The Devils have been bounced in the first-round for the 3rd straight season which means this off-season should get pretty interesting. Lou certainly bit into the future of this team to bring in Kovalchuk because he wanted to win now and that is exactly what the Devils didn't do. The following is a list of guys that will be available for all teams to grab on July 1st and I quickly have a few thoughts about them. These are my thoughts and I am sure AJ will cover his thoughts at some point on this subject.

Ilya Kovalchuk - He's a player that possesses an amazing ability and any team is lucky to have him but in order to get him, that team will need to open their wallet. I don't see any reason why he would decide to stay in NJ. My feelings are that he won't be back in NJ next season unless it is to play against the Devils. At this point I am not even sure I really want him anyway. Like I said, he is a tremendous talent but the Devils have always been a team made of by the sum of its parts and not by one superstar.

Rob Neidermayer - Let him go, whatever reason he was here, it didn't work out.

Dean McAmmond - He had a decent season, for a guy who's career everyone thought was done. I don't see him returning to the Devils next season but based on the season he had (season, not post-season) I'm sure he'll land somewhere.

Paul Martin - The only on this list I am going to say to keep. He's our #1 D-man and yes he missed a lot of time this season but when he was playing, he played like our #1 D-man.

Mike Mottau - He'd have his moments where he did the right thing but he had a lot of moments where his mistakes hurt us. Never been a big fan so I say goodbye.

Martin Skoula - Why??? Didn't like this pickup when it happened and he brought nothing to the table. Bye bye!

Yann Danis - Honestly, I really don't know about Danis. He only got to play in a handful of games and you can't get any kind of rythmn riding the bench for most of the season. If he wants to come back then why not let him. It's not like next season Marty is magically going to not start 90% of the games.

Like I said, these are just a few quick thoughts of mine on the Devils UFA's this summer. I am sure over the coming weeks and months, we will get much deeper into our UFA's as well as our RFA's and Prospects. Gotta love getting bounced early in the playoffs don't you? It just gives you so much time to focus on stuff like this!!

I just wanted to take a moment and say thank you to you, the readers of Running With The Devils. This blog is a very young blog but we've made it thtough an entire season and another playoff run, although we certainly wish it was a longer run. This blog is written because we love the Devils and just want to share that love with other Devils fans, hockey fans and the general public. Bloguin has allowed us to do just that and we are forever thankful.

I brought AJ on more than midway through the season because I wanted as much Devils coverage as I could get and he has done more for us than I ever dreamed of. Thank you AJ, thank you for all the posts and ideas you have brought to Running With The Devils.

Another year, another first-round playoff exit for the New Jersey Devils. The team couldn’t find the drive tonight, and the Philadelphia Flyers were able to withstand the Devils pressure in the first period. They even escaped with a lucky break, as Zach Parise sent the puck off the post with the Devils on the powerplay. After that, they put the clamp on, with Claude Giroux scoring two goals to end any thoughts of a Devils comeback. The Devils went down with a whimper, 3-0, and bow out in the first round for the third consecutive year.

Key Moments:

1. Jamie Langebrunner Tripping Penalty – 1:29 of the first period

Daniel Carcillo gave the Devils an early opportunity, allowing the Devils to get the first man advantage of the game. It opened the door to potentially give the Devils early momentum in this decisive game five. Less than 45 seconds later, that opportunity would disappear. Langenbrunner took a tripping penalty in the offensive zone, ending the Devils’ powerplay. The Flyers would use that penalty to their advantage only minutes later.

2. Daniel Briere’s Powerplay Goal Gives Flyers 1-0 Lead – 3:16 of the first period

The Flyers took advantage of their first powerplay opportunity, lighting the lamp to take an early 1-0 lead. With Langenbrunner in the box for tripping, Giroux held the puck in the Devils’ zone. He passed the puck to Briere in the left circle, but the puck skipped off Briere’s skate and between Martin Brodeur’s pads for Briere’s second goal of the series.

3. Colin White’s Double Minor – 4:15 of the second period

With the Devils down, 1-0, the Flyers gave them the opportunity to tie the game with a penalty to David Laliberte at 3:46 of the period. But, once again, the Devils took a penalty in the offensive zone to end the chance. Colin White, playing forward on the powerplay, took a whack at Brian Boucher after the goalie held the puck between his pads. A scuffle ensued, with White and Ian Laperriere trading a few late jabs. Both players went to the box, and the Devils continued to shoot themselves in the foot.

