Lindros’ Hat Trick Caps Flyers’ 6-3 Win Over Short-Handed Rangers

NHL playoffs

It’s hard enough to beat the Philadelphia Flyers on a good day. For the undermanned New York Rangers, it proved impossible.

The Rangers, forced to use minor leaguers because of injuries, were predictably disorganized Tuesday night in a 6-3 loss to the Flyers in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals.

Eric Lindros scored three goals for Philadelphia, including the final empty-netter after he threw Rangers captain Mark Messier out of his path.

“A team of horses wouldn’t have stopped him,” Messier said.

The Flyers now lead the best-of-7 series 2-1. Game 4 is Friday night at Madison Square Garden, where the Rangers had been 4-0 in the playoffs this year until Tuesday night.

New York, with four important forwards already on the injured list, lost substitute Ken Gernander barely 2 minutes into the game when he was checked hard into the boards and suffered a concussion.

Defenseman Alexander Karpovtsev, a regular Lindros foil, missed the game to go home to Russia because his mother died. He is expected to miss Game 4. And Brian Leetch, the Norris Trophy candidate, was noticeably less effective with a sprained wrist.

Nevertheless, Messier was optimistic.

“We really feel good about the way we are playing,” he said. “We got a little sloppy tonight, but overall we had a chance to win and if anything we are a little mad about letting it slip away.”

The Flyers took advantage of New York’s flaws and their own tightened defense to hold a 2-0 lead after two periods. After the Rangers twice tied it in the third period, the Flyers regained control.

Wayne Gretzky tied the game at 3 at 14:21 of the third, but Trent Klatt beat Mike Richter on a two-on-one with Shjon Podein, putting Philadelphia ahead 4-3 just 38 seconds later. Rod Brind’Amour made it 5-3 on a breakaway with about 3 minutes remaining, and Lindros’ hat trick goal came with 37 seconds left.

Flyers 6, Rangers 3

Philadelphia 2 0 4 - 6

N.Y. Rangers 0 0 3 - 3

First period-1, Philadelphia, Lindros 7 (Niinimaa, Coffey), 7:33. 2, Philadelphia, Svoboda 1 (LeClair, Zubrus), 13:03. Second period-None.

Third period-3, New York, Courtnall 2 (Gretzky, Tikkanen), :43 (pp). 4, New York, Courtnall 3 (Robitaille, Lidster), 4:02. 5, Philadelphia, Lindros 8 (LeClair, Zubrus), 6:35. 6, New York, Gretzky 10 (Courtnall), 14:21. 7, Philadelphia, Klatt 4 (Podein), 14:59. 8, Philadelphia, Brind’Amour 8 (Therien), 16:52. 9, Philadelphia, Lindros 9 (Otto), 19:22 (en).

Shots on goal-Philadelphia 12-5-8-25. New York 5-11-12-28.Power-play opp.-Philadelphia 0 of 4; New York 1 of 6.Goalies-Philadelphia, Hextall 2-0 (28 shots-25 saves). New York, Richter 9-4 (24-19).A-18,200 (18,200).