Philly wants revenge

By TIM WHARNSBY -- Toronto Sun
PHILADELPHIA -- Bad blood runs through the veins of the Philadelphia Flyers when they recall their opening-round playoff loss to the Maple Leafs last spring.

But it is directed in two ways -- toward the Leafs and referee Terry Gregson.

Gregson drew the Flyers' ire after he penalized John LeClair for a borderline elbow with 2:54 remaining in Game 6. Sergei Berezin scored the series-clinching goal a short time later.

Interestingly, Gregson did not referee a Flyers game this season until last week when the Flyers and the Dallas Stars tied 1-1 in Philadelphia.

Gregson infuriated the Flyers again last week. He refused to call a penalty when Philadelphia captain Eric Lindros was hauled down with 90 seconds remaining.

"It figures, look at who was the ref," LeClair said when asked about the non-call.

Neilson was asked if his team is geared up more than usual for today's matinee against Toronto.

"It is," Neilson said. "This is the team that put us out. We have been waiting for a chance since last May to get back at them."

A big difference this time is that Lindros will be in the lineup. He missed the 1999 post-season as he recovered from a punctured lung.

Lindros and Co. have been running as smooth as a Mercedes lately. Following a 0-5-1 stretch, the Flyers have become the hottest team in the NHL, going 12-3-2 in their past 17 games.

The Flyers and Leafs are tied atop the Eastern Conference standings at 12-8-3.

"We had a bit of a slow start," Neilson said. "I can't really pick out one area that has made us better because we are doing a lot of things well right now.

"I mean, we are getting scoring from all four lines and each of our defence pairings has played well and our goaltending has been good."

Against Florida on Wednesday, Neilson got at least one goal from each of his four lines in an easy-as-pie 6-1 victory against the Panthers.

KEY

A key for the Flyers has been the free-agent signing of veteran defenceman Ulf Samuelsson two weeks into the season. Samuelsson has been paired with the physical Dan McGillis, giving the Flyers a punishing twosome.

Eric Desjardins and Chris Therien still make up the Flyers' top defence pairing. But Adam Burt and Luke Richardson, Neilson said, also have been steady, especially killing penalties.

Bert's back on blades
Blue Jays boot game
Bombers drop Peterson
Felicien rebuilds race

Visit our Polls Archive

SLAM! Sports SLAM! Galleries Help CANOE