NHL PLAYOFFS : Devils Stay Busy, Win Game 1, 4-1

No more of this time-off business.

Coach Jacques Lemaire gave his New Jersey players two days off after their opening-round series against the Boston Bruins, and the Devils came back to lose the first game of their next series to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Clearly, new work habits were in order.

They paid off in a 4-1 victory over the Flyers on Saturday in Philadelphia in the first game of the Eastern Conference finals. Bill Guerin scored twice for New Jersey.

“I had no contact with them [during the time off], and they came back and it seemed like they were on a holiday, more than going back to work,” Lemaire said. “This time, we did different things and we had control over them.”

And they had control of the Flyers.

The Devils spotted Philadelphia the game’s first four shots, then outshot the Flyers, 13-0, through the rest of the first period.

Goals by Guerin, who would score again in the third period, and Scott Niedermayer came toward the end of the period as the Devils kept the pressure on Flyer goaltender Ron Hextall.

“We took a lot of hits to make the good play,” Guerin said. “That’s what this team is all about. You never know where it’s going to come from.”

Once ahead, New Jersey smothered the Flyers’ big line centered by Eric Lindros, who managed only two shots on goal.