Lindros Makes Impressive Return in Flyers' Loss EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (Reuters) - They said Eric Lindros could never come back from a 10-week layoff and fit right back into a team that had gelled in his absence and advanced to within one game of the Stanley Cup finals without him. They were wrong. While the Flyers lost Game 6 of the National Hockey League Eastern Conference finals 2-1 to the New Jersey Devils, who forced a seventh and deciding game, it was Philadelphia's erstwhile captain who very nearly dragged his team into the championship round on Wednesday. And if the Flyers are to end a quarter century title drought, Lindros figures to be a big reason why. Lindros, who had not played since March 12 and who suffered his fifth concussion earlier this month while practicing to come back from his fourth, scored the team's lone goal and nearly had two for a Flyers team suddenly very much in need of his touch around the net. ``It was really wonderful to get out and play hockey,'' said Lindros, who was stripped of his captaincy in his absence amid speculation he had played his last game in a Flyers uniform due to an ongoing feud with team president Bob Clarke. Conventional wisdom said Lindros would come back too rusty to make a difference and could even be a detriment to his team. Conventional wisdom said he had to be eased back into the lineup and used sparingly until he got his legs back. Conventional wisdom went out the window at the Continental Airlines Arena Wednesday night. ``I said Eric would come up big and he did,'' said Flyers forward Mark Recchi. ``He didn't miss a shift, that was amazing.'' Said former linemate John LeClair: ``I think it was amazing how well he held up.'' Lindros Did Not Wait Long Flyers coach Craig Ramsay did not make Lindros cool his heels on the bench for very long. He was out on the ice two minutes into the game and had the puck on his stick seconds later, putting his first shot well wide of the New Jersey net. In all, Lindros took 19 shifts, playing a total of 14 minutes and 47 seconds. He led his team with three shots on goal and created their best scoring chances in a contest where those were few and far between as the Flyers were outshot 26-13. And when the Flyers got their first power play of the game at 3:28 of the third period, there was big No. 88 on the ice as if he had never left. ``I felt he was in good shape. I had a good feeling about his attitude,'' said Ramsay. ``Eric was ready to play. He put in a lot of hard work off the ice so he would be ready.'' While dejected over his team's inability to close out the Devils for a second consecutive game, Ramsay had to feel good about Lindros's contribution. ``I thought he played very well,'' Ramsay said. ``He was pretty good at face-offs, he had some life. He gave us everything he had.'' Oh So Close Lindros was actually the first player on either team to put the puck into the net. Unfortunately it came just a tick after time ran out ending the second period. With 2.7 seconds left Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur made the questionable decision of holding onto the puck, causing a face-off in his own end. Lindros won the face-off and headed for the net. He was on the goal line to Brodeur's left when the puck landed on his stick. His first shot hit the post and he flipped his own rebound high into the New Jersey goal and began celebrating. A video replay showed that his first shot came with one tenth of a second left, but the clock showed zeros when the second shot went in and the game remained scoreless. The Devils finally broke through with a pair of goals in the third period but had to hold their collective breath as Lindros scored with 30 seconds left, giving Philadelphia a chance to force overtime. ``That was a terrific goal he scored,'' said Devils coach Larry Robinson. ``That's the type of player he is. He didn't have much to shoot at.'' Brodeur, for one, was not surprised by who it was who beat him in the anxious closing seconds. ``He's one of the best players in the NHL ... He'll be a big factor in Game 7,'' Brodeur predicted. Added Recchi: ``We have to lay it all on the line Friday the way Eric did tonight.