NHL PLAYOFFS : Flyers Escape Devils’ Trap to Tie Series

It’s called a neutral zone trap, and without trying to get too complicated, it involves a team rolling its defense back to center ice and waiting for the opposition to make a mistake trying to get through.

It worked for the New Jersey Devils in Games 1 and 2 of the Eastern Conference finals, but on Saturday, the Philadelphia Flyers weren’t falling into any more traps.

The Flyers got goals from Eric Desjardins, Shjon Podein, Mikael Renberg and Rod Brind’Amour and a 32-save effort by goalie Ron Hextall in beating New Jersey, 4-2, to even the series, 2-2, with Game 5 today.

Coach Terry Murray told the Flyer defensemen to wait, passing to each other, until they had a clear path out of their own end and through the trap.

“I’ll stay back at our own hash marks and pass the puck back and forth all night long if they’re not going to forecheck,” Murray said.

With Philadelphia showing patience, turnovers New Jersey recovered and converted into offense in Games 1 and 2 didn’t happen.

Instead, the Devils gave up four goals for the first time in a playoff game this season as the Flyers drove goalie Martin Brodeur from the net with 7:45 to play. He had only 13 saves on 17 shots.

Podein’s goal tied it, 1-1, and Eric Lindros set up the go-ahead goal in the second period with a pass to Renberg, whose shot deflected past Brodeur’s glove after hitting defenseman Scott Stevens.