As the countdown to the 2010 playoff opener between the Philadelphia Flyers and New Jersey Devils, I’ll take a look back at the past postseason meetings between the two teams. Today, I look back at the 1995 Eastern Conference Finals.

The Devils, fresh off their surprising defeat of the Pittsburgh Penguins, faced off against the Flyers. The Flyers were looking to get back to the Cup finals for the first time since 1987, and the Devils were searching for their first ever Stanley Cup berth. The Flyers held home-ice advantage throughout the series, setting the tone between these rivals.

In the first game of the series, the Devils jumped all over the Flyers, taking a 3-0 lead after the first two periods. Bill Guerin added his second goal of the game to stretch the lead to four. Craig McTavish broke Martin Brodeur’s shutout with 1:54 remaining in regulation, but that was all the noise the Flyers would make. New Jersey defeated Philadelphia, 4-1, to take a 1-0 lead in the series.

The team’s traded goals in game two, with Mikael Renberg putting the Flyers ahead, 2-1, at the 13:54 mark of the first period. It gave the Flyers their first lead of the series. Devils’ forward John MacLean scored with 12 seconds left in the first, tying the game at two. New Jersey scored three straight goals in the second period, and went on to defeat the Flyers, 5-2. The Devils eliminated the home-ice advantage, dominating the Flyers and heading back to the Meadowlands with a 2-0 series lead.

The Flyers came into game three a desperate team. The Devils jumped out to a 2-1 lead, but Rod Brind’Amour tied the game with 6:03 left in regulation. Flyers captain Eric Lindros played the role of hero, scoring at 4:19 of the extra session to win the game. It gave Philadelphia life, and the cut the Devils’ lead in half, 2-1.

Game three helped the Flyers confidence, as Ron Hextall turned in a terrific performance. The Flyers goalie stopped 32 shots, vastly outplayed Brodeur, who finished with 15 saves. The Flyers won the game, 4-2, to head back home tied in the series, 2-2. Heading back on the road, the Devils needed a strong performance to get themselves back into the series.

Game five began well for the Devils, with the team taking a lead, 2-1, after the first period. After a scoreless middle period, the Flyers’ Kevin Dineen’s second goal of the game tied the game 3:13 into the final period. Stephane Richer almost gave the Devils’ a lead, breaking in alone on Hextall with under four minutes to play. The Devils’ forward rang a shot off the crossbar, ending the threat. But the Devils weren’t done, and Claude Lemieux scored one of the memorable goals in Devils postseason history. With less than a minute remaining, Lemieux picked up the puck in his own zone, and carried it into the Flyers zone. After crossing the blue line, Lemieux fired a shot that beat Hextall glove side, silencing the Spectrum crowd and giving the Devils a lead, 3-2. The Devils would hang on and head home with a chance to clinch the series on home ice.

The Devils returned home in the same situation as the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals – up in the series, 3-2, with a chance to clinch on home ice. While the Rangers went on to defeat the Devils in seven games, this series would end on a better note. Jim Montgomery scored 4:05 into the opening period to give the Flyers an early 1-0 lead. But the Devils, in large part to their trapping defense, would take control of the game. Richer tied the game with a powerplay goal at 10:25, and Brian Rolston scored with 1:45 left in the first period to give the Devils a 2-1 advantage. The second period would prove pivotal, as the Devils shut down the Flyers attack.

With the team holding on to a 2-1 lead, Bobby Holik would provide a big insurance goal. McTavish came into the Devils zone, putting a shot on net from the blue line. Shawn Chambers blocked the shot, and forwarded the puck to Holik. With four Flyers caught in the defensive zone, the Devils broke in with a 3-on-1. Holik held the puck, and Flyers’ defenseman Kevin Haller went to the ice to block the pass. Holik threaded a pass past the diving defenseman to Randy McKay, who deflected the puck past Hextall for the goal. The Devils extended the lead to 4-1 at 10:11 of the period. It was Lemieux once again, breaking in on Hextall all alone. He beat the Flyers goalie for his 11th goal of the postseason.

