2000 Eastern Conference Finals

Big Phil

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Nov 2, 2003
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I really don't know other than the Devils were a better team overall. Part of it comes down to this though: Prior to Game 5 there was the announcement that Lindros would be back for Game 6. They were just completely flat in Game 5. Almost as if they felt their "saviour" was coming back and they could relax up 3-1 in the series. Then Game 6 was horrible, they had 13 shots on net and lost 2-1. Lindros got a goal with 30 seconds left in the game but it was too late. Then he lasted 4 shifts in Game 7 before Stevens essentially ended his career, or at least Flyers career.

Here is the painful part. This is the only time in NHL history a team has blown a 3-1 series lead in the semi finals onward aside from the 1942 Maple Leafs beating the Red Wings in the Cup final coming back from 3-0. Teams just simply do not lose, or ever have until then, when they are in the semi finals. But the Flyers did.
 

Brodeur

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Feb 27, 2002
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Larry Robinson's tirade was famous, at least among the Devils' circle: Larry Robinson's tirade the defining moment of NJ Devils 2000 Stanley Cup run

Without question, Jason Arnott's winning goal against the Dallas Stars in the finals has its special place in Devils history. But it was coach Larry Robinson's dressing room tirade after the Devils went down three games to one against the Flyers in the Eastern Conference finals that lit a fire and ultimately led to Arnott's glory.

Indeed, it was Robinson kicking the trash can in the Devils' dressing room that was recalled by several players as the 2000 team was honored at the Prudential Center.

"He had a great meeting at the end of the game when we got down, 3-1," goalie Martin Brodeur recalled Tuesday. "Knowing Larry, he's not a guy who reacts like that a lot. So I think everybody kind of felt how much he cared about it.

"I think the biggest thing he said was, 'You guys tried it your way for a while. Now, I'm telling you what to do and do it. You'll be good.' It was a pretty impressive speech. It came from the heart. You could see he was upset about the situation and we responded real well."

Robinson rarely raised his voice.

NHL.com also had a similar article this week when the Jets down 3-1: Devils responded to coach's tirade to win conference final from brink

"Larry absolutely snapped," New Jersey forward Petr Sykora recalled to the Devils website in February. "I've never seen anything like it. … The rant was unexpected but really got us going."

New Jersey won Game 1 against Philadelphia before losing three in a row, and Robinson took out his frustration on a locker room receptacle after Game 4.

"I don't think it's something you can do every night," Robinson said in the book "Tales from the New Jersey Devils Locker Room." "It just happened. The timing was right and I think I caught them by surprise. They don't normally hear things like that coming from me."

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I guess I never looked at it like what the Flyers did wrong. At least according to Robinson, some of the Devils players weren't following the game plan.

I missed the start of game 5 due to class, but it resembled the Devils domination in game 1. Games 6 and 7 were nail biters, so it wasn't like the Devils cruised to victory. Game winning goals were scored with 3:27 and 2:32 left in the third period.

I suppose the Lindros drama added another layer, but I thought he was their best player in game 6. A few months back, I stumbled on an old highlight where the Flyers had an offensive zone draw late in the 2nd. Lindros scored, but just a tick after time expired.
 

Brodeur

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Feb 27, 2002
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When I watched this video last year, I had completely forgot it happened. In a parallel world where there's an extra second left on the clock, maybe the Flyers win in 6.
 

McGarnagle

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Aug 5, 2017
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How would a hypothetical Dallas-Philly final have gone down in 2000, with or without Lindros?
 

c9777666

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Aug 31, 2016
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How would a hypothetical Dallas-Philly final have gone down in 2000, with or without Lindros?

That depends on if Philly won in 6/7.

If they win in 6, no Stevens hit and Lindros might have been able to play.

If it was 7.... well, who knows.

Without that flashpoint moment.... who knows, maybe he doesn't sit out 2000-01.

And it should be noted Philly would have home-ice against the Stars.
 

c9777666

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Aug 31, 2016
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I could make a case Philly was lucky to be in a spot where they were up 3-1 in the East Finals. If they had dropped one of those OT games at Pittsburgh in the 2nd round (Especially the game 4 marathon that seemingly would never end), we could have had a Devils-Penguins rematch from 1999's 1-8 upset. (And remember, they only climbed into 1st place when NJD had that stretch losing 12 of 17 games.)

