Flyers-Devils: Game 2 recap

Score: Devils 4, Flyers 1

What happened: The Devils, dismissed around here as likely sweep victims, dominated the Flyers over the final 50 minutes. They scored an unlikely four goals in the third period.

What it means: Game 1 gets all the attention but Game 2 often helps determine a series. If the Flyers had won, they would have enjoyed a 2-0 series lead and would be halfway to advancing. At 1-1, the Devils have life, home-ice advantage and a strut in their step. Series on, folks.

Hero: David Clarkson, Devils. Scored the winning goal and skated a hard-checking right wing.

Flat and splat: The Flyers looked tentative and slow to the puck. The Devils played puck possession and had the Flyers chasing them all game. The Flyers had an alarming lack of sustained offense . . . or much offense at all.

The devastating second period: The Flyers maintained a 1-0 lead through two periods but the Devils owned the second. The Flyers' first shot was with 1:27 to go. The Devils didn't score in the second period but it seemed they were on a 20-minute power play. The tone was set. The Devils' snarl was evident. The Flyers had no answer.

Bryz: Brilliant during the second-period onslaught, Ilya Bryzgalov was victimized during the third period. He heard "Bryz" chants during the second period and the warmth of a standing ovation. But in the third period, he didn't get much defensive help. As strong as he looked the first two periods, he looked bewildered in the third.

Philly being Philly: The crowd loved Bryz in the second period but was less than enchanted with the rest of the Flyers, however, giving them an earful as they left the ice. It would get worse.

First goal: In Flyers playoff games this year, the team scoring first is 1-7. That's almost impossible but it's true. Flyers winger Matt Read scored just 2:53 into the first period. It seemed to energize the Flyers but the improbable math won in the end.

DAILY NEWS' THREE STARS

1. ADAM LARSSON, Devils: The 19-year-old defenseman, making playoff debut due to Ilya Kovalchuk's injury, snapped tying goal over shoulder of Ilya Bryzgalov.

2. DAVID CLARKSON, Devils: Scored the winning goal and surfed the top of the net afterward. It was his first playoff goal after scoring 30 during season.

3. MATT READ, Flyers: Scored only Flyers goal and was in the middle of what little offense the team mustered against Marty Brodeur.