For the past six months, the New Jersey Devils talked about their failures last season and their plan to get back to the playoffs.
It didn't include a loss on opening night.
New Jersey dropped its home opener, 3-0, to the Philadelphia Flyers Friday night at the Prudential Center.
Leading 1-0 through two periods, the Flyers buried the Devils early in the third period.
Matt Read doubled the lead 2:42 into the final period. Devils' defenseman Andy Greene cleared the puck, but his pass skipped over the stick of Ilya Kovalchuk. Scott Hartnell collected the puck near the Devils' blue line, and moved in on a three-on-one. Hartnell passed the puck to Read, and his shot caromed off of Greene's stick and through Brodeur for the rookie's first goal of the season.
Wayne Simmonds pushed the lead to 3-0 just over a minute later. Chris Pronger fired a shot from the point, and Brodeur couldn't control the rebound. Simmonds, on the crease, took the puck in front and put it past the outstretched glove of Brodeur.
The Devils comeback ended before it could happen. They took six penalties in the third period and failed to get any pressure on the Philadelphia defense.
The defense held the Devils in check all night, allowing just three shots in the third period. Ilya Bryzgalov stopped 20 shots for his first shutout as a Flyer.
Claude Giroux opened the scoring at 12:05 of the first period. Flyers' defenseman Matt Carle held the puck at the point, with Ilya Kovalchuk and Nick Palmieri pressuring him. He passed the puck to James van Riemsdyk near the goal line, and the forward carried it behind the goal line. He passed to Giroux, who came into the slot all alone. He ripped a one-timer past Brodeur for his second goal of the season.
Brodeur kept the Devils in the game through two periods, making big saves to keep Philadelphia off the board.
The first came near the end of the first period. With Braydon Coburn in the box for holding, Kovalchuk controlled the puck at the point. Andres Nodle forced a turnover and broke in alone on Brodeur. The Devils goalie stopped the shot with his glove as time expired.
The Flyers got another shorthanded breakaway early in the second period. Rookie Sean Courtier stole the puck from Mark Fayne and raced into the Devils zone. He fired a slapshot from the left circle that Brodeur blocked with his pads.
The Flyers got their third breakaway of the game late in the middle period. Van Riemsdyk stole the puck at center ice and skated in alone on Brodeur. He carried the puck across the crease, but Brodeur followed him the entire time and stopped the shot.
Brodeur finished with 32 saves in the loss.
The Devils, who've lost four games against the Flyers dating back to last season, dropped their second straight home-opener. They face the Carolina Hurricanes Monday, searching for their first win.
Game Notes
Eric Bolton received a game misconduct at 9:11 of the third period. After receiving an interference minor, he said something to the refs and was given the misconduct...Devils rookie Adam Larsson finished with 21:46 of ice time and three shots on net. Only Kovalchuk received more ice time than the rookie...Zach Parise, in his first game as captain, finished with three shots.