NEW JERSEY VS. TORONTO BUFFALO VS. PITTSBURGH COLORADO VS. LOS ANGELES DALLAS VS. ST. LOUIS

Thursday, May 3 Updated: May 4, 3:08 AM ET Winning is only revenge for Devils By Brian A. Shactman ESPN.com TORONTO – The Devils' locker room possessed a vibe of quiet anger – and in some cases, absolute shock. It wasn't from the fact that the Maple Leafs tied their series with the Devils after a 3-1 win in Game 4 on Thursday. It was Tie Domi's elbow that knocked Scott Niedermayer into unconsciousness during the waning seconds of the matchup. Scott Niedermayer was unconscious after Tie Domi's elbow, but minutes after being taken off on a stretcher, he walked into the Devils' locker room. "It's not right. Seeing that, whatever the case is, there's no need for that," said Devils center Scott Gomez. "You play hard and do whatever, but when a guy's lying there ..." Many players didn't even see what happened because the incident happened behind the play, but the reactions of those who did see it told the whole story. "People don't react that way when it's an accident," goalie Martin Brodeur said. Brodeur likely was referring to captain Scott Stevens, one of the few players on either team to see the blow to Niedermayer's head. Stevens had a cross-ice view because he was in the penalty box, ironically serving a roughing penalty for hitting Domi. Stevens was not only irate because it was Domi who committed the act, but also because he knew Niedermayer was in serious trouble. Even the referees let the play continue for a few seconds. "I saw the whole thing," said Stevens, who managed to maintain his composure afterward. "I was surprised the ref didn't see it. (referee Don) Koharski was right there. "It's real frustrating. "He was out cold from what I saw." Despite the image of Niedermayer's stick hitting Florida's Peter Worrell on the head late last season – earning him a 10-game suspension – the fleet-footed defenseman is one of the league's most popular players. "Hockey's the last thing on my mind right now," said Gomez. But hockey is what still needs to be played in this conference semifinal series, regardless of Niedermayer's ability to return or whether Domi gets a lengthy suspension when he meets NHL director of hockey operations Colin Campbell for a hearing Friday morning. The parting line for the Devils was that revenge in the classic hockey sense wasn't a possibility. "There's only one way to get back at them, and that is to win," said Devils center Bobby Holik. "Playoffs, there's no time for revenge," Ken Daneyko said. Ironically, Daneyko was one of many Devils players who wanted revenge on the spot. But coach Larry Robinson knew that a brawl – or retribution of any kind – wouldn't help the team's chances at beating the Leafs and continuing their Stanley Cup defense. "A bunch of us wanted to go over the boards, but Larry told us to keep our cool and that two wrongs don't make a right. That's exactly what he said," Daneyko said. "I guess he's probably right. We just have to win Game 5 and try to win this series." After the game, Robinson didn't want to discuss his emotions in detail, and like everyone else, he didn't see the play live. But he was clear about the logic of what happened. "There's no place in hockey for stuff like that," he said. "We're trying to sell this sport, and that's not how you sell it." Daneyko was one of the few players to speak candidly about Domi's actions. "I don't expect that from a guy like Tie Domi, to tell you the truth," he said. "He's a physical player and stands up for himself. If you want to do that stuff, do it face-to-face, one-on-one." The best-of-7 series returns to New Jersey on Saturday for what should be a more intense Game 5. It's unknown whether Niedermayer will be fit to play, although he walked on his own into the locker room after the game and onto the team's bus 30 minutes later. Niedermayer won't have to be in the lineup Saturday to motivate his teammates. "We're going to come out and play our best game and band together," Daneyko said. "Things like this can pull a team closer together. We're not happy about it, there's no doubt about it. "But the bottom line is that we need to go out and show it on the ice in Game 5." Brian A. Shactman covers the NHL for ESPN.com. He can be reached at brian.shactman@espn.com. Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories

ALSO SEE Leafs' victory over Devils marred by Domi's hit NHL hits back: Leafs' Domi out for rest of playoffs Shactman: Canada's pressure cooker Shactman: Leafs concerned, not apologetic AUDIO/VIDEO  Scott Niedermayer is taken from the ice on a stretcher, compliments of a Tie Domi elbow. avi: 2669 k RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN Cable Modem  Physical play set the tone for Game 4 in Toronto. avi: 1303 k RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN Cable Modem  Toronto teammates Gary Roberts and Mats Sundin react to Tie Domi's hit on Scott Niedermayer. wav: 218 k RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6