Lindros Strikes Again

Eric Lindros is getting the benefit of the doubt from the New Jersey Devils, this time.

The Philadelphia Flyers’ high scoring center and captain nearly ignited a third-period melee when he bowled over Martin Brodeur with a shoulder after the Devils’ All-Star goalie stopped a shot by John LeClair in Wednesday night’s 4-1 New Jersey victory.

Brodeur was stunned by the hit that knocked him off his feet and sent his mask spinning off his head. However, he wasn’t seriously hurt.

“I’m not happy when someone touches one of our players when they shouldn’t,” Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello said Thursday.

Lamoriello said the NHL had representatives at the game and access to tapes of the game.

“It’s not my job to police this,” Lamoriello said. “They had people here who saw.”

NHL spokesman Andy McGowan said Thursday the league was not reviewing the hit.

The hit was the second somewhat questionable one this season by Lindros, whose brother, Brett, had to retire last year because of a string of concussions.

Rob Niedermayer of Florida sustained a serious concussion when hit by Lindros along the boards in the final minutes of a season-opener last week. The Panthers center is expected to be sidelined a month.

Lindros insisted he has not done anything wrong.

“I was watching Johnny [LeClair] shoot the puck,” he said of Wednesday night’s play. “I was just heading toward the net. I didn’t see him [Brodeur] until the last minute.”

Devil defenseman Lyle Odelein said Lindros apologized after the play, which ended with all 10 skaters on the ice congregating around Lindros.

“Eric is not a player like that to run a star player like Marty,” Odelein said. “He was going to the net and was off balance a bit. Like he said. He didn’t mean to do it. Big E is an honest player and I respect that from him.”

Brodeur admitted he might have a little out of the crease.

“I don’t think he did it purposely,” Brodeur said. “If I had seen him coming, we probably would not have touched each other.”

Bobby Holik, who scored a clinching goal shortly after Lindros’ penalty for goaltender interference ended, said Lindros might have been trying to intimidate Brodeur since the teams play four more times this season.

“Maybe it was a part of the plan, maybe not,” Holik said. “Maybe we’re trying to make too much out of nothing. But, you know, we all saw what happened.”

Lindros also squared off with Scott Stevens in the closing minutes after cross checking the Devils defenseman in the back.

“He was a little frustrated, we shut him down pretty good,” said Stevens, who said the Devils did a good job of maintaining their composure after Brodeur was run over.

Stevens said the might not happen again.

“Yeah, accidents can happen,” Stevens said. “But we have to protect Marty. I don’t think it was too bad, but goalies are very important and we have to look out for them.”

While several members of the Panthers are angry with Lindros’ hit on Niedermayer, his brother, Devils defenseman Scott Niedermayer, is not.

“I only saw the play once on a highlight,” Scott Niedermayer said. “I didn’t think it was all that bad. He had his hands and stick up. Maybe when a guy is that big, you don’t need to do that. But I don’t think it was that dirty a hit. I think maybe it was just unfortunate how he got hit.”