STANLEY CUP FINALS Nieuwendyk doubtful for Game 5

The New Jersey forward skated for the first time in practice Wednesday.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- Joe Nieuwendyk got back on the ice to see if his achy hip felt good enough to allow him to play in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup finals.
By all accounts, it didn't.
It was the first time the New Jersey forward skated since he was limited to three shifts in the final game of the Eastern Conference finals nearly two weeks ago. But he was severely hampered by the injury during practice Wednesday and listed himself as doubtful for tonight's pivotal game against Anaheim.
"Even in the regular season, at some point you want to get a barometer of where you are. That's what today was all about," Nieuwendyk said Wednesday.
Series deadlocked
The series is tied 2-2 following the Mighty Ducks two overtime home victories.
Nieuwendyk was on the ice for 25 minutes Wednesday and took part in the opening skating drills of practice. By the time his teammates broke up into their line combinations, Nieuwendyk had skated off. Michael Rupp assumed Nieuwendyk's spot alongside Jeff Friesen and Jamie Langenbrunner.
If Nieuwendyk doesn't play, Rupp probably will be in the lineup for the second straight game. Sergei Brylin took Nieuwendyk's spot on the line with Langenbrunner and Friesen earlier in the series.
"He would've helped, for sure," forward Patrik Elias said of Nieuwendyk. "We've done well in the finals, and in the last game against Ottawa. We'll have to step up again without him."
The Ducks practiced earlier Wednesday and seemed to expect Nieuwendyk's first appearance in the series.
"He's been a good player for a long time," Anaheim coach Mike Babcock said. "Anytime you bring someone back, what you do is take away someone else's ice time. And they've got some guys playing pretty good. So, we're going to get prepared for the Devils, but we're going to worry about what we do."
Turner Stevenson is much more likely to return. The New Jersey forward has been plagued by a groin injury throughout the postseason and has been limited to 11 games. His last game was the same one in which Nieuwendyk went down.
Stevenson was on a line with Brylin and Pascal Rheaume during practice Wednesday. He didn't report any problems.
"If I feel like that [tonight], for sure I'll play," Stevenson said.
Burns still uncommitted
Devils coach Pat Burns wouldn't commit to any lineup issues. He has mixed and matched his personnel all during the playoffs, both up front and on defense.
"We don't know who's going to play and who's not going to play," Burns said. "We thought maybe Nieuwendyk would be able to play, and he can't."
The Ducks are 0-8 at New Jersey since Feb. 11, 1996. Anaheim was successful on the road until this series. The Ducks are 6-3 away from home, but they are up against the Devils who have gone 10-1 at Continental Airlines Arena.
"We have been a good team on the road," Ducks goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere said. "In the playoffs before the series we had the best record on the road. We're confident playing on the road.
"The only thing we need to do is do what we do."