Back in the year 2000, then-Devils coach Larry Robinson came into the locker room, hot-headed and pissed off with the way his team played. The Devils, down 3-1 to the Flyers in the Eastern Conference Finals, were one step away from elimination. Wanting to make his point known, Robinson kicked a garbage can across the locker room, hammering home his point that the Devils were better than their played showed. That moment became a famous one in Devils history, as the team turned its play around and won three straight, becoming the first team since the NHL expanded to come back from a 3-1 series deficit.

Ten years later, the Devils face the same situation. The Flyers are leading the series, 3-1, and the Devils have been outplayed in three of the four contests. Coming into tonight, the team needs to find a spark. That may have come from general manager Lou Lamoriello.

According to Star-Ledger reporter Steve Politi, Lamoriello went down to the visiting locker room after the Devils’ uninspiring 4-1 loss Tuesday night. The general manager, angry at his teams play, lit into the coaching staff. He got so angry, he picked up a jar of jelly and threw it at the wall. The jelly jar smashed, with its contents covering the locker room. While none of the players were in the room, it got Lamoriello’s message across – this is a team built for a deep playoff run, not a one-and-done playoff surprise.

It’s these moments of frustration we haven’t seen from any of the players. And, while they’ve remained largely positive, it’s refreshing to see someone in the organization get just as angry as the rest of us. But the incident differs from Robinson. Remember, Robinson did this in front of the players, getting their attention. Lamoriello did this only in front of the coaches, so it’s a smaller audience. But I think it had the same meaning. This is the head of the team. Lamoriello controls what players sit in that locker room next season. When the head man isn’t happy, no one should feel particularly comfortable.

While it didn’t have the shock factor for all of the players, this should still get the players fired up. As I said, this is the guy who controls the contracts of the players in the locker room. He expects results, and these players aren’t delivering. The Devils should make a mental note with this. Lamoriello’s anger not only affects the coaches, but it has a trickle-down effect. I would expect this to be a contributing factor to a more spirited performance tonight.

Hell, maybe if the Devils win the series, we can bookmark the “Jelly Jar” incident as another great locker-room outburst in Devils’ history.

The Matchup - Philadelphia Flyers at New Jersey Devils. Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. The Flyers lead the best-of-seven series 3-1.

The Last Game - The Devils actually looked good to start the game but when they took the ice for period 2, they obviously left something back in the locker room. Their 1-0 lead quickly disappeared and when the final horn sounded, the Flyers had beaten NJ pretty badly.

Tonight's Matchup - Tonight is a do or die game, it's that simple. We haven't seen how the 2010 version of the Devils play when their backs are against the wall but we will tonight. AJ wrote an excellent piece last night about the need for leadership to come forward in order for NJ to even dream of not exiting the playoffs in Round 1 for the 3rd year in a row.

The Devils also need to play a full 60 minutes. In fact, go through all the game previews and reviews from this season and you'll probably see a pattern where I constantly get on NJ for not playing a full 60 minutes. It's been a problem all season and it is something NJ hasn't been able to solve. Under Sutter, I thought NJ would back off too much when they got a lead but it seems this season, the Devils just don't play a solid 60 minutes whether or not they have the lead.

Give credit to the Flyers in this series. Their forecheck has been suffocating. When the Flyers get their forecheck going, the Devils have had real problems getting out of their own zone. To me, our defenseman just can't seem to handle the pressure and that's a problem I really didn't see coming into this series.

Lou is certainly not a happy man at the moment. In an article in the NJ Star-Ledger yesterday, it was reported that Lou had lost his temper in the locker room after Game 4. A furious Lou Lamoriello had let his coaching staff know exactly what was on his mind and ended his tirade by throwing a jar of jelly from a near by postgame spread against the wall. Clearly he's pissed and why shouldn't he be? In his mind, he's built a team to win now.

The Devils seem to have gotten a bit of a break (or two!!) going into tonight's game. Jeff Carter and Simon Gagne are out because both of them broke a foot the other night in Game 4. At first that news seems big but honestly, Carter hadn't done anything until Game 4 and Gagne hasn't done much either. If it were Pronger and Giroux missing Game 5, I'd be a little more upbeat about the news.

