THE NHL / HELENE ELLIOTT : Brodeur, Devils Brush Off Rangers’ Regular-Season Sweep

As center Bernie Nicholls of the New Jersey Devils said last week, the road to the Stanley Cup goes through New York.

But will the Rangers fall into a pothole before they reach the Lincoln Tunnel?

“You’ve got to beat the best to accomplish what you set out to do,” Nicholls said. “They’re the best, and it wouldn’t be right (to win the Cup) if we didn’t beat them.”

The Devils beat them dramatically Sunday night at Madison Square Garden, serving notice that the Rangers won’t have a walkover in their Eastern Conference final series.

The Rangers were the overwhelming favorites after sweeping the Islanders and subduing the Washington Capitals in five games. They were 6-0 against the Devils during the season and had humbled rookie goalie Martin Brodeur, who failed to finish his four starts against them.

“A lot of people are looking at that 0-6 and making decisions off that, but they shouldn’t,” said Devil defenseman Scott Stevens, a Norris Trophy finalist. “We’re the underdogs, but I like it that way. I think it’ll spark us. I think we’re a better team because of what we had to go through in the first two rounds.”

The Devils, who needed seven games to eliminate the Buffalo Sabres and six to beat the Boston Bruins, were better than the Rangers in Sunday’s 4-3 double-overtime victory. Their defense, which is more physical than the Rangers’, held up solidly. And Brodeur finished what he started this time.

The Devils have won four consecutive road games, which is crucial now. Even when they are home, their fans are outnumbered by the Ranger faithful, so they will feel as if they are on the road.

“There will likely be more people in the area who hate us if we win, but that’s OK,” winger John MacLean said. “We’re looking forward to knocking them off.”

Will they? We still say Rangers in seven, but every game will be tight.

CANUCKS CRUISING

As have the Devils, who are in the semifinals for the first time since 1988, the Vancouver Canucks have taken a long break between semifinal appearances. It has been 12 years since they beat Chicago for the conference title and went on to the finals, in which they lost to the Islanders.

Their success this spring is surprising. They were pessimistic before the playoffs began and figured that the Calgary Flames, who dwarfed them physically, would dominate them. They also doubted their goaltending would hold up.

So they outlasted Calgary in seven bruising games and disposed of the Dallas Stars in a swift five, thanks in part to goalie Kirk McLean’s brilliant play.

This can be interpreted as a reminder that the regular season means almost nothing or as a tribute to Pat Quinn’s talents. Credit Quinn.

As general manager, he acquired Jeff Brown and Bret Hedican to add an offensive dimension to the defense. As coach, he squeezed good performances out of defensemen Dave Babych and Gerald Diduck, got five goals out of the line of Cliff Ronning, Sergio Momesso and Martin Gelinas in the first round, and is smart enough to stay out of the way while Trevor Linden plays the best hockey of his career. Linden scored his ninth playoff goal in the Canucks’ 3-2 overtime loss to Toronto on Monday night.

Linden, moved from right wing to center with Greg Adams on the left and Pavel Bure on the right, sparked Bure’s hot streak. The Russian winger had six goals against Dallas and has nine overall, tying him with Linden for the postseason lead.

SHARKS LOSE THEIR BITE

The San Jose Sharks made a great run, but they lacked the depth and muscle to beat the Maple Leafs. They couldn’t stop Wendel Clark, who took control of the series by leveling some crunching checks and scoring four goals in the last two games. Doug Gilmour, despite a bad ankle, found ways to win, and goalie Felix Potvin, seasoned by last spring’s semifinal trip, was solid. Potvin outplayed Arturs Irbe, who gave up some soft goals.

San Jose lost the series in Game 6, when it squandered several good chances before Toronto’s Mike Gartner won it in overtime. Give the Sharks’ power play an over-passing grade. They should have passed less and shot more. Sandis Ozolinsh, who had 26 regular-season goals, had none in the playoffs because he wouldn’t--or couldn’t--shoot. San Jose scored prettier goals, but Toronto won by throwing the puck at the net and pursuing rebounds, the smart way to go in tight-checking playoff games. And the Maple Leafs’ forechecking pressured the Sharks into countless turnovers.

Except for Sergei Makarov and Igor Larionov, the Sharks are a young team, and this experience will help them in future playoffs. That also applies to Coach Kevin Constantine, who made an outstanding debut.

As for the Maple Leafs and Canucks in the Western final, it’s going to be a physical series, with Toronto clawing to the top in seven games.

PHILADELPHIA STORY

Florida General Manager Bob Clarke’s return to Philadelphia, once considered a sure bet, now appears unlikely. But it can’t be ruled out because of Flyer owner Ed Snider’s friendship with Clarke, dating to Clarke’s playing days.

From the day Snider’s son, Jay, resigned as the Flyers’ president, Clarke was rumored to be headed north on I-95 to the Spectrum. Clarke wouldn’t say anything then, but when asked recently, he told the Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel he would remain with the Panthers and would make their pick at the June draft.

“I have a contract. I have a job,” he said.

The Panthers are reluctant to let him out of that contract--believed to be for four years--and reportedly were annoyed to hear he had talked to Snider. However, there is a possibility they would accept compensation to let him go.

Whether the Flyers need Clarke is another matter. General Manager Russ Farwell has done a good job of drafting and trading, and Snider said Farwell’s job is safe. Coach Terry Simpson, however, will probably be fired.

SLAP SHOTS

The Rangers, who have lost two playoff games, can still tie an NHL playoff record. Since 1980, when byes were eliminated and teams had to win four series to earn the Cup, the fewest games a team has lost is two, by the 1988 Edmonton Oilers. The last undefeated playoff team was the 1960 Montreal Canadiens, who swept the Blackhawks and Maple Leafs to win their fifth consecutive Cup. . . . The Stars don’t plan any major retooling for next season, and they probably don’t need much besides a left winger who can score. Had defenseman Mark Tinordi been able to play--he has a broken leg--they might have put up a stronger fight against Vancouver.

Stan Kasten of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks is using his friendship with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, formerly the NBA’s third-in-command, to press for an NHL expansion franchise in Atlanta. . . . The Quebec Nordiques are projecting losses of $4.5 million (Canadian) for this season, $9 million next season and $11 million the following season. They want the Quebec government to help them financially, as it helped baseball’s Montreal Expos three years ago with a low-interest, $18-million loan. . . . Boston’s Adam Oates and Al Iafrate will need off-season surgery, Oates on a hand and Iafrate on a knee.