Flyers like Game 1 win over Devils, but not the way they played

NEWARK, N.J. - Danny Briere walked out of the Prudential Center with an uneasy feeling on Wednesday night.

The Flyers had just managed to take a 1-0 lead in their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series against the New Jersey Devils, but didn't manage to do a whole lot right. They were outchanced, outshot and outplayed for a large part of the game.

In the regular season, the Flyers' forward would have shrugged it off. But over the course of seven games, poor play doesn't translate into a series victory.

"We found a way to steal one, basically,'' Briere said after practice yesterday. "We're not happy with the way we won. We're happy that we won, but we're not happy with the way we played.

"Our puck possession wasn't as good as it should have been. Our chances to score weren't as high as what they should be. We know we can be better.''

The Flyers know it will take more than 14 shots in 60 minutes to beat Marty Brodeur consistently in their best-of-seven, first-round series, which resumes tonight in North Jersey.

Besides Brian Boucher in net, the Flyers' only other saving grace in Game 1 was the penalty kill. Led by Ian Laperriere and Blair Betts, the Flyers kept the Devils' 11th-ranked power play off the board with a perfect 5-for-5 night.

But even that didn't satisfy Briere.

"I think five [penalties] is too much,'' Briere said. "I think we've got to lower that number to two or three.''

Laperriere wouldn't mind that. It would be less work - and less stress - for the Flyers' 35-year-old winger.

"You don't want to give New Jersey five power plays a night because they're going to burn you,'' Laperriere said. "You're playing with fire. They have too much skill. We need to be smarter. I'm mad about us taking that many penalties when we talked about it.

"It comes down to your special teams. That's what wins you and loses you games at this point in the year.''

Devils coach Jacques Lemaire ran a unique power play against the Flyers, opting to use five forwards with the man advantage instead of three forwards and two defensemen at the point. The setup runs through sniper Ilya Kovalchuk, who is quarterbacking the unit from just inside the blue line, ready to wind up at any moment.

That could present a unique shorthanded opportunity for some of the Flyers' quicker penalty killers, like Mike Richards or Simon Gagne. Richards has just one shorthanded goal this season and the Flyers have six total.

Of course, on the penalty kill, offense isn't the main priority. Like the Flyers' overall game, Laperriere said he would "change a few things'' in the penalty kill.

"I didn't feel like we were great,'' Betts said. "I think we did a good enough job. We want to try to avoid penalties late in the game.''

Coach Peter Laviolette has long preached that it isn't possible to win without solid penalty-killing in the playoffs. His team has killed 30 of its last 31 attempts. Still, Laviolette knows the best penalty kill is one that isn't used.

"If we don't get discipline, then we're going to shoot ourselves in the foot,'' Laviolette said.

Winning Game 1 was undoubtedly big for the Flyers, who now have beaten the Devils in six of their seven tries this season. But taking a 2-0 lead back to Philadelphia, while playing well, would be even bigger.

"We didn't play as well as we liked but we still got away with a win, which should be a big confidence boost for us,'' Betts said. "We don't feel like there is pressure on us. If we can get the second win, it digs a pretty big hole for New Jersey.''

After a lackluster, turnover-laden first period by Oskars Bartulis and Lukas Krajicek in Game 1, Peter Laviolette changed up the defensive pairings to make his back end less of a liability.

Tonight, Laviolette is expected to go in a different direction and play Ryan Parent - who was a healthy scratch on Wednesday.

"I just didn't think we were moving the puck quickly enough,'' Laviolette said. "There were times we could've made better decisions or better reads. It's difficult when you're on the road and facing the top two lines of New Jersey to get the matchups you're looking for.''

Without Chris Pronger practicing yesterday, Parent skated with Bartulis.

In Game 1, Krajicek played just 8:20, the least of any defenseman. Bartulis played 11:27.

"I know that I can't make the heavy mistake that will cost us a goal,'' Krajicek said. "It's the playoffs, it's a lot more intense. I know I need to play with more urgency.''

Said Laviolette: "We're trying to find the combinations we're happy with. Change is always an option.''

Brian Boucher and Chris Pronger both skipped practice yesterday at the Prudential Center, opting to rest for Game 2. Pronger played 30:01 on Wednesday and Boucher won his first playoff game in 9 years, 329 days - the third-longest span between playoff wins in NHL history . . . Devils forward Andrew Peters could return from an eye injury that has kept him out since March 25. Wingers Vladimir Zharkov and Jay Pandolfo are also options for Jacques Lemaire if he wants to make a lineup change . . . Flyers forward Ville Leino, who has been fighting the flu, said he felt much better yesterday. He rejoined the team for the first time since last Sunday . . . Tickets for tonight's Game 2 at the Prudential Center, where the Devils are 4-6 in playoff games, remain available on stubhub.com at face-value prices.

For more news and analysis, read Frank Seravalli's blog, Frequent Flyers, at http://go.philly.com/frequentflyers.