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The Devils could have credited Bryzgalov with an assist on that goal.
"I was just trying to pressure him to make a play," Clarkson said. "I had no idea it was in until the crowd starting booing. It's a goal I'll take any day."
Kovalchuk fired a liner from the high slot after the Devils won the faceoff to make it 3-1 in the third to seal the win. From there, New Jersey's depth took over and stuffed any hope of a home team rally.
"The fact that we have four lines and roll six defensemen really helps," DeBoer said. "It's a team game. We play that way, and guys really believe in what we're doing. But that's a good team we just beat over there, and we have a long way to go."
All the inspirational "Rocky" clips on their highlight reel couldn't inspire the Flyers. Even Giroux's presence may not have even mattered in Game 5. Without their leading scorer, the Flyers tried to knock around the Devils with a series of both clean and questionable hits.
Zac Rinaldo stayed on his skates when he charged full speed with his right shoulder and crushed Volchenkov against the boards. Volchenkov was down on his knees for several minutes before he gingerly walked to the bench.
"That's my bread and butter right there," Rinaldo said. "That's what I feed off of and that's what gets the boys going."
But the hit sparked just a short dose of momentum. Talbot won a fight for the puck in front of the crease to score moments later for a 1-0 lead. But that was it for the Flyers' offense. Brodeur snared a Talbot slapper late in the period for one of his 27 saves.
Rinaldo delivered a stiff knee to Zubrus in the second. Wayne Simmonds creamed Zidlicky in the corner, leaving the defenseman sprawled on the ice.
The hits meant nothing more than a brief roar from the crowd, though. Late in the third, the Flyers fans made an early exit -- much like their team. The Flyers haven't won the Stanley Cup since snaring consecutive championships in 1974 and 1975.
"It's hard right now," Flyers coach Peter Laviolette said. "I can tell you that the group that is in that room right now is a terrific group of men. They play hard and they have a bright future."
NOTES: The Devils are 22-16 in Game 5s. ... Flyers D Andrej Meszaros (back) played for the first time since March 1. ... DeBoer is now 2-0 in playoff series this season after never having won a postseason round before as a coach. ... The Flyers, swept by Boston in Round 2 last season, are now 1-8 in their last nine Eastern Conference semifinals games. ... Even with the loss, Flyers F Jaromir Jagr loved his first season in Philadelphia. "I loved everybody on this team. This was probably the most enjoyable year I ever had."
[Associated Press;
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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