Hejduk takes over scoring lead as Halifax eliminates London -- Great White Rumour Mill

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Subject: Hejduk takes over scoring lead as Halifax eliminates London

Author:
Rock Lobster

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Date Posted: 19:48:42 06/16/03 Mon

(LONDON)-Going into Monday's match against London, Milan Hejduk hadn't had a truly great game in these playoffs yet always seemed to be somewhere on the scoreboard. All that changed in Game #4. Hejduk with a pair of goals and a pair of assists was the driving force behind the victory which swept the Lasers out of the playoffs.

The tone was set 44 seconds into the game when after a thunderous bodycheck on Kyle McLaren by Eric Lindros, Hejduk picked up the puck and rifled a pass over to Greg DeVries who buried it with a slapshot putting Halifax up 1-0. The visitors carried the play to the homeside and at 11:46 Hejduk was sent in alone by Lindros. Hejduk made no mistake faking the deke and then going five hole on Olaf Kolzig making it 2-0. Less than a minute later though Darcy Tucker would re-direct Dan McGillis' point shot past Sean Burke to get London back in the game and the period ended 2-1.

Zigmund Palffy, another hot Harpoon as of late, got things started in the second when he snapped home the rebound of a Brent Sopel drive at 6:01. Already without Chris Pronger, when Nik Lidstrom went off for highsticking at 7:18, London was in a bind. It only took 5 seconds for Milan Hejduk to count his second tally of the game tipping in Brian Leetch's floater off the face-off. Leetch then scored himself on a rush starting in his own zone as Halifax was changing defense at 13:56, spelling the end of the night for Kolzig. Roman Hamrlik was set up for a one-timer by Peter Forsberg at 19:26 of the second making the score 5-2 but Halifax was clearly in control of the game.

In the third period the Harpoons tightened the noose outshooting the Lasers 15-4 and turning back almost every possession by the homeside. It got so bad that the fans started booing their own team at one point. At 10:56 Mattias Ohlund was the recipient of a long rebound on a three on one and slammed it past back-up netminder Manny Legace to make it 6-2. At that point people could be seen starting for the exits in the Laserdome. Lidstrom added a late goal at 16:58 but the writing was on the wall. Halifax was going to the Hoser Cup for the second year in a row and the third time in four years.

"I was due to have a game like this," Hejduk explained after the game. "There is only so long you can keep our line down. We will eventually get our points."

"I was just trying to set a tone out there," replied Eric Lindros when queried about his big check at the beginning of the game. "I know if I can force the turnover, I've got linemates who can take advantage of it."

"Losing (Chris) Pronger last game and then losing (Cory) Cross halfway through this one definitely hurt them," commented Coach Andy Murray. "Injuries at this time of year are always tough. So far, knock on wood, we've been ok there."

Rock Lobster
HALIFAX HERALD

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