Renberg scored to cut the Devils lead, 4-2, but it wouldn’t be enough. The Devils defeated the Flyers, 4-2, to win the game and the series. They would move on to their first Stanley Cup and defeat the Detroit Red Wings, sweeping the series for their first ever Stanley Cup championship. Lemieux, who set career highs in playoff goals scored, won the Conn Smythe Trophy.

The Matchup: The Buffalo Sabres (45-26-10) face off against the New Jersey Devils (47-27-7). This is the fourth and final meeting between the two teams. The Sabres lead the series, 2-1-0.

The Last Sabres Game: The Sabres defeated the Ottawa Senators, 5-2, last night. After sitting out the past six games, Thomas Vanek returned to the lineup and scored four goals to pace the Sabres. Goalie Ryan Miller finished with 28 saves for his 41st win of the season.

The Last Devils Game: The Devils defeated the Islanders, 7-1, last night. Patrik Elias tallied two goals, and five other Devils scored in the rout. Martin Brodeur stopped 18 shots for his league-leading 44th victory.

The Last Sabres – Devils Game: The Sabres defeated the Devils, 2-1, in a shootout on January 27. Jochen Hecht and Jason Pominville scored in the shootout, and Miller blanked Zach Parise and Jamie Langenbrunner.

Tonight’s Matchup: It all comes down to the final game of the season for these two teams. The Devils only need a point from tonight’s matchup to clinch the second seed in the Eastern Conference. To do it, they’ll have to face a tough Sabres team. And why not have an exciting game to end the season.

The Devils aren’t taking their collective foot off the pedal. Brodeur will get the start in net, even though The Sabres will turn to Patrick Lalime for tonight’s contest. Lemaire believes there’s no reason to rest Brodeur, because the Devils won’t have their playoff opener until Wednesday at the earliest. Brodeur should get the start. Not only has he played well lately, he’s also 5-1-2 in his last eight games, and he’s allowed six goals in his past six games. He’s found his stride, and there’s no reason for Brodeur to sit for four or five days.

The Devils have played well the past few games, and they have to do more of the same in tonight’s contest. Keep firing pucks on net and pressuring the Sabres. While the Sabres have Vanek back, they’re also missing a few players and will be weaker in goal. If the Devils can bring the same intensity and passion we saw last night, they should be able to jump ahead and get to the Sabres early.

Just a few final notes: If the Devils give up five goals or less, they will win the Jennings Tropy (fewest goals against). If they give up six goals, they’ll share the trophy with the Boston Bruins. Travis Zajac will also be the only Devil to play in all 82 games, extending his consecutive games streak to 319. Paul Martin will play in his 400th N.H.L. game.

Gametime is 5 p.m., and you can catch all the action on MSG Plus and WFAN.

Here are tonight's line combinations:

Zach Parise - Travis Zajac - Jamie Langenbrunner

Ilya Kovalchuk - Patrik Elias - Dainius Zubrus

Brian Rolston - Rob Niedermayer - David Clarkson

Jay Pandolfo - Dean McAmmond - Rod Pelley

Bryce Salvador - Andy Greene

Mark Fraser - Mike Mottau

Martin Skoula - Paul Martin

Martin Brodeur

The Matchup: The New Jersey Devils (46-27-7) face off against the New York Islanders (34-36-10). This is the final game of the regular season between both teams. The Devils currently lead the season series, 3-2-0.

The Last Islanders Game: The Islanders lost to Pittsburgh Penguins, 7-3, Thursday night. In the final game at the Igloo, Sidney Crosby collected four points to become the third youngest player to ever reach the 500 point mark. Martin Biron was pulled after allowing four goals on 14 shots in the first period. Dwayne Roloson allowed three goals on 25 shots in relief.

The Last Devils Game: The Florida Panthers defeated the Devils, 3-2, Thursday night. Patrik Elias opened the scoring 59 seconds into the second period. Florida scored the next three, including the game-winning goal from Nathan Horton in the third period. Ex-Devil Scott Clemmensen stopped 44 shots in the victory.

The Last Islanders – Devils Game: The Islanders defeated the Devils, 4-2, March 13th on Long Island. Jon Sim broke a 1-1 tie in the second period, and Sean Bergenheim added the dagger with a shorthanded goal in the third period. Devils goalie Yann Danis stopped 29 shots in the loss.

