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Rangers activate Lindros

PITTSBURGH, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- New York Rangers star center Eric Lindros was activated from injured reserve in time for Saturday's game with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Lindros missed four games after suffering his seventh concussion in less than four years on December 28 in a 5-3 win at San Jose.

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The 28-year-old Lindros absorbed two hits against San Jose before leaving with headaches. He missed games in Los Angeles, Phoenix, Edmonton and Colorado but returned for the finale of a six-game road trip.

Because of his history of head-related injuries, the most recent incident was a bit of a secret. Lindros himself finally admitted last week that it was a concussion, calling it "real mild."

Last Wednesday, Lindros met with neurologist Dr. Karen Johnston, who was flown in from Montreal, conducted an examination and administered baseline tests before recommending that the oft-injured superstar resume off-ice conditioning.

Johnston was the same doctor that cleared Lindros before they acquired him in the offseason from the Philadelphia Flyers.

Lindros rode a stationary bike two days after suffering the injury and practiced soon after that. Saturday was the earliest he could return to the lineup.

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Despite missing seven games this season, Lindros is just eight points off the league lead, recording 19 goals and 20 assists in 37 contests. He is second on the team in scoring to linemate Mike York, who has 42 points.

Lindros, who was added to the Canadian Olympic team on December 15, had six concussions in his final 27 months with the Flyers, the last coming in Game Seven of the 2000 Eastern Conference finals on a hit by New Jersey defenseman Scott Stevens.

The 1995 Hart Trophy winner as the league's most valuable player, Lindros sat out all of the 2000-01 season due to a bitter contract dispute with the Flyers.

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