Bill Kostroun / AP

New Jersey goaltender Martin Brodeur congratulates Philadelphia goaltender Brian Boucher after the Flyers won 3-0 to eliminate the second-seeded Devils in the first round Thursday.

Boucher kept the Flyers in the game as he protected a 1-0 lead with a series of spectacular saves against the hard-charging Devils in the first period.

Ilya Kovalchuk, who confidently predicted a Devils victory, tested Boucher in the opening minute with a hard drive that bounced into the slot off the goalie’s pad. Zach Parise whiffed as he attempted a shot off the rebound.

“It’s embarrassing,” said Kovalchuk, acquired in a midseason trade from Atlanta. “We’ve got a great team but they just outplayed us, totally. They were missing a couple of guys but were still able to do it. We did not deserve to win.”

Boucher heard the first chants of “Boosh” from the partisan Flyers fans, who made the short trip up the New Jersey Turnpike, just after the 10-minute mark following a stop against Martin. Late in the period, Boucher turned aside a dangerous one-timer by David Clarkson and then denied Parise on a partial short-handed breakaway.

While the Devils failed to capitalize on numerous power plays — some they cut short by taking their own penalties — Philadelphia made the most of theirs, going 2 for 6 with the advantage.

Giroux made it 2-0 with 8:12 in the second with a drive that bounced in and out of the net in a flash. The goal was confirmed by video replay. He added his second of the night and fourth of the series 1:59 later during a power play off a pass in front by Scott Hartnell.

New Jersey produced three goals during the two games at Philadelphia, all on the power play, but went 0 for 8 in Game 5. The Devils didn’t record an even-strength goal in the final three contests.

NOTES: The Flyers are 18-2 in series they have led 3-1. ... LW Ville Leino and RW David Laliberte played in the series for the first time for the Flyers in place of Carter and Gagne. Carter is expected to miss the rest of the season. Gagne might return in three weeks. ... Four Devils, including Brodeur, remain from the 2000 Devils team.

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Biting back

PHT: After coming back home in an 0-2 hole, the Sharks are now even with the Kings after holding on to win Game 4 Tuesday night.

NBC Sports

Highlights: Sharks even series with Kings

  The San Jose Sharks capitalized on their scoring chances in the first period and the early part of the second period in Game 4 of their Western Conference semifinal series against the Los Angeles Kings. After falling behind by two goals, the Kings almost cut the lead in half in the second period, but the referee blew the play dead as the puck was about to cross the goal line. The series is now tied at two.

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