Devils vs. Flyers Game 4

Famed and colorful CBC analyst Don Cherry is on record saying game 4 is the key to a series. If you're up 2-1 you can grab a stranglehold. If you're down you can claw back and level it at 2-2 and settle in for a long series. Such a game presents itself tonight at the Prudential Center.

The Devils are going to have to weather the Flyers best effort. If they don't see it from the Flyers then they have already most likely won this series. The Flyers have the offense and the confidence they can fight back. The funny thing about confidence in the playoffs is once it begins to get nicked even a little it can slide away fast. Call the Blues when their plane lands back in St. Louis in a few hours. The Flyers are at that point. They're not as mentally tough as the Devils and they have a couple human retaliatory penalties looking for a place to happen. This is the game that famed steely resolve of Devils teams past must manifest itself current day. Grind hard for 60. Turn the other cheek. Make the first hit. Play in the corners like you brought the puck.

And the birthday boy has to come up huge. Marty can't win tonight. If he wins it's happy birthday to an elder NHL statesman on a big win and the Devils played well and if he loses, oh boy, a 40th birthday will never have more over the hill comments made about it. Again, just outplay the guy at the other end. You know, if you and a friend are running on the African plains and you're being chased by a hyena, you don't have to be faster than the hyena, just faster than your friend.

Philadelphia's continued willingness to give up the middle of the ice and allowing the Devils to carry the puck across the Philly blueline because they fear the Devils speed to the outside is working well for New Jersey. They can skate it in and set up or get to center and make good dump ins to get their quite effective cycle game going. Hopefully David Clarkson can pop a couple goals tonight, introduce a Flyer or two to the smell of his gloves and give the Flyers even more to worry about.

Johnny's not making a prediction, everytime he does the Devils lose. So he'll just leave it at this; play 60, play aggressive, play smart and play fast. The Flyers have a glass jaw, hopefully the Devils can find it tonight.