NHL PLAYOFFS : Lemieux Comes Back, so Do the Penguins, 6-3

Mario Lemieux was just out of traction--and the New York Islanders were in serious trouble.

Lemieux needed only 54 seconds to turn around the Patrick Division playoffs, scoring once and setting up another goal in the opening minute to power the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 6-3 victory over the Islanders on Monday night.

With Lemieux sound for the first time in the series, the Penguins finally looked like two-time defending Stanley Cup champions, scoring three times in the opening 1:48--all with Lemieux’s line on the ice.

Lemieux, doubled over with back pain so severe he could barely get out of bed, played only an occasional shift in the first three games. His back hurt so badly Sunday that a therapist put him in traction for 20 minutes.

“I started feeling better (Sunday) night, and I felt great this morning,” he said. “Every time I feel good, any time I can play to my full potential, I can be very successful.”

Lemieux finished with two goals and an assist as the Penguins took a 3-2 edge with Game 6 set for Wednesday at Uniondale, N.Y. The Penguins, only a victory away from sending Lemieux back to his Montreal hometown for the Wales Conference finals, are 9-1 in potential series-ending playoff games since 1991.

“We feel we’re going to end it Wednesday night. We feel we can put the clamp on them,” Kevin Stevens said.