Now, THAT would have been interesting if they get knocked out by the Penguins- what happens with Lindros if he doesn't get THAT Scott Stevens hit?
 

Brodeur

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Feb 27, 2002
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At the risk of turning this into a Lindros thread, I think the relationship had soured with Lindros and GM Bobby Clarke by then. There was the infamous incident in April 1999 when the Flyers were on the road. Lindros and Keith Jones were sharing a room and Jones found Lindros in rough condition in the bathroom. The Flyers doctors advised that he fly back to Philadelphia, but Jones insisted that he go to a local hospital. It was discovered that Lindros had a collapsed lung and the doctors in Nashville said Lindros might've died had he flown back.

The public spats with Clarke questioning Lindros' toughness predated the Stevens hit. Lindros was stripped of the captaincy in March 2000 as well. Lindros' contract being up after 2000 seemed to be the catalyst to requesting a trade. I suppose the dynamic might have been different if Lindros had lifted the Cup that spring. But in the hypothetical world where Philly didn't even make the ECF, I can only assume Clarke/Lindros continue their feud.

Here's a quote from when Lindros lost the C. The wheels were already in motion for a trade. The Stevens hit unfortunately became the indelible last image of Lindros in a Flyers jersey, but that wasn't the cause of the trade: Lindros stripped of Flyer captaincy

Carl Lindros said on the weekend that there are no plans to take legal action against the Flyers or their medical staff. But it isn't known if that could change in light of the Flyers' move yesterday. Lindros will become a restricted free agent on July 1, and Clarke said he will make the required qualifying offer of a 10-per-cent raise on Lindros's current $8.5-million (U.S.) salary to retain his rights.

It is expected that Clarke will either attempt to trade the 27-year-old superstar or decline to match a contract offer from another club and take the five first-round draft picks required as compensation under the collective agreement.

As for post-2000 Lindros, he had a couple decent seasons with the Rangers before another concussion. After the lockout, a wrist injury seemed to be what ended his career.
 
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CarolinaFlyerFan

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Jun 12, 2007
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Definitely the most painful loss for me worse than 2010 finals. I was pretty young and was sure Lindros’ return was gonna take us to the promised land. Think we coulda beat that stars team too would have changed a lot. Never read that article above either Clarke was definitely a prick in the whole situation
 

feffan

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Sep 9, 2010
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When I watched this video last year, I had completely forgot it happened. In a parallel world where there's an extra second left on the clock, maybe the Flyers win in 6.

Hockey sure is an unforgiven sport where luck is the only difference if u became a hero or not. Was thinking about starting a thread a while ago about clutch goals/players that never "counted". As in that it didn´t lead them to winning. This goal I didn´t remember, but surely belongs. Linden in Nagano. As a swede with NHL interest, Alfredsson in 2007 and a few off Sundins as a Maple Leaf.
 

TheGoldenJet

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Apr 2, 2008
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I really don't know other than the Devils were a better team overall. Part of it comes down to this though: Prior to Game 5 there was the announcement that Lindros would be back for Game 6. They were just completely flat in Game 5. Almost as if they felt their "saviour" was coming back and they could relax up 3-1 in the series. Then Game 6 was horrible, they had 13 shots on net and lost 2-1. Lindros got a goal with 30 seconds left in the game but it was too late. Then he lasted 4 shifts in Game 7 before Stevens essentially ended his career, or at least Flyers career.

Here is the painful part. This is the only time in NHL history a team has blown a 3-1 series lead in the semi finals onward aside from the 1942 Maple Leafs beating the Red Wings in the Cup final coming back from 3-0. Teams just simply do not lose, or ever have until then, when they are in the semi finals. But the Flyers did.

