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Lindros, Fetisov at Cusp of 1st Cup

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- They grew up in different times and continents apart, yet greatness has been a word shared by Eric Lindros of the Philadelphia Flyers and Slava Fetisov of the Detroit Red Wings.

Lindros, 24, is on the verge of becoming the NHL's dominant player. Fetisov, 39, has had his moment, not only as a player but also as the crusader who in 1989 started the-then Soviet invasion of the league.

There is no comparing the two now, except for their immediate goals.

On the day before the start of the best-of-7 Stanley Cup finals between the Flyers and Red Wings at the CoreStates Center, both men talked Friday about winning the NHL's biggest prize.

For Lindros, this conceivably could be the first of many Cups. He's that good and the Flyers, the Eastern Conference champions, have surrounded him with a talented, deep and big team.

This might be Fetisov's last chance to get his name on the trophy. The legs and skill that made his the Bobby Orr of the Soviet Union are fading, and the Red Wings may never have this good a chance.

Lindros took a couple of seconds Friday to recall his first memories of a Stanley Cup finals. It was a series in Edmonton in the 1980s when Oilers fans held sparklers during the national anthem.

``It was a special moment,'' said Lindros, who has 11 goals and 12 assists in the first three rounds of the playoffs. ``I mean we were just kids playing hockey but to see something like that was really spectacular.

``I mean I dreamed about being in this situation for a long time, just not being here, but to win it,'' the big center said. ``But I guess you have to dream dreams to live dreams, and we have got our work cut out for us.''

Fetisov knows adversity. He bucked the-then Soviet hockey system in the late 1980s to get permission to sign a contract with an NHL team, a battle that at one point led him to leave the national team.

In the end, glasnost prevailed and the New Jersey Devils signed him in 1989 after general manager Lou Lamoriello capped 18 months of negotiations, that included a couple of back-room meetings.

``I had a chance in my life to do something special and I was lucky to get the chance,'' Fetisov said Friday. ``I have no regrets. It cost me a couple of years of my life to go through this situation. But everybody is happy now they can see lots of young guys here from Russia.''

Ironically, Fetisov just missed getting his name on the Stanley Cup in 1995. The Devils did not offer him a contract after the previous year and he was part of the Red Wings' team that was swept in the '95 Cup finals.

Fetisov says he has not regrets about not winning with New Jersey. He's playing in a system now that has a Russian influence which is making hockey fun again.

Winning the Cup, would obviously increase the enjoyment.

``I grew up and was raised with goal to attain the Olympic gold medal and world championships,'' Fetisov said. ``I've changed orientation and now look for the Stanley Cup. For me, it's big now.

``The best hockey players play here now. Everybody plays for the Stanley Cup and for me it would be a nice accomplishment in my career. It's one of the things I am missing in my medal collection.''

If the Red Wings are going to win their first Stanley Cup in 42 years, they are going to have to prevent Lindros and company from overpowering them in front of goalie Mike Vernon. The Flyers dump and grind philosophy led to relatively easy playoff wins over Pittsburgh, Buffalo and the New York Rangers.

Detroit needs to play tough and physical and use its speed to counter attack. The Red Wings also have to test the Flyers goalies with shots, something the Rangers did not do well in the conference finals.

Game 2 will be played on Tuesday and then the series moves to Detroit for games on Thursday and next Saturday.