Tonight’s Matchup: The Devils had a solid effort against the Florida Panthers Thursday night, but the offense came out on the short end of the stick. Clemmensen had a big hand in that, stonewalling the Devils and thwarting their best efforts tie the game. With the Islanders inability to even look competitive against the Penguins, the Devils fell back into a tie for second seed in the conference and first in the Atlantic Division.

The Devils effort in the past three games hasn’t been terrible. As a matter of fact, I’d say they’re playing some great hockey. Thursday night was a letdown, but the team still played hard. They come into tonight’s game playing the Islanders, a team that always plays the Devils tough. The Devils can’t take this team lightly. They’re always a thorn in the Devils’ side, and they have some young guys licking their lips and ready to play the spoiler. To prevent a loss, the Devils just need to continue to play solid hockey. Pittsburgh provided a solid blueprint for defeating the Islanders. Drive to the net and put shots on their goalies. Biron (who I’m sure Philadelphia wants back now) and Roloson aren’t superstars by any stretch of the imagination. If the Devils can continue their aggressive style, they should be able to win this game.

Update (5:17 p.m.): None of the regular players will be getting any rest tonight. Coach Jacques Lemaire wanted to rest defenseman Colin White, but relented when White begged him to play. If the Devils win tonight and the Penguins lose, they can clinch their ninth Atlantic Division. If the Devils win and both the Penguins and Buffalo lose, the Devils win the division and clinch the second seed in the Eastern Conference. So, let’s go Thrashers and Senators!

Gametime is 7 p.m., and you can catch all the action on MSGPlus or WFAN.

Use this as tonight's open game thread. Comment, banter, and please talk only about the NHL action going on between the Devils and Islanders or some other games of importance. Also, make sure you keep it clean and respectful.

Last season, Florida Panthers goalie Scott Clemmensen won 25 games with the New Jersey Devils while filling in for a then-injured Martin Brodeur.

Clemmensen, facing his former team, stopped 42 shots to lead the Panthers over the Devils, 3-2, at the BankAtlantic Center.

Clemmensen, who signed a three-year contract with Florida in July, faced his former team for the second time this season. He won his first start, stopping 26 shots in a 4-2 win on December 26.

Patrik Elias opened the scoring 59 seconds into the second period. Clemmensen stopped the initial shot, and a rebound chance went off the crossbar. Elias tipped the loose puck past Clemmensen for his 17th goal of the season.

Michael Frolik tied the game at 6:03 of the period. Frolik received a cross-ice pass from Nathan Horton and put a shot on net. The puck deflected off the stick of Rob Niedermayer and beat Brodeur for the tying goal.

Frolik’s goal ended the Devils’ shutout streak of 151 minutes and 29 seconds, which is the third longest in franchise history.

Radek Dvorak put the Panthers ahead, 2-1, 1:14 into the third period. Rostislav Olesz fed Dvorak with a backhanded pass from below the goal line. Dvorak put the shot past Brodeur’s pads for his 14th goal of the season.

Horton stretched the Panthers lead to 3-1 at 12:23 of the period. The center beat Brodeur with a shot from the left circle for his 19th goal of the lead.

Brodeur finished with 15 saves in the loss.

Mike Mottau brought the Devils to within one at 14:46 of the period. But it would be too litte, too late, as the Devils couldn’t get the tying goal.

With the win, the Devils fell back into a tie with the Pittsburgh Penguins for the Atlantic Division lead. Both teams have identical 46-27-7 records, and each team has 99 points. The Devils still hold first place because of their season sweep of the Penguins.

Game Notes:

David Clarkson and Nick Tarnasky dropped the gloves at 2:07 in the third period. Clarkson landed more punches, but both players had trouble keeping their balance…Devils’ defenseman Colin White caught an edge and went hard into the boards at 17:52 of the second period. White got up slowly and skated off the ice, but was fine after the game…Devils’ coach Jacques Lemaire, who wants to try and rest some of his regular players, made defenseman Andy Greene a healthy scratch tonight.

