Flyers Devils Game 1 Preview

Today the Flyers will take on the Devils in game 1 of the Eastern Conference semi-finals.  The Devils are coming off a game 7 victory against the Florida Panthers and will look to keep the momentum going today.  The Flyers on the other hand wrapped up their round 1 series against the Penguins last Sunday, and have been sitting around for about a week awaiting their next opponent. The Flyers will definitely have to get amped up for today's game and shake off the rust.  Here are the keys to a Flyers victory.

Shake Off The Rust
Some experts are under the impression that the lay off could be a factor in today's game.  Although the Flyers have been practicing all week in preparation, it's extremely hard to simulate the intensity and speed of a playoff game.  The Flyers will ultimately have to use the juice and excitement of the home crowd to get them motivated for the game.

Bryz's Confidence
Bryz is 3-0 with a 0.29 GAA,  and a 987 save % against Devils this year.  The Flyers defense needs to help him out and help him get confidence against the Devils early.  Bryz needs to find a rhythm and rebound after a somewhat difficult series against the Penguins.

Offensive Firepower
The Flyers scored 30 goals against the Penguins in round 1.  They need to continue to get a ton of shots on goal and try to rattle Marty early and often.  Marty struggled against the Flyers in the regular season going 1-3 with a 2.26 GAA and a .905 save%.  The Flyers have to look for continued success against him today and in the rest of the series.

Special Teams
The Flyers led the NHL in round 1 of the playoffs with a 52.2% power play.  The Flyers power play line will have their hands full as they go up against the Devils who statistically have the best penalty kill in the league.  In terms of the penalty kill the Flyers need to just continue to do what they are doing.

Defense
The Flyers did an excellent job of making Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby non-factors in round 1.  Today the Flyers need to do the same thing against Devils' stars Ilya Kovalchuk, Zach Parise, and Peter Sykora.

Overall I think the first period of today's game is going to be extremely rough.  But if the Flyers can keep it to a 2-0 game after the first or better, they should be in good shape to win.