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Flyers win, Devils banished to playoff underworld

Zach Parise, Brian Boucher

Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Brian Boucher, right, stops a shot by New Jersey Devils’ Zach Parise during the first period of an NHL first-round playoff hockey game Thursday, April 22, 2010 in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

AP

In a series that was overwrought with questionable, often overburdening, officiating to both teams, the Philadelphia Flyers finished off the New Jersey Devils in five games, defeating them tonight 3-0. For Brian Boucher it was his second career shutout and his first in ten seasons, last doing it against the Buffalo Sabres in 2000.

The script was written early for the Devils as Daniel Briere scored on the power play in the first period and Boucher did the rest of the work stonewalling the Devils offense to the tune of 28 saves. Claude Giroux sealed the game up in the second period with two goals, one on the power play, and continuing his breakout in the playoffs, one that saw the Flyers playing without Jeff Carter and Simon Gagne for parts of the series.

As for the Devils, if general manager Lou Lamoriello thought he had something to throw jelly jars over before, he’s really got something to be furious about as the Devils were a mostly lifeless team throughout the series and seemed to fold up the tents the moment Briere scored in the first period. Now the team will have a lot to wonder about regarding trade deadline acquisition Ilya Kovalchuk. Kovalchuk was brought in to help secure a deep playoff run for the Devils and boost the offense and instead, the team seemed to lack chemistry and Kovalchuk’s big offensive punch was missing. Let the second guessing begin in New Jersey, just clear the press room of the Welch’s grape jelly, that stuff stains something terrible.

Barring a Montreal Canadiens comeback, the Flyers will face the highest remaining seed in the Eastern Conference in the conference semifinals. Should the series project out the way they look now, that would set the Flyers up to face the Washington Capitals next. As always, anything can still happen so don’t start booking tickets yet Flyers fans.