Flyers-Devils Game 5 Preview: Backs Against the Wall

May 6, 2012; Newark, NJ, USA; Philadelphia Flyers right wing Matt Read (24) gets hit by New Jersey Devils defenseman Bryce Salvador (24) during the first period in game four of the 2012 Eastern Conference semifinals at the Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-US PRESSWIRE

It’s come to this: the Flyers look to salvage their season in Game 5 tonight in Philadelphia against the New Jersey Devils. The Flyers have lost the last 3 games and are down 3-1 in the series. To advance into the Eastern Conference finals, they will need to win 3 straight games against a tenacious New Jersey team that has dominated them in the previous three games. Here’s a preview of tonight’s game at the Wells Fargo Center:

Injury News:
For the Flyers, defenseman Andrej Meszaros will play in his first game since undergoing lower back surgery in early March. He is replacing Andreas Lilja in the lineup tonight, but will probably see limited minutes since he’s not at 100% yet and hasn’t played in a game since March 1st.  Tom Sestito (groin) is out for the Flyers. For the Devils, Ryan Carter should return from his undisclosed illness that kept him out of Game 4. His Game 4 replacement, Tim Sestito (Tom’s brother) figures to be scratched if Carter plays.

Suspension:
Claude Giroux was suspended one game by NHL discipline czar Brendan Shannahan for his shoulder to the chin of Dainius Zubrus late in the second period of Game 4 and will have to sit out Game 5 as a result. Zac Rinaldo will take his place in the lineup.

Projected Line Combinations (left to right):
Flyers:
Hartnell-Read-Jagr
Briere-Schenn-Voracek
Simmonds-Wellwood-JVR
Rinaldo-Talbot-Couturier

These are always subject to change, and tonight especially. Peter Laviolette has been switching his lines up during every game this series, and with Claude Giroux out tonight that figures to continue as he searches for consistency and chemistry.

Devils:
Ponikarovsky-Zajac-Kovalchuk
Parise-Elias-Clarkson
Sykora-Henrique-Zubrus
Carter-Gionta-Bernier

Defensive Pairings:
Flyers:
Carle-Timonen
Coburn-Grossmann
Meszaros-Gustafsson

Devils:
Larsson-Volchenkov
Zidlicky-Salvador
Greene-Fayne

The starting goalies tonight, to no one’s surprise, are Ilya Bryzgalov and Martin Brodeur.

3 Keys to the Game:
1) 5-on-5 Play
The Flyers have been dominated at even-strength in the last 3 games of this series. In Game 4, they didn’t manage to score an even-strength goal. The Devils have been able to cycle the puck in the Flyers’ zone and keep extended offensive pressure on the suspect Flyers defense, which has both given the Devils plenty of scoring chances and kept the Flyers from getting scoring opportunities themselves. The Flyers need to gain even-strength offensive zone time and keep the Devils from doing the same thing to them.

2) Aggressive Forechecking
The Devils’ forecheck has been relentless this series, forcing turnovers and keeping the puck in the Flyers’ end. Often times, the Flyers haven’t even been able to move the puck up ice to get the rush started. It’s been a complete 180 from the Pittsburgh series, where the Penguins weren’t aggressive on the forecheck at all, which allowed the Flyers to get into the neutral zone with speed, leading to scoring chances. The Flyers need to do two things to win tonight’s game: make quick decisions with the puck in their own zone so they can beat the Devils’ forecheckers before they get set up, and they need to forecheck harder themselves. They’re allowing the Devils to bring the puck into the neutral zone and dump it in, which leads to the Devils establishing the cycle game on offense that has been killing the Flyers all series.

3) Playing With Desperation
The Flyers were the favorite in this series coming in, and they’ve played like they assumed that as well. The Devils have simply been hungrier all series: winning one-on-one battles, getting to lose pucks, blocking shots, killing penalties, etc. In Game 4, the Flyers needed a win to even the series, but were out-hustled and out-worked by the Devils again. It was a virtual must-win for the Flyers, but the Devils wanted it more. Now that their backs are against the wall and they are without star center Claude Giroux for this pivotal elimination game, the Flyers simply have to play more desperately than the Devils and do whatever it takes to get the W if they want to keep their season alive.

Prediction:
Devils 4, Flyers 2. The Flyers are without their best offensive player and the postseason’s points leader, and the Devils have dominated the Flyers for three straight games. The Flyers have shown no signs of being able to keep the Devils from getting extended offensive zone time or get zone time of their own. I believe the Devils will close out the series tonight.