NEWARK, N.J. - All the pressure is on the Devils tonight in Game 2. But I'd like to see the Flyers come out with an effort that reflects as if the pressure is really on them.
Al Morganti asked me tonight how the Devils were dancing around the question of Marty Brodeur handling only advancing past the first round twice since winning the Cup in 2003. The answer is the players around him were taking it on themselves.
Ilya Kovalchuk said he was nervous, too excited and it took away from his game. Jamie Langenbrunner said he wanted to see the Devils show some desperation in this game.
On the other side, Chris Pronger echoed something Jacques Lemaire stressed - puck control, lack of turnovers, puck savvy when you don't have it.
Jacques told me he's been talking to his players these days, reminding certain guys of certain things. I asked him whether he felt Kovalchuk had to establish a stronger presence in Game 2 and make a difference on his team like Chris Pronger did in Game 1 for the Flyers.
“I don’t want to think like that and put the responsibility on one guy,” Lemaire replied. “He’s got to play his game. The other players got to play their game. Does it mean the Flyers need one guy and say, Chris [Pronger], you’re going to have to be the top guy tonight’?
“You’re gonna carry that team? Is that how it works? I don’t think it does in the playoffs. Washington tried that [with Alex Ovechkin]. It’s the whole team, not one guy. One guy doesn’t work, somebody else works. That’s how you win Cups. It’s not one guy. I’ve never seen one guy do it.”
BTW: Ryan Parent in the lineup replacing Lukas Krajicek.
Here's my story on CSNPhilly.com:
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