Flyers Lose Game 4, 4-2

It was no secret the Flyers need Game 4. 


The Flyers dropped Game 3 in Overtime, and a sense of desperation may have started to creep in.


Philadelphia needed a hot start, and also needed to maintain a lead.


They could not do the latter.


Claude Giroux disappeared in Game 2 and 3, but made his presence felt early and often.


On a Power Play opportunity, Giroux sent a slapshot in front of Brodeur, and Scott Hartnell sent it home on a deflection. It was Hartnell's 3rd of the Playoffs.


Two minutes later, the Flyers found themselves short handed, as Andreas Lilja took a holding penalty. 


But the PK tandem of Max Talbot and Claude Giroux finally came through in Round 2. Talbot sped up the ice, and put the puck right on Giroux's stick. Giroux was able to send a backhand past Brodeur, and the Flyers went up 2-0.


But the Flyers giveth the lead, and taketh away. 


With the Devils still on the Power Play, Petr Sykora was able to jam the puck past Bryzgalov before he could get his skate across, and the Devils cut the lead 2-1.


The Devils continued to jam the puck in the Flyers zone, and made them pay once again. Marek Zidlicky, in a play almost identical to Sykora's put the puck past Bryz before he could stop it with the leg.


So the teams went in to the locker room tied at 2-2. 


In the Second period, it felt like only one team came out. 


The Flyers intensity withered away in the Second, and the Devils set up shop in front of Bryzgalov. Bryz faced 16 shots in the just the Second, fending off 15 of them.


It was the 14th shot that finally broke the Flyers netminder down. Dainius Zurbus, the former Flyer, the guy the Flyers drafted in the 1st round of the 1996 draft, would score on an assist from Adam Henrique.


Hey, did I mention Zubrus used to play for the Flyers?


Meanwhile, on the other end of the ice, Marty Brodeur pulled out his lawn chair and his nook, as he didn't face a shot until the 12:51 mark.


Philadelphia seemed to lose sight of what was important, beginning to plead for calls from the ref. The frustration came to a climax, as Claude Giroux delivered a dirty shoulder to the head of Zubrus, a hit that may warrant a call from Brendan Shanahan. 


It felt like an insurmountable lead, but the Flyers went into the 3rd only down 3-2. 


Yet, the Flyers could have skipped the last period and hopped on the bus back home. The Devils continued to force the Flyers up against the boards, cutting off anything over the middle.


A series victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins seemed like a distant memory, as this Flyers team was beat in every facet of the game. 


Zubrus would sent home an empty netter, and the Flyers were sent packing. The final was 4-2 Devils.


Ilya Bryzgalov certainly tried, stopping 38 of 41 shots. Yes, 41 shots. In one game. 


Meanwhile, Brodeur stopped 19 of 21. 


The Flyers rookies who had oozed confidence in Round 1 went into a shell. Couturier, Schenn, Wellwood and Read combined for 4 shots on net.


Quite frankly, the Flyers look like they have had enough. 


The Devils have the chance to send the Flyers packing in Philadelphia on Tuesday.


Sigh.