Devils should be worried
Flyers 4, Devils 3 (OT)
Devils should be worried
Rich Hofmann, Daily News Sports Columnist
The Flyers won a game, just a game, just one of the four games that they will need in order to get past the New Jersey Devils in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. But the way it happened should leave the Devils wondering -- because this was a great chance for them to take the series opener, and they didn't.
Think about it. The Devils had the first 11 shots of the game -- the Flyers didn't have one for almost exactly 10 minutes -- but they only had a 1-0 lead at the end of the first period. Part of that was because Ilya Bryzgalov was very good at the start. Part of it was because the Devils weren't good enough.
Then the Flyers came back. They began to take over the play in a very significant way in the second period, and they only gave it up sporadically after that. Their forecheck was relentless. Whatever rustiness they had acquired over a week-long layoff following their first-round victory over Pittsburgh was gone. If Bryzgalov hadn't allowed Petr Sykora to rifle a shot between his pads in the third period, the Flyers would have won in regulation.
But the Devils could not take advantage of Bryz, just as they could not take advantage of the Flyers' slow start. You do not advance in the playoffs if you do not take advantage of opportunites, and the Devils whiffed on both of those in Game 1.
Then there are the side issues. Danny Briere, with two goals -- including the game-winner in OT -- continues to be a post-season magician; bad for the Devils. Claude Giroux, with a slapshot goal from the half-boards on a power play, continues to lead by leading; bad for the Devils. Ilya Kovalchuk, the Devils' premier scoring threat, did not have a shot on goal and was a minus-2.
Repeat after me:
Bad for the Devils.
Someone asked Devils coach Peter DeBoer about taking too many penalties (six), and he said that wasn't the reason the Devils lost. He said, "They took the game over in the second half. And when you're just hanging on, that's what happens."
One game, yes. But it seemed -- for many reasons, but mostly because the Flyers were able to dictate their style of play -- like more than that.
What would Lindros and LeClair have given for third and fouth lines that had players like Read, Talbot and Couturier? This team now has such deep talent. Plus JVR with a little conditioning looks like the old playoff JVR. With no brain cramps from the Flyers, this is a very short series.— Scholes- I see nothing on the D side to be excited about here. All three goals they gave up were disasters. First is the fact that the first goal is continually being called a turn-over by Matt Read. While Read should have looked behind him, I'm shocked that no one watching the replay noted WHY Read did that. Look at it. Colburn is at the blue line making eye contact with Read and heavily motions with a high stick to dump the puck the other way. Read sees this and does it. Huge mistake by Colburn.
The other two goals were incredibly soft goals but the last one was completely something as a coach I'd be livid about behind closed doors. Bryz was playing like he was in practice. There was ZERO urgency to get back to the net and into position and it cost us. The Flyers should have won that game 3-1 at worst.— Agrajag - Bryz is scary, scary like jekyl and hyde.which goalie will show up. jeez!— wlgj
- Oh you guys... just once I wish you'd leave the goalie alone! It's like blaming bums on the street for all your problems! The goalie is always going to be the easiest target to pick on, but that doesn't really mean your tangents are accurate.
This team is special, they play special, and it doesn't matter if they get there unconventionally. If I'm wrong I'll own up to it at that time. Until then, we are going to beat the Devils and the Rangers (or Caps) don't scare me either. Not because we should look past them, but they just don't scare me.
I'll say again: If we keep playing this way, the Rangers, Devils, Caps and any Western team cannot match up to us! They just can't! There is no Patrick Roy in these play-offs. There are some awesome goalies, but none of them are as awesome as these forwards.
We will give up some softies. Our style is not conducive to a 1.50 gaa for our goaltender, but he only needs to be steady over all for us to win a series, not perfect like in year's past. The other teams need to fear us now, not the other way around. We ARE the Detroit/Pittsburgh of yesteryear. Get behind them, it'll be loads of fun!
Go Bryz!!!— WestonF01 - I am a tried and true Flyers fan since 1976. Say what you want about Brodeur, but he won the Stanley Cup 3 times in his storied career. You have to have respect for the man for that accomplishment.
Plus, anytime the game changes the rules on account of your abilities (ref: Goal trapezoid lines, aka: Brodeur rule) you have give the the man required respect.
Don't count out Marty Brodeur. He has the heard of a champion - a Lionheart. He isn't a cry-baby like Dominic Hasek.. Brodeur is pure class..— USAFirst1
