Last night's game against the Devils may not have nearly as wild as the slugfest with the Rangers on Monday, but it was in many ways better preparation for the type of hockey that the club will need to play to have sustained success.

The Devils played strong defense for much of the game, and Martin Brodeur looked like he'd dialed back the clock (that moment where he moved across the crease with catlike quickness and stoned Jaromir Jagr at point blank range looked the lead teaser clip from an NHL highlights show circa 1996). New Jersey also scored first, forcing the Flyers to play from behind. New Jersey also benefited from several hit goalposts on Philadelphia shots where Brodeur was beaten. Through it all, the Flyers never panicked or lost their focus.

Instead, Philadelphia dialed up its energy and grounded out a workmanlike 2-1 victory. By the third period, New Jersey was turning over some pucks in its own end of the ice and the Flyers did a good job of slamming the door once they got the lead. Philly played solid D of its own and received very good goaltending from both Ilya Bryzgalov and Sergei Bobrovsky (who has been outstanding the entire preseason).

Some notes and observations:

* It is going to be fun watching Claude Giroux and Jaromir Jagr work together this season. Jagr is not the first highly skilled linemate that Giroux has had with the Flyers. But Jagr is the first who can truly see the ice and anticipate the play at the same level Giroux can, and the duo has established instant chemistry. When James van Riemsdyk joins them to complete the line, the possibilities for this season are wonderful to ponder. Last night, Matt Read kind of played the Brent Fedyk Crazy 8s line role (i.e., skilled enough not to drag the two stars down). Read is a good player but his linemates are just on a whole other level.

* The biggest problem that Ilya Bryzgalov was having in prior starts in the exhibition season was not so much the actual goals he let up -- most of which would have been very tough or impossible to prevent -- but more in terms of playing the puck and getting in just the right position for each shot. His timing was never too far off, though, and has improved with each successive start. Like a veteran ace pitcher getting ready during spring training, Bryzgalov knows the routine for preparing for the season. Last night he looked ready to start the season. As for Bobrovsky, the second year goalie has been one of the best goalies in the NHL the entire preseason. He came to camp already in game-ready form, because he has had something to prove.

* As long as their key personnel stay reasonably healthy, the Flyers' power play this season stands a very good chance of returning to the 20-plus percent success rates that were the norm in recent seasons until last year. The addition of Jagr, the presence down low of Wayne Simmonds and a (hopefully) healthier Chris Pronger at the point makes the power play far more dangerous than it was a year ago.

* Simmonds' scored his fourth goal of the preseason last night, and has now clearly moved ahead of Scott Hartnell in the power play ice time pecking order. As a matter of fact, the Flyers look like they could have one hell of a second power play unit. If Giroux, Jagr and JVR are up front on the first unit, the second unit will probably be Danny Briere, Simmonds and Jakub Voracek. If the play at the point is strong, the Flyers' second unit could be equal or better to many other clubs' first unit.

* Briere was quiet for the first two periods last night but came on strong in the third period. On Hartnell's best shift of the game, he nearly scored a goal (Brodeur made an excellent save) at one end, and then he landed a solid bodycheck at the other end. Voracek had an invisible game except for one shift late in the game where he created a scoring chance.

* Sean Couturier played a very solid game last night. He has begun to give the club a real tough decision as to whether to juggle their salary cap in order to keep him around for an extended (9-game) look at the start of the regular season or else send him back to the Q for the start of the season.

* Max Talbot and Blair Betts both quietly turned in their best games of the preseason last night. Meanwhile, Zac Rinaldo picked a good spot to fight and it energized the club (even though he "lost" the fight). Philly got a power play, scored and was the better team thereafter.

* Pronger looked a bit rusty in his first game back in the lineup but that was very much to be expected. As long as his body continues to bounce back, it's all part of the process. The fact that he even played so soon was a great sign. That he recorded an assist on the Flyers' first goal was a bonus.

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