the type of effort we did
tonight."
It was the first game back in Toronto since Domi was suspended
for at least the rest of the playoffs for his hit on Niedermayer.
The soldout Air Canada Centre rallied to the defense of Domi.
Among the signs waved read: "Un-Tie Domi" and "Bring Back Tie."
The crowd also booed when it was announced before the game that
Domi would not be in the lineup, and cheered Niedermayer's
absence.
Game notes
The Devils are 3-5 in Game 7s. The Maple Leafs are 9-7. ...
Domi is allowed to practice with the Maple Leafs. NHL spokesman
Frank Brown said there's no rule that prevents a player from
skating with his team. ... After going 24-for-24 in killing
penalties through the first five games of the playoffs, Toronto has
allowed the Devils a power-play goal in each of the last five
games.
 Send this story to a friend
|
|
ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard
New Jersey Clubhouse
Toronto Clubhouse
Maple Leafs-Devils Series Page
Niedermayer says Domi made threat earlier in series
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Patrik Elias' shot is denied, but Jason Arnott is in position to score off the rebound.
avi: 959 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN
Cable Modem
Mats Sundin fires the slapper over the shoulder of Martin Brodeur for the power-play goal.
avi: 1067 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN
Cable Modem
Brian Rafalski takes the Jay Pandolfo pass and scores with 7.1 seconds left in the second.
avi: 496 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN
Cable Modem
Scott Gomez makes the pass from behind the net and Randy McKay scores the one-timer.
avi: 728 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN
Cable Modem
Gary Roberts finds Steve Thomas in the slot for the Toronto goal.
avi: 1000 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN
Cable Modem
Petr Sykora slaps a knuckler on net and the puck rolls by Curtis Joseph.
avi: 1246 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN
Cable Modem
 New Jersey's Ken Daneyko speaks with ESPN's Jack Edwards following the Game 6 victory.
wav: 600 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Coaches Larry Robinson and Pat Quinn discuss the shoving match in front of the net that ensued late in the game.
wav: 219 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
|
