Ilya Kovalchuk, "We have to just focus on ourselves"

Devils host must-win Game 5 against Flyers, who are expected to be without Carter, Gagne
Ira Podell Associated Press April 21, 2010

“We have to just focus on ourselves,” Devils forward Ilya Kovalchuk said. “It doesn’t matter who we’re going to play against, who is going to play who. You just have to be better than the other guy in front of you. Everybody has to take that challenge. We can’t lose anymore.”

This is exactly the situation the Devils faced 10 years ago in the Eastern Conference finals against Philadelphia and then rookie goalie Brian Boucher, who again is the Flyers goalie this series.

Brodeur and the Devils erased that 3-1 deficit en route to winning the Stanley Cup. That was the only New Jersey team to accomplish the feat. It has been done 20 times on 229 occasions, including twice by Minnesota Wild teams coached by Lemaire in 2003.

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