Robinson really got the Devils going. But Lindros coming back for game 6, playing a real solid game, was what’s i rmeember about that series. That and the devastating game 7 (in more ways than one) for Flyers fans.
 

blood gin

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Jan 17, 2017
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Yes the Robinson tirade really woke them up. He was always a great teacher, players coach. Well respected and dignified. But when he went ballistic on them it was legitimately scary and intimidating
 

blood gin

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Jan 17, 2017
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How would a hypothetical Dallas-Philly final have gone down in 2000, with or without Lindros?

Dallas was super tough and gritty. I have a lot of respect for their effort in that final. And Belfour was incredible. I think they probably grind down Philly and win in 7.
 

blood gin

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Jan 17, 2017
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Have to add the Devils in my eyes still outplayed Philly in at least 2 of their 3 losses in the Conference Finals that year.(if not all 3 games) We were down 3-1 in the series but were outshooting and outchancing them. We were not being run off the ice. Brodeur was just not at his best those 3 losses either.
 

mrhockey193195

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Nov 14, 2006
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At the time, I thought I was watching the coming out party of the next great NHL goaltender (Brian Boucher). It's so strange how his career turned out after that playoff run.
 

blood gin

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Jan 17, 2017
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At the time, I thought I was watching the coming out party of the next great NHL goaltender (Brian Boucher). It's so strange how his career turned out after that playoff run.

And not strange as in bad. Just very weird. He sets the NHL record for most shutouts in a row as a Coyote with 5 somehow. Nearly washes out of the league due to horrendous play 2005-2007. Goes 6-19-3 those two years. Re establishes himself in his 30s as a backup for San Jose. Goes back to Philly. Is terrible in 09-10, plays well in 10-11 and has another miraculous playoff run somehow. The next year he looks horrible for Carolina. Another return trip to Philly and he finally calls it quits
 
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jghockey

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Aug 14, 2018
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Had Eric Lindros not returned to the lineup, the Flyers would have won the Eastern Finals.
 
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c9777666

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Had the Flyers lost one of those OT games in the second round to Pittsburgh and they get knocked out in round 2, what happens with Lindros if he doesn't get THAT Scott Stevens hit?
 

streitz

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Jul 22, 2018
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Had the Flyers lost one of those OT games in the second round to Pittsburgh and they get knocked out in round 2, what happens with Lindros if he doesn't get THAT Scott Stevens hit?


How are we supposed to know this?
 

jghockey

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Aug 14, 2018
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Had the Flyers lost one of those OT games in the second round to Pittsburgh and they get knocked out in round 2, what happens with Lindros if he doesn't get THAT Scott Stevens hit?

Lindros would not have returned to the Flyers. Things were terribly bad between him and Bob Clarke at that point.
 
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streitz

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Jul 22, 2018
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Lindros would not have returned to the Flyers. Things were terribly bad between him and Bob Clarke at that point.


How do you know that for sure?



Maybe winning the cup would of brought them closer together, like a family again.
 
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jghockey

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Aug 14, 2018
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How do you know that for sure?



Maybe winning the cup would of brought them closer together, like a family again.

At that point, the feud between Lindros and Clarke was at the boiling point. Things have gotten so bad that Clarke stripped Lindros of the captaincy and gave it to Eric Desjardins. The Flyers were winning in spite of Lindros not because of him.
 
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Normand Lacombe

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Jan 30, 2008
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How do you know that for sure?



Maybe winning the cup would of brought them closer together, like a family again.

Very doubtful. The feud was simmering since the 1997-98 season. Clarke publicly humiliated Lindros by stripping him of his captaincy in March, 2000 and by questioning his heart. This was after Lindros criticized the Flyers medical staff by not diagnosing a concussion he suffered at Boston and clearing him to play. The Flyers staff failed to diagnosis a collapsed lung the year before that could have left Lindros dead had he flew home like they suggested. Add in Brett Lindros having to retire due to multiple concussions and you can understand Lindros' point.
 

Normand Lacombe

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Jan 30, 2008
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At that point, the feud between Lindros and Clarke was at the boiling point. Things have gotten so bad that Clarke stripped Lindros of the captaincy and gave it to Eric Desjardins. The Flyers were winning in spite of Lindros not because of him.

Lindros still averaged over a point a game that season and was the Flyers third leading scorer. In Game 6 of that New Jersey series, he was by far the best Flyer on the ice.
 
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