Compared to some of the other series in this year's Stanley Cup playoffs, the first two games between the Devils and Florida Panthers have been like a friendly game of checkers in the local coffee shop.



Nasty or downright vicious play has been absent.



As the stakes get higher, beginning with Game 3 Tuesday night at the Prudential Center with the best-of-seven series even at 1-1, that could change.



"The nastiness you see in the Pittsburgh-Philly series hasn't been there," Devils coach Pete DeBoer said today. "I don't expect it, but you never know. Playoffs bring all kinds of different things."



DeBoer, who indicated he is not considering any lineup changes for the third game, said playing physical is different than playing dirty.



"I think so. You look at (Game 2). Whether you buy all the stats, I believe they had us with 50 hits each, which is a lot of hits in a hockey game," DeBoer said. "I think that physical edge is there. At ice level there is a real battle for space and territory.

"They've been two really hard-fought games. Penalties both ways have taken each team kind of out of their rhythm—Florida in the first game and us in the second game—and I think we're both aware of that. You always want to walk that line where you are aggressive and physical but you're not taking away from your game, which I think has happened to each of us in the first two."



There has, already, been lots of yapping between the two teams.



"There is. I've seen it," Devils captain Zach Parise said. "I prefer to stay away from that stuff. I don't think that's my job. But some guys have made a living doing that. You respect what they do and how they play. It can work. It can help. There is a time and a place for it."



The Devils have had their share of those players over the years. Claude Lemieux, a great playoff player, comes immediately to mind.



"There's a fair bit of yapping going on out there," former Devils center John Madden said. "I'm always involved."



Devils center Patrik Elias has been a target, but cautions his teammates on how to handle vocal intimidation.



"Certain guys do that. Those are the guys that do that throughout the season. Guys try to get you off your game and get you thinking. It can get you off your game and get the other team going a little bit," Elias said.

"You just have to be careful and cautious to do it at the right time, because things like that can change momentum. Yapping, fights, hits can all change the momentum, so you have to bite your tongue. I don't mind guys playing hard, but there is a time for (yapping). You have to know when the time is right. We have to stay focused. Focus and discipline are the main things."



Parise said he can deal with the yapping.

“I don’t really care? What are they going to say? There’s nothing they could say that is going to hurt my feelings,” he said.

How about: "Nice playoff beard?"



"That might hurt my feelings," Parise said with a laugh.



The Devils are more concerned about playing well at home.

In their last four playoff series, the Devils have gone 3-9. Since 2006, they are 7-11 at home in the playoffs.

“Generally we haven’t played well,” Martin Brodeur said. “Some of the matchups we had were tough for us. It hasn’t been great at The Rock. But it’s a new team and we’re playing under a new coach and a different system. I know the history. I can go back a long way. Really we just have to look forward. We’ve played well as of late in our building in the regular season and there’s no reason we can’t continue that.

“You just have to be comfortable playing in your own building. If we have a good start I think our fans will get into it and I think we’ll gain that confidence and put those guys back on their heels a little bit. We really have to take it to them if we want to be successful in our building.”

Unless they choose to get nasty.

* * *

Parise on the lack of home ice advantage in the Stanley Cup playoffs: “I didn’t play a long time ago. But I just don’t feel a lot of that intimidation factor of going into other buildings is not there. It’s kind of gone. All teams are good and all teams play well at home and on the road. I think you play a little simpler on the road. You’re not as fancy.”

Nevertheless, the Devils are happy to be home for Game3 3.

“We’re looking forward to playing at home, getting last change and being able to play in front of our home crowd," DeBoer said. "It’s not like it’s something we aren’t looking forward to or want to avoid. I don’t think we play any differently. Our preparation isn’t any different at home than on the road. We want to be an in-your-face, take away time and space, be on top of you type of team. That doesn’t change whether we’re playing in Florida or New Jersey.”

* * *

Asked if the Devils wasted an important opportunity to take control of the series on Sunday, Parise said: “We’d love to be up, 2-0, right now but that’s not the case. I don’t want to say it was a blown opportunity, because we’re still in great shape. We had a great finish to (Game 2). For the most part we like the way we’re playing.

“We have to stay disciplined. The team that does create on the power play gets all the momentum. I think we’ve been the better team 5-on-5 in the playoffs. If we can stay out of the box and not allow them to get those extra chances on the power play, we’ll be okay.”