The Flyers aren't going to bring any surprises to the table tonight, that's the beauty of the playoffs. You know what is coming and really, the Flyers don't need to change anything, only the Devils do. We've done the improbably before and if this team can come together, there is no reason they can't do it again. So if you are heading to the Rock tonight, bring your energy because this team is going to need the fans behind them.

Tomorrow night can be a sad night at the Rock. The Devils, who outplayed the Penguins all year and clinched second in the conference, can be eliminated in the first round of the players for the third consecutive season. Down 3-1, and with the way the Devils have played, this looks almost certain. The Devils face a steep uphill climb to just get a victory tomorrow night.

Despite the odds, the Devils can still stage a comeback. But, in order to be competitive, the team needs leadership, and those leaders need to step up quickly. Who can step up to provide the leadership necessary to lead the team? Here are a few of my options:

1. Coach Jacques Lemaire

Lemaire hasn’t been doing so well in this series. It looks like Flyers’ coach Peter Laviolette has thoroughly outcoached him. The Flyers’ forecheck has been terrific, they’ve continually attacked the Devils’ defense, and the team has never stopped moving since game one. Lemaire has seem subdued, almost emotionally detached to the situation going on around him. But I believe Lemaire can begin a Devils’ turnaround by making a few simple adjustments.

First, Lemaire needs to actually coach. While watching the games, Lemaire seems to take a hands-off approach, especially when the Devils need him most. Lemaire needs to get in the face of his players. He needs to be there, getting in players ears. He needs to make the adjustments in between periods to keep this team sharp. I know Lemaire has been hands-off, but down 3-1, it’s time to break the mold. I’d like to see Lemaire get a little more proactive on the bench and institute in-period changes. It’s the only way to keep up with a Flyers team that has outworked the Devils in four of the series five games.

Lemaire also has the background to help the team rescue the series. In 2003, with the Minnesota Wild, Lemaire pulled his team back from two 3-1 series deficits. They first came back against the Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference quarterfinals, effectively ending Patrick Roy’s career. They repeated the feat in the next round, defeating the Vancouver Canucks. His experience in this situation can and should be used to help the team respond.

Lemaire knows the time for speeches and talking is over.

"It’s been four speeches that we put on and there will be a fifth one," Lemaire said to Tom Gulitti of the Bergen Record. "There’s a time for speeches. You can’t look for speeches. You’ve just got to get the work done."

2. Colin White

In 2000, the Devils had great leadership throughout the locker room. Scott Stevens was the unquestioned leader of the team, but they also had great leadership from Ken Daneyko and Scott Niedermayer. White was also on that squad. With the defense playing subpar during this series, the Devils need someone to step up and lead the blue line. While White may not be the best blueliner, he’s the senior leader of that group. White needs to step up and get the defense playing well. The defense hasn’t played well in their own zone, and White needs to be the one to hold people accountable. He should be the vocal leader of the group, reminding the defenseman to move the puck and make the smart play. He should be riding defenseman when they take dumb penalties or take a shift off. I haven’t seen anyone step up this season to be the leader of the defense. In this situation, the team needs someone to do that, and White’s been around long enough to know what the Devils expect from their defenseman. He should step up, carry the torch and lead the defense.

The Flyers fans let it be known last night what they thought about the Devils chances of coming back from a 3-1 series deficit again. As the final seconds ticked away last night, the 19,709 and fans in the building started to chant "It's All Over" and honestly, why shouldn't they?

I'm a Devils fan, its the reason I write this blog but even I am full of doubt when it comes to this team. The product I've been shown so far in the post-season is not one I can be happy with. They haven't played well at all this series and the way the Flyers have dominated them at even stregth is what really bothers me.

Yes, the Devils have come back from 3-1 before, in fact it was done against the Flyers and more specifically it was done against the current Flyers goaltender. Believe it or not, it has been done 21 times out of 234 oppurtunities and most recently it was done last season as the Capitals came back to win their first round series against the New York Rangers. The problem is, the Devils aren't playing very good hockey at the moment and really haven't matched up well against the Flyers all season.

So can they do it? As I mentioned, it was Boucher who allowed it to happen to Philly in 2000 and Jaques Lemaire is the only coach to rally his team from a 3-1 series deficit twice in the same playoff year (2003 Minnesota Wild) so Lemaire knows what it takes. So to answer my question, yes it is doable it just remains to be seen if this Devils team can overcome the problems they are having to do it.

