When this series began, it was the Philadelphia Flyers were overwhelming favorites, so perhaps it is surprising how thoroughly the Devils have been able to dominate them at times.



From the second period of Game 4, where they outshot the Flyers 16-5 or the second period of Game 2 when they held them without a shot for the first 18-plus minutes, they've had prolonged times of clear superiority.



Even to the Devils themselves, it's been a little surprising.



"I think, yeah, maybe surprised ourselves a little bit that we've gone a few times a long stretch of not allowing a shot or not giving up many shots," Zach Parise said. "That means we're playing well, we're not spending a lot of time in our zone. That makes it tough for them. It feels like whenever they have the puck we have a guy right next to them and a couple of guys ready to jump on him and go the other way."

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Parise spoke of the forecheck instituted by coach Pete DeBoer.

"We talked about that before the series started," Parise said. "We don’t want to give them any rushes, anything off transition, anything off turnovers. We want to make Claude Giroux and Danny Briere go back into their own zone and stop to play some defense and just pick the puck up off the fly and attack because that’s when they’re good. We’ve done a good job of that. It does get tiring even when the puck comes out of their zone, we’re getting it right back in and going back on the forecheck. That does get tiring, it wears on you, it wears on the defensemen."

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Ryan Carter said he missed Game 4 because of a stomach bug.



"Food induced. I feel much better," Carter reported. "We had practice the day before and I went home and had two meals—lunch and dinner. It was one of those two meals that did it."



One of the meals was at a café near his home.



Tim Sestito, who made his Stanley Cup debut in Game 4, hurt his leg on a hit with 8:05 remaining in the match. He limped to the bench but said he is okay.



"A little charley horse. It doesn't even require treatment," Sestito said.

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The Devils aren't writing the Flyers off just yet.



"I'm sure in their minds they're not saying they're out of it," Parise said. "They're saying they want to win one game and see what happens. I think every little play is going to be important and the rest of the series."



Not to mention that Flyers have a recent history of improbable comebacks. Two years ago, Philadelphia came back from a 3-0 deficit against the Boston Bruins in the second round.



"They're a comeback team," Travis Zajac said. "They've got the players to do it. I think the fourth game is always the toughest one to get. We have to be ready."



Said Andy Greene: "It's not something you constantly think about but you know it's there. It's not necessarily them but it's any series. You're not totally comfortable and happy until you win the fourth game and finish the series."

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Might the Devils see center Jacob Josefson if they go deep enough into the playoffs? DeBoer said Josefson’s fractured left wrist suffered April 3 is properly healed and he should be skating in the "near future."

Rich Chere: rchere@starledger.com; twitter.com/Ledger_NJDevils