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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- With rookie goaltender Brian
Boucher playing like Dominik Hasek, the Philadelphia Flyers didn't
need to worry about either the New Jersey Devils' recent dominance
or the so-called Meadowlands jinx.
Boucher made 27 saves, Keith Primeau set up two goals and Rick
Tocchet got his third in two games as the Flyers beat the Devils
4-2 Thursday night to take a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference
finals.
|  | | Boucher, making a stop on Devils winger Jay Pandolfo, made great saves all night. |
Mark Recchi, Keith Jones and Simon Gagne also scored as the
Flyers won their second straight game in the best-of-seven series
after all but being written off after losing the opener in
Philadelphia.
"We have enough veterans to knock each other down," Tocchet
said. "We know it's 2-1, and I hate to say it, but big deal. It's
a good win but we have to stay on an even keel."
The loss squarely puts the pressure on the Devils for the first
time in the playoffs heading into Game 4 on Saturday night.
The Flyers also have some concerns about John LeClair, who was
cut in the face by goaltender Martin Brodeur's stick in the third
period and needed 36 stitches on the right side of his nose and
three under his eyelid.
LeClair plans to play on Saturday.
"It's a desperate hockey game, not doubt about it," Devils
center Jason Arnott said. "It's a do-or-die game. We have to go
into it thinking we have to win the game."
What made this win so important for the Flyers was it was in New
Jersey's backyard, a place that had been a graveyard for them.
Philadelphia had a 4-22-2 record in the Continental Airlines Arena
over the last five years and it was 0-7-1 in its last eight games
here.
"More than anything we just felt we had to show people that we
could play in this building," Primeau said. "I just sensed that
our guys the last couple of days were focused for the challenge and
we came up with a huge effort.'
The jinx never bothered the Flyers in this game because they
never trailed.
The Devils might have had the advantage in shots, 29-21, and
chances, but the only ones that found the net were Claude Lemieux
and Scott Niedermayer, with the last one coming with 4:01 to play
to make it 3-2.
Gagne ended the suspense beating Brodeur with a backhander with
1:49 to go.
"They worked harder and the chances went their way," Devils
center Bobby Holik said. "We just weren't ready to play on the
level we needed to be at in the playoffs."
The Flyers were, particularly Primeau and Tocchet for the second
straight game.
The linemates first combined to set up Jones' goal, which broke
a 1-1 tie at 14:14 of the first period.
Tocchet had the puck in center ice and he delayed briefly at the
Devils blue line before sending a pass to Primeau coming down the
middle of the ice. He took the pass off the skate of Devils
defenseman Ken Daneyko and had his backhander stopped by Brodeur.
However, Jones crashed the net and got just enough of the rebound
to score his third goal of the playoffs.
Boucher preserved the lead with what was his second Hasek-like
save of the series.
With the Flyers on a power play early in the second period,
Patrik Elias, who led the Devils this season with 35 goals, got a
shorthanded breakaway. He skated across the front of the net, got
Boucher out of position and shot a forehand along the ice.
However, the goaltender rolled on his back and threw out his
glove hand to stop the shot, a save Hasek has made famous with the
Buffalo Sabres.
"That was his only chance to save that puck," Elias said. "It
was good sense on his part."
"I have seen a lot of hockey games in the NHL, that was top
five I have ever seen," Tocchet, a 16-year veteran said of the
save. "You have to put everything, the pressure of the big game.
Put that all together and it's one of the top five have ever
seen."
"If it gave our guys a lift at the time, great," Boucher said.
"I don't think at the time what impact it will have on a game or a
series. I just try to do my job."
Tocchet made it 3-1 at 7:15 of the second period, beating
Brodeur from the top of the right circle on a one-on-one chance.
Primeau had set up the break with a nice cross-ice pass from the
Flyers blue line with the Devils about to be called for a delayed
offsides.
"It was the worst game I've played in the playoffs," Brodeur
said. "I let the guys down. I just didn't come through."
The Devils had plenty of chances the rest of the way but many of
them missed the net. There were a couple of good chances in the
third period with Boucher stopping a bullet by Petr Sykora and an
in-close chance by Niedermayer.
Recchi gave the Flyers 1-0 lead 2:57 after the opening faceoff,
converting a 2-on-1 with LeClair. The play was set up when Devils
defenseman Vladimir Malakhov pinched in the Flyers zone and missed
the puck.
Malakhov atoned for the mistake at 4:24, making a nice pass to
send Lemieux in on a break. His shot was deflected by a diving Craig Berube but it still found the top of the net.
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ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard
Philadelphia Clubhouse
New Jersey Clubhouse
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Brian Boucher makes a spectacular save against Patrik Elias.
avi: 1020 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Mark Recchi beats Martin Brodeur with the backhand.
avi: 1030 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Keith Jones charges the net for the score.
avi: 1020 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
A Claude Lemieux wrist shot puts the Devils on the board.
avi: 936 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Rick Tocchet's slap shot gives Philly an insurance goal.
avi: 953 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Scott Niedermayer's goal keeps New Jersey's hopes alive.
avi: 697 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Simon Gagne ends the Devils' hopes with a backhander.
avi: 1010 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
 Brian Boucher says he cannot relax until the game is over.
wav: 191 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Larry Robinson says his team was outplayed by Philadelphia.
wav: 121 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Martin Brodeur was not pleased with his play on Thursday.
wav: 79 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Brian Boucher explains his big save against Patrik Elias.
wav: 115 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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