Flyers Drop Devils to Earn Back-to-Back Wins
(from CSNPhilly.com)
By Tim Panaccio
CSNPhilly.com
October 3, 2009 - NEWARK, N.J. - You know the fickle finger of Flyer fate is working when Ian Laperriere makes Marty Brodeur look bad in a game.
"Once in a while [I score]," Laperriere said after Saturday's 5-2 rout of the Devils at Prudential Center that ruined Brodeur's historic 1000th career game. "I just happened to put it on net and it went in. I said earlier, if I don't know where it's going, I don't think Marty knows, either."
All four lines scored as it marked the first time in franchise history the Flyers began the season 2-0 with consecutive road victories.
Ironically, Brodeur has had numerous memorable moments against the Orange 'n Black over the past 15 years. He clinched his 100th career shutout against the Flyers. His 48th win in a season -- against the Flyers -- also broke Bernie Parent's legendary record. Lastly, his 550th career victory came against the Flyers.
Which is why you had to think No. 1,000 would go his way.
Mr. Brodeur, meet Mr. Emery, the new kid in the Atlantic Division.
Emery ran his shutout streak to 109 minutes, 44 seconds and finished with 24 saves while outplaying Brodeur.
"That was a tough game," Brodeur said. "My defensive positioning, I thought I was there on a few. Others I wasn't really there. They got close to me. A lot of broken plays. They scored around the posts."
Emery's focus was outstanding in the second period with the Flyers ahead 2-0 and the Devils firing 13 shots at him. He handled every surge.
"They play different with the lead rather than behind," Emery said. "They pressed a bit. We kind of came through it and got some insurance goals and did a good job of keeping that lead."
From a personal standpoint, Emery said he "hoped" for a start like this.
"You can't predict it... we're definitely happy to win two games in a row," he said.
After the opener in Carolina, Flyer captain Mike Richards joked about their usual parade to the penalty box. It continued here as the Flyers had to kill off four penalties in the opening period, the last carrying over into the second.
What was most impressive was the Flyers killing off a five-on-three after Scott Hartnell needlessly cross-checked Zack Parise and then Jeff Carter, during the delayed whistle, hooked another Devil.
Through two games, the Flyers' PK units have killed 12 of 13 penalties. Laperriere and Blair Betts' work has been impressive.
"I made a career doing that and Betts made a career doing that," Laperriere said. "They didn't bring us here to score goals, obviously. If we can help the team with strong penalty killing, a big faceoff in our zone, you need guys like that. We welcome the challenge."
Betts and Laperriere combined for 23 minutes of kill time.
"We're feeling good and Razor is playing unbelievable, making a handful of great saves," Betts said. "If we can just stay out of the box a little less, we'll give ourselves a better chance."
The Flyers played with striking confidence right from the start. You can sense an attitude shift on the club this season.
"Our defense did a really good job of controlling the puck," said head coach John Stevens. "They did a really good job of hanging onto the puck and having some composure with it. It just felt like this group had a lot of energy. The energy coming into the rink was very noticeable."
Carter's second goal of the season at 15:57 made it 1-0. With pressure in New Jersey's end, Carter fired a shot off Johnny Oduya's skate, got the rebound and beat Brodeur.
Travis Zajac twice had a chance to help the Devils' cause. A couple shifts before Carter's goal, he fired the puck wide of an open net off an odd-man rush and then, during a Devils' power play, got his left pad on Zajac's shot from point-blank range.
Laperriere made it 2-0 at 9:20 of the second period with a tough-angle shot from the goal line. The puck seemed to hook around Brodeur.
Credit rook James van Riemsdyk, who threw a long assist inside the zone that allowed Laperriere to go unmolested to the net.
"This kid's sick," Laperriere said of JVR. "You don't go second overall [in the 2007 Draft] for no good reason. "Being out west, I didn't know who he was. But he had a great camp. He's doing stuff that veterans do. He doesn't have pressure to make the little plays. It's fun to see a kid with that much poise."
The goal frustrated the Devils, who to that point, were 0-for-4 on the power play and had peppered Emery. Indeed, Emery and the PK units were once again stealing the game.
Late in the period, Mike Richards stunned Brodeur with a wraparound goal, making it 3-0. Darroll Powe added another goal in the third period with a wrister just under the crossbar from the left circle.
"In the first period we were a little stagnant... didn't get our feet moving," Richards said. "In the second, we were moving our feet better. The confidence we have now, we're given the range to make plays as long as we don't take too many chances and are moving the puck tape-to-tape."
Brian Rolston's slap shot from the top of the circle ended Emery's scoreless streak at 9:46 before Matt Carle beat Brodeur to the far post. Now it was 5-1.
Not a minute later, Brodeur made a stop amid some derisive cheers from the crowd.
His 1,000th game was one to forget.
E-mail Tim Panaccio at tpanotch@comcast.net