Devils First Team Eliminated From Playoffs After 3-0 Loss To Flyers In Game 5

The lights are out at the rock as the Devils season has come to an end. In Lou We Trust says that this wasn’t a cheap win by the Flyers, the Devils gave this one away through mental mistakes by players and coaches alike:

The fault for this game and the series lies entirely with the Devils players and coaches. Even with all of the opportunites the Flyers’ seemingly handed the Devils tonight, once again, they couldn’t put it together. Once again, the team showed a lack of resolve, guts, and intensity on the ice overall. At times it was worse than that, the Devils showed a lack of brains at times.

In retrospect, I don’t know what was the bigger turning point. The moment Danny Briere scored on that backhanded one-timer (or re-directed off his skates, whatever) when he was wide open the slot on Martin Brodeur’s flank? A power play goal that put the Flyers up early in the game only to never look back? Or Jamie Langenbrunner tripping a Flyer during the Devils’ first power play, one that was gifted to them within the first minute of the game by The Actor, Dan Carcillo? Either way, when both happened, my internal monologue just groaned, “Oh, no, this is going to be ugly.”

And it was ugly. I’m sure the big complaint about Jacques Lemaire will be that he changed the lines so much. I feel that was the least of their concerns, especially tonight. Frankly, he and the Devils coaching staff were more than just outcoached. They had no answers for the Flyers’ tactics and their own adjustments.

Philadelphia moves on and the Devils are left to ponder yet another wasted post-season opportunity.

Philadelphia fans over at our Flyers blog, Broad Street Hockey, are understandably reveling in their 4-1 series win over the New Jersey Devils, a series that, for the most part, they were not expected to win.

Not only did the Flyers advance to the second round, most likely to face the number one seed Washington Capitals, but they did in a very convincing fashion. As you might imagine, the confidence of the Flyers fan has grown exponentially:

For more information on this game, please visit our New Jersey site, In Lou We Trust, and our Philadelphia site, Broad Street Hockey.

Newark, NJ (Sports Network) - Brian Boucher made 28 saves to record his second career playoff shutout and first in 10 years, and the Philadelphia Flyers closed out their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series with a 3-0 Game 5 victory over the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center.

Simon Gagner and Jeff Carter are out tonight. If you believe the Flyers, that is. The Devils? Well, they’re not so sure. Jacques Lemaire was asked about the injured forwards and let’s just say that he doesn’t put much stock in the Flyers’ injury report:

Flyers fans can only hope this is an extreme example of gamesmanship, but the Flyers are going to have to win this series without either of their star forwards.

Brodeur, the NHL’s all-time leader in wins by a goaltender, made 18 saves for the Devils, who failed to get out of the first round for the third straight year despite winning the Atlantic Division in each of the last two seasons.

Both teams took a penalty in the opening two minutes, and the Flyers capitalized on their brief power play 3:16 into the contest. Giroux took a pass from Richards in the left circle and sent a backhand pass to Briere, who flipped it into the net from in close before Brodeur could get into position.