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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) – The New Jersey Devils showed right from the start that they're ready for another championship run.
|  | | Petr Sykora celebrates after giving the Devils a 4-0 lead in the third period. |
Bobby Holik scored twice and Martin Brodeur had to make only 17 saves as the Devils opened their Stanley Cup title defense with a thoroughly dominating 5-1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night.
"It was a good start," Devils captain Scott Stevens said. "It was nice to see us come out with hunger. We skated hard. We worked hard. We played patient. We didn't give them a lot of shots. That's what I like to see. We had that hunger."
Sergei Brylin, Petr Sykora and Patrik Elias also scored as the Devils outshot the Hurricanes 36-18 in Game 1 of the best-of-7 Eastern Conference first-round series.
"We've been waiting for this for 10 months, for the playoffs" Holik said. "We wanted to come out hungry. As well as we played in the regular season, that doesn't matter. This matters."
Josef Vasicek spoiled Brodeur's bid for a ninth playoff shutout, scoring with 8:33 left. The Devils already had a 5-0 lead.
Game 2 is Sunday at New Jersey, and the Hurricanes are going to
have to play a lot better if they hope to have any chance against
the Devils. New Jersey finished the season winning 19 of 21 games
to earn the top seed in the East.
"It wasn't the easiest night," said Arturs Irbe, who did his best to keep Carolina in the game in the first period by stopping the Devils' first 14 shots, including two great chances in close by John Madden.
"We played a good team and we know we can play better," Irbe added. "That's what we have to bring to the next game, every single player. We can do that. We have veteran players who have been through everything."
What the Hurricanes have to do is avoid the big mistakes, which
they didn't accomplish in Game 1.
Hurricanes defenseman Marek Malik set up the Devils' first goal
with a horrible pass from behind his net late in the period. Brylin
intercepted the puck above the right circle, skated between the
circles and ripped a shot inside the goal post.
"The first goal gave them so much more life," Irbe said. "From them on we couldn't capitalize on our opportunities. A few more goals and that was the difference."
Holik, who had only 10 career playoff goals in 103 games, took
over in the second period with his first multiple-goal playoff
game.
"Scoring goals is great," Holik said. "No matter what assignment I have on this team, I always enjoy scoring goals. It's a lot of fun. But if I didn't, and we won in the same fashion, it's just as good."
Holik got his first goal by snapping a shot over the shoulder of
the diminutive Irbe at 1:25 after two Hurricanes collided with
Madden outside the blue line.
"That's the one I'd like to have back," Irbe said. "Bobby put his head down because he was trying to settle the puck. I saw a player charging down the middle and I was anticipating a pass."
Holik's second goal came with 4:40 left in the second period.
Irbe didn't have a chance as Holik's shot deflected off the stick
of Carolina defenseman Sandis Ozolinsh.
Sykora and Elias scored less than two minutes apart early in the
third period. Sykora tallied on a semi-breakaway with defenseman
Kevin Hatcher draped over him. Elias tallied right in front on the
rebound of a Jason Arnott shot.
Vasicek scored on a shot out in front after Bates Battaglia
carried the puck into the Devils zone down the right wing.
Game notes
Brodeur made his 74th straight playoff start. ... Holik had three goals in 23 playoff games last season. ... Devils coach Larry
Robinson didn't use Stevens when Hurricanes leading scorer Jeff
O'Neill was on the ice, opting to go with defensemen Scott
Niedermayer and Ken Daneyko. O'Neill didn't have a shot. ...
Carolina D Dave Karpa opened a cut over the left eye of Devils
forward Jay Pandolfo in the second period with a hit along the side
boards. ... The game was a sellout (19,040).
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ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard
Carolina Clubhouse
New Jersey Clubhouse
Hurricanes-Devils Series Page
Wojnarowski: Devils rely on soft sell
RECAPS
St. Louis 3
San Jose 1
New Jersey 5
Carolina 1
Washington 1
Pittsburgh 0
Colorado 5
Vancouver 4
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Sergei Brylin steps in front of the clearing pass and blasts a wrister by Arturs Irbe.
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Bobby Holik steals the puck, then finds the top left-hand corner of the net.
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Patrik Elias finds Bobby Holik, who scores his second goal off the slapper.
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Petr Sykora scores while being dragged down by a Carolina defender.
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Patrik Elias flips in the rebound off the Jason Arnott miss.
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Bates Battaglia finds Josef Vasicek on the centering pass for Carolina's only goal.
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