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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) – Even in street clothes, Scott
Niedermayer helped the New Jersey Devils come back against the
Toronto Maple Leafs.
Patrik Elias scored twice and Scott Stevens had a goal and an
assist in a four-goal second period that carried the defending
Stanley Cup champions to a 5-1 victory in Game 7 of their Eastern
Conference semifinal on Wednesday night.
|  | | Toronto goalie Curtis Joseph allowed five goals on 20 shots vs. the Devils in Game 7 on Wednesday. |
It marked the second straight year the Devils staged a major
comeback to keep their hopes of a championship alive. This rally
was particularly sweet since New Jersey did it with Niedermayer
sidelined the last three games with a concussion caused by a
vicious elbow by Tie Domi late in Game 4.
"Everybody was thinking of Nieder," fellow Devils defenseman
Colin White said. "We wanted to give Nieder a chance to play
again, and I think we may have just done that."
Niedermayer was close to returning for Game 7 but he was
scratched from the lineup after developing post-concussion
headaches after skating on Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning.
The Devils didn't need him, not with everyone playing the team
game that allowed them to win 19 of their last 21 regular-season
games.
The Devils, who also got goals from Sergei Nemchinov and John
Madden, will play the winner of the Pittsburgh-Buffalo series,
which has its Game 7 on Thursday night, in the conference finals. That
best-of-seven series opens Saturday at New Jersey.
"Hopefully, I'll be better," said Niedermayer, who shook hands
with Domi in a hallway after the game. "I want to play."
In extending the Maple Leafs' cup drought to 34 years, the
Devils rallied from a 3-2 series deficit. They won in Toronto 4-2
on Monday and then blew out Toronto before a home crowd that
started chanting "67" in the third period, the last year the
Maple Leafs won the cup.
"We have a lot of pride playing for this organization," Elias
said. "We never give up. It looks like every time we have our
backs to the wall we pick our game up and play our best games."
The one-sided loss overshadowed how well Toronto played in the
hard-fought series. There was an opening-game shutout by Toronto
goaltender Curtis Joseph, overtime wins by New Jersey in Games 2
and 3, Domi's cheap shot in Game 4 and a controversial game-winning
goal in Game 5 when Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur was bowled
over.
However, the Devils overcame it all, just like they did in
overcoming a 3-1 deficit in the conference finals against
Philadelphia last year.
"You can never be satisfied in losing a series, especially in a
series we truly felt we could have won," said Steve Thomas, who
gave the Maple Leafs a 1-0 lead with his sixth goal of the series.
"We could have won the series in five or four, but it went seven
and we lost a big one at the end."
Elias' line keyed the win in Game 6 and the Devils then
dominated in the deciding game despite finding out just hours
before that Niedermayer would not be able to play.
"We won it for him," Devils forward Randy McKay said. "We won
it for all of us, but to see Scott and to think he might be close
makes it great."
Thomas scored a first-period power-play goal with Jason Arnott
off for a bad hooking penalty.
The Devils, who looked out of synch in the opening period,
played like champions in the second while the Maple Leafs made one
mistake after another.
Nemchinov tied the score at 1:32, converting a cross-ice pass
from Alexander Mogilny in close after Nik Antropov seemingly lost
him in coverage.
Elias then took over. He put New Jersey ahead with a rocket from
the right circle with Antropov in the penalty box for high-sticking
at 7:13. The Czech left wing got his second 1:59 later, converting
from low in the right circle on a great cross-ice pass from the
left point by Stevens after being left alone.
"I wish I could say I was saving it for this game, but I
wasn't," Elias said. "I want to score every game but I didn't.
I'm just glad they went in at the right time."
The crowd was chanting "Cujo" at Joseph by that point, and the
chants got louder when Stevens scored on a slap shot from the same
point at 14:41.
Madden got his second of the playoffs in front midway through
the third period. Martin Brodeur finished with 15 saves for New
Jersey.
"You lose in the second round I don't think there is anything
to be proud of," Maple Leafs captain Mats Sundin said. "No one
remembers the losing teams."
The elimination of the Maple Leafs means that Domi will have to
serve eight games of his suspension next season.
Game notes
New Jersey had power-play goals in six straight games after
going 0-for-8 in the series opener. ... The Maple Leafs have not
won three road games in a series since 1951 when they beat Boston
to reach the Stanley Cup finals. ... The Devils now are 2-4 when
trailing a series 3-2. ... Toronto has not won a Game 7 since
beating San Jose in the 1994 conference semifinals. The Maple Leafs
lost a year later to Chicago in the seventh game of the first
round, the last time they had a series go the distance. ... The win
was only the second in the series for the team that didn't score
first. ... The Devils are 4-5 in Game 7s (2-1 at home), while
Toronto is 9-8 (5-7 on the road).
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ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard
Toronto Clubhouse
New Jersey Clubhouse
Maple Leafs-Devils Series Page
Wojnarowski: Devils win one tough series
Maple Leafs deal with second straight ousting by Devils
Niedermayer, Domi shake hands after Devils' Game 7 win
RECAPS
New Jersey 5
Toronto 1
Colorado 5
Los Angeles 1
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Petr Sykora centers the puck from behind the net and John Madden extends the lead to 5-1.
avi: 1387 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN
Cable Modem
Scott Stevens utilizes a screen in front of the net and rips home a slapper from just inside the blue line.
avi: 800 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN
Cable Modem
Off the faceoff, Scott Stevens controls the puck and finds Patrik Elias for the one-timer.
avi: 1102 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN
Cable Modem
Patrik Elias takes the centering feed from Petr Sykora and beats Curtis Joseph.
avi: 964 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN
Cable Modem
Alexander Mogilny makes a great backhanded pass to Sergei Nemchinov for the goal.
avi: 888 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN
Cable Modem
Steve Thomas skates in for the wrister and scores on the Toronto power play.
avi: 1054 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN
Cable Modem
 ESPN's Brian Engblom speaks with Martin Brodeur following the Devils' Game 7 victory.
wav: 465 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Patrik Elias talks about dealing with the pressures of a Game 7.
wav: 568 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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