The defense corps, as well as it has played in stifling a very productive Panthers offense in the regular season, will never last.

Captain Scott Stevens, 36, is logging close to 30 minutes a game in keeping a blanket over Pavel Bure, the Russian Rocket that has been as ineffective as the final days of Space Station Mir. Ken Daneyko is a heroic participant, playing despite a serious abdominal strain that would keep a lot of guys in this league off the ice. Now rookie Colin White is a questionable participant for Game 4 after injuring his arm when he was rammed into the boards by Peter Worrell.

"A lot of guys are sucking it up, playing for each other," Daneyko said. "And I haven't seen that in a long time."

The Devils, with goaltender Martin Brodeur re-establishing himself as a playoff performer, can sweep Florida with a victory Thursday in Sunrise, Fla. But no matter how long this series lasts, the Panthers can take solace in knowing they've softened up the Devils for a future playoff opponent.

A post-script: Panthers goalie Mike Vernon is 0-7 against the Devils in the postseason. He was on that powerful Detroit club that rolled into the Stanley Cup Finals in 1995 with a 12-2 record after three rounds -- only to get swept by New Jersey, playing its best hockey since then.

Joseph skates, Leafs back off riding refs

In media parlance, it was a softball question. One that Toronto coach and GM Pat Quinn could have knocked out of the park with a verbal grand slam.

How does he respond to suggestions from rival coach Jacques Martin, of Ottawa, that there are two sets of rules in place, one for goaltenders and stars, and the other for position players and mere mortals?

Quinn took the equivalent of a called third strike, refusing comment. That's something he rarely does. In fact, Quinn has been on a soap box for weeks about skaters encroaching his goaltender's crease. In Game 3 at Ottawa, he believes it cost his Leafs the winning goal when Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson made contact with Curtis Joseph, inhibiting Joseph's ability to make an otherwise routine save.

Joseph went ballistic, charging out of his net to protest and knocking down referee Mick McGeough in the process. The league decided not to suspend Joseph, prompting Martin's remarks about a double standard. During the season, Senators enforcer Andre Roy was suspended for three games for shoving aside linesman Gerard Gauthier during a confrontation with an opponent.

"We know what the situation is," Martin said. "Curtis Joseph has a different status than Andre Roy. The circumstances were different. Andre was being pursued into a fight. This was a reaction after a goal. We know what the standards are. This is not something for us to pursue. We'll leave it in the league's hands."

But in the process of letting Joseph off easy, league disciplinarians must have reached some sort of plea bargain with the Leafs by putting a muzzle on Quinn by apparently warning him that another word would cost him dearly in fines. Last month, criticism of officials cost Detroit coach Scotty Bowman $7,500.

"I'm boxed in here," he told reporters, explaining why he refused to comment. "I don't want to reach into my pocket and find out that I have no money."

Speaking of getting off easy

NHL director of hockey operations Colin Campbell must have been feeling very generous Wednesday, suspending Sabres defenseman Alexei Zhitnik just one game for clunking Philadelphia forward Daymond Langkow in the head with his stick.

OK, so it wasn't as bad as the clubbing Boston defenseman Marty McSorley did on Vancouver's Donald Brashear that cost McSorley a suspension of at least 23 games. But it wasn't much worse than the tap on the helmet New Jersey defenseman Scott Niedermayer did on Florida's Peter Worrell, which cost Niedermayer a 10-game suspension.

"I've never been hit like that," Langkow said. "I think it should have been a major penalty. He got me across the head. I was stunned for a second. I could have lost my eye."

Zhitnik was assessed a double-minor for high-sticking.

Clearly Campbell, like the referee who made the call, considered the mitigating circumstances when making the call. That's not such a bad idea, but in this case it sends the wrong message to a league full of players who continue their dangerous and disrespectful play that inevitably will lead to a tragic injury.

Zhitnik is the most dangerous offensive defenseman on a team getting precious little help from its blue line in an effort to score goals against the Flyers in this series. Buffalo is trying to accomplish the nearly impossible by coming back from a 3-0 series deficit, something that has been done just twice in NHL playoff history.

Suspending Zhitnik for even one game highly jeopardizes the Sabres' chances of extending the series even one more game. Giving him a multiple-game suspension would be a certain death penalty.

Know what? Too bad. It's time players learn that when they hit a guy in the head with their stick, the punishment is going to be severe. It'll hurt them, and it might well hurt their team, too. Until the sticks come down, it can be no other way.

The final word

"For me to even try and compare the trade we made to get him and any other trade teams have made near the deadline -- I mean, the effect Ray's had on our entire team has been so deep and profound -- would be totally unfair to Ray. I've played against him. I've played with him. And playing with him, in the Canada Cup, All-Star Games, I always thought, 'Wow.' But now, seeing him work and play every day, it's like, 'Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow ... super wow.'" Colorado assistant coach and Hall of Famer Bryan Trottier, on defenseman Raymond Bourque and his impact on the Avalanche.