The Flyers announced this morning that Simon Gagne and Jeff Carter will not be making the trip to NJ for Philadelphia tomorrow night. Gagne has a broken toe and Carter has a broken foot. Both players are day-to-day, which I believe in Gagne's case but not Carter's.

The bottom line is this, as fans we need to go out and support the Devils tomorrow night because if we believe in this team, maybe, just maybe they will start to believe in themselves. Who's with me??

I literally don't know what to say about the Devils performance tonight. At first, I was enraged by the lack of aggression and the Devils' lack of patience. But now, after taking a break from hockey, I've come to realize I'm just shocked that the team can look this bad right now. They've scored the first goal in each of the past three games, but after that they've failed to play a sixty-minute game. After Ilya Kovalchuk lit the lamp, the Flyers scored four unanswered goals to sweep the two home games. The Devils now head home with a 3-1 series deficit.

Key Moments:

1. Kovalchuk's 5-on-3 Powerplay Goal

The Devils wanted to come out in game four and be more aggressive in the Flyers' zone. Two early penalty calls helped their cause, as the Devils received an early 5-on-3 powerplay opportunity. With both Braydon Coburn and Chris Pronger in the box, the Devils took advantage of their opportunity. Zach Parise sent a pass up the ice, springing the Devils on a 4-on-2. Kovalchuk moved into the zone, and used a fake shot to freeze Blair Betts. Kovalchuk cut to the right circle and fired a shot on net that beat Brian Boucher for Kovalchuk’s second goal of the series.

Carter's second goal of the game at 9:28 of the third period extended the Flyers lead, 4-3, in game four of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals tonight at the Wachovia Center.

With both Bryce Salvador and Jamie Langenbrunner in the box, the Flyers held the puck in the zone. Ian Laperriere fired a shot on net, and Carter deflected home the shot for his second goal of the series.

Carter left the ice gingerly after the goal. No word on his injury.

Gagne, who left in the second period after blocking a shot, will not return to tonight's game.

Before the game, Brodeur said tonight's game would show what the Devils were made of. I wonder what their performance tonight will tell him.

Carcillo's goal at  4:10 of the third period extends the Flyers lead over the Devils, 3-1.

Carcillo began the play, hitting Colin White behind the net to jar the puck loose. Carcillo curled to the side boards, and put a shot on net that beat Brodeur through the pads for his second goal of the series.

Facing a two-goal deficit, the Devils haven't done anything to help their cause. They've taken three minor penalties in the first ten minutes, including giving the Flyers a 5-on-3 opportunity at 8:13 of the third.

Brier's four-on-four goal at 17:27 of of the second period put the Flyers ahead, 2-1.

With Matt Carle and Zajac in the box, Briere came down the ice with Coburn on a 2-on-2. Coburn sent a pass to Briere on the left side. Briere shot the puck from the side boards that beat Brodeur over the glove for his first goal of the series.

Jeff Carter's powerplay goal at 9:08 of the period tied the game at one.

With Niedermayer in the box for interference, Daniel Briere held the puck in the Devils zone. He passed the puck to Carter, who was coming out from behind the net. Carter skated the puck through the right circle, and released a slap shot that beat Brodeur for his first goal of the series.

The Flyers outshot the Devils, 12-8, in the second period. The Devils lead the overall shot category, 20-19.

It's also been one of those games for the Devils. After talking about how they needed to improve their powerplay, the Devils came out buzzing with their first few opportunities. But they've settled back into their familiar play, holding the puck too long and not making things happen with aggressive play. They will begin the third period with 1:56 of powerplay time (James van Riemsdyk roughing minor with 4.6 seconds left in the second period), and it's do or die time for the Devils.

The Devils had killed off the Flyer's two previous powerplay attempts before the Carter goal. The Flyers' have now scored a powerplay goal in each of the series' five games.

Kovalchuk scored a powerplay goal at 12:24 of the period to give the Devils the lead.

With both Braydon Coburn and Chris Pronger in the box, the Devils took advantage of a 5-on-3 powerplay. Zach Parise sent a pass up the ice, springing the Devils on a 4-on-2. Kovalchuk moved into the zone, and used a fake shot to freeze Blair Betts. Kovalchuk cut to the right circle and fired a shot on net that beat Brian Boucher for Kovalchuk's second goal of the series.