The injuries that occur — or heal — can lift a team (Colorado left wing Valeri Kamensky's return
in Game 3 from a broken right arm permitted the Avalanche to move Adam Deadmarsh from wing to third - line center and drop pivot Dale Hunter to the fourth line, creating a more balanced lineup) or devastate it (Detroit winger Martin Lapointe looked lost
in Games 3, 4 and 5 after his center, Igor Larionov, fractured a pinky
in Game 2), but they are all part of the
process of winning
championships.