Photo Credit: Wilfredo Lee/AP Photo

With the playoffs looming, Devils captain Jamie Langenbrunner shut down and didn’t speak to the media until yesterday afternoon. The media showed the Devils seemed to have an unhappy captain.

Langenbrunner, who created a self-imposed silence for the past two days, finally gave reporters more than a "no comment" today. He admitted his displeasure with being a healthy scratch Saturday in Carolina, a move he did not ask for. He also admitted frustration with having to travel to Raleigh even though he wasn’t playing that night. Langenbrunner, who has only once played all 82 games, wanted the chance to hit that mark again.

When speaking to Tom Gulliti of the Bergen Record, he expressed his frustration with the decision to be scratched.

“It was definitely something I wanted to do or at least attempt it,” he said to Gulliti. “I’m not sure if I’ve ever done it. I missed one last year and it would have been nice to at least try it.”

“I felt (Langenbrunner), needed a rest. I gave him a rest,” Lemaire said to Gulliti. “I felt Motts (Mike Mottau) needed a rest. I gave him a rest (last night against Atlanta).”

This issue may have been the boiling point for the captain. According to Gulliti, Langenbrunner wasn’t in the greatest of mood during last Thursday’s practice. The captain got into an extensive battle with defenseman Colin White. At the end of the drill, White ended up on top of Langenbrunner. White gave Langenbrunner an extra shot with the stick as they seperated.

Later in practice, something similar happened with Rob Niedermayer.

Langenbrunner hasn’t spoke to the media since before Friday’s game against the Blackhawks. He also spent considerable time in the training room after practice. The captain, who already played in all 79 games and six Olympic matches, has accumulated an already considerable workload this season.

This late in the season, with a potential second seed up for grabs, Langenbrunner needs to focus on hockey. If he took an issue with Lemaire’s decision, he needs to bring it up with the coach in private. There’s no reason to air dirty laundry to the media. According to Gulliti, the captain and coach haven’t spoken about the decision yet. This should be a minor speed bump this late in the season. I know Langenbrunner was upset by the decision. But look at the facts. Langenbrunner was spending more time in the training room. The wear and tear of this elongated season has probably taken a toll on his body. To march him out against a team brimming with young players ready to “prove themselves” could have led to injury. Why risk it, especially this close to the playoffs?

Langenbrunner isn’t a rah-rah type of leader. But the players still look to him as the captain. Handling this situation in this manner wasn’t the greatest. But the captain needs to reign himself in. There are more important things than individual records on the line. With the Devils one of the better teams challenging coming into the playoffs, Langenbrunner needs to settle this issue and refocus on hockey.

Photo Credit: Mike Stobe/Getty Images

So What Happened?
The Devils shutout the Altanta Thrashers 3-0 as Marty earned his second straight shutout and his 600th win of his career. Surprisingly, the Thrashers faithful brought out the boo birds for Kovalchuk in his first return to Atlanta since being traded back in February. It didn't seem to get to Kovalchuk, even though he was left off the scoresheet for the night. Devils offense did a good job with oppurtunities although the powerplay didn't produce any goals. The defense looked outstanding as they completely shut down Atlanta, especially in the final period giving up only 2 shots on goal. With the Devils winning, the Atlanta Thrashers are officially elminated from the playoff race.

Who Scored?
Dean McAmmond (7), Zack Parise (37) and Travis Zajac (24)

Any Surprises During The Game?
In my opinion no. The guys that Altanta got in the Kovalchuk trade have done well for them since arriving but the Thrashers were a lot more to fear when Kovalchuk was on their side.

Any Other Thoughts?
Marty has been outstanding lately. In the last 4 games, he's faced 105 shots and stopped all but two of them. He was less than a minute away from getting shutouts against Boston and Chicago and those late goals were more on the defense than on Marty. For the Devils, this is where you want to see Marty. If Marty can get scorching hot going into next week, it could be a nice long run.

Any change in the standings?
The Capitals did the Devils a favor tonight handing the Penguins a loss and giving NJ a 2 point lead in the standings for 2nd overall although the Penguins have games against non-playoff teams remaining. Devils have Florida, the Islanders (who we don't do well against) and Buffalo remaining so 2nd isn't locked up yet.

Who's Next?
Devils are at Florida tomorrow night.