Lindros Answers Miami Fans With Game-Winner

Remember the old thing about not tugging on Superman’s cape? Well, leave Eric Lindros alone too.

Fans in Miami didn’t Tuesday night, and then they watched him answer their boos and jeers with the game-winning goal in Philadelphia’s 3-1 victory that gave the Flyers a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

It was the second game-winner in a row for Lindros, who could see a likeness of himself hanging from the upper deck of the Miami Arena and--even over the playing of the national anthem before the game--could hear the derogatory remarks branding him as a cheap-shot artist for his actions against Panther players in Game 2.

“I don’t know if I feed off the crowd,” Lindros said. “It’s not something I’ve not been through before. . . . I could care less.”

Lindros scored off a rebound near the goal line. It was the second goal in less than a minute on successive power plays set up by a double-minor penalty to Brian Skrudland of the Panthers.

Dan Quinn also scored a goal and assisted on another, and Trent Klatt had his fourth goal of the playoffs for Philadelphia.

Paul Laus had Florida’s goal.

Philadelphia had as many goals as the Panthers had shots on goal in the first period, outshooting Florida, 17-2.

“It was frustrating,” Panther defenseman Ed Jovanovski said. “They played like we played in Game 1 [in which Florida shut out the Flyers in Philadelphia, 2-0]. They weren’t giving us any chances.”

The Flyers held Florida without a shot in two power-play opportunities in the opening period as the crowd was suddenly silenced.

Already having trouble, things went from bad to worse for the Panthers when Skrudland received a double-minor for high-sticking Rod Brind’Amour on a faceoff at 14:26 of the first period.

The Flyers turned it into a 1-0 lead when Panther goaltender John Vanbiesbrouck couldn’t fall on a loose puck that Quinn got a stick on in the crease.

Philadelphia continued with a man advantage because of the double-minor. Lindros struck when he fielded the puck off a save by Vanbiesbrouck and put it through the goaltender’s legs for a 2-0 lead at 17:13.

Pittsburgh 3, New York Rangers 2--The Penguins, with Mario Lemieux again leading the way, rebounded from their worst game of the playoffs with one of their best periods en route to a victory in New York.

The Penguins took a 3-0 lead in the first period, with Lemieux scoring twice, and hung on through a second-period New York flurry to take a 2-1 lead in the series.

The bounces in the first 20 minutes were all with Pittsburgh, which got a fluke goal when a shot bounced off Lemieux’s helmet.

While the Penguins turned themselves around as a team, so did goaltender Ken Wregget, who had an off day in Sunday’s loss in Pittsburgh. This time, Wregget was a lot sharper, making 37 saves for a team that was outshot, 39-32.

He was especially sharp in the second period, even though he gave up two goals. It could have been a lot worse, with the Rangers outshooting Pittsburgh, 16-4, in that period.

Tomas Sandstrom scored the last Penguin goal.

Shane Churla and Niklas Sundstrom scored for New York.

NHL Note

Chicago Blackhawk wing Tony Amonte’s knee has neither ligament damage nor fractures, but he probably will sit out the rest of the Western Conference semifinals against the Colorado Avalanche.