Minus Kovie, Devs look to even series

Minus Kovie, Devs look to even series

Julio Cortez/AP

After scoring three goals in the Devils’ first-round win over the Panthers, Ilya Kovalchuk doesn’t even take a shot against the Flyers on Sunday in Philadelphia.

PHILADELPHIA The Devils will be without top goal-scorer Ilya Kovalchuk for Game 2 of their Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Flyers Tuesday night.

Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello finally confirmed what had been obvious, Kovalchuk was playing hurt. He is out with a lower-body injury and is day-to-day, Lamoriello said Tuesday before the team went on the ice for their morning skate.

The sixth-seeded Devils need offense to keep up with the No. 5 Flyers. They trail Philly 1-0 in the best-of-seven-games series after a 4-3 overtime loss Sunday, which can be pinned on their inability to get shots on the Flyers inconsistent goaltender, Ilya Brzgalov.

Kovalchuk, who scored 37 goals in the regular season, had not looked like himself through the playoffs. Lamoriello said Kovalchuk had dealt with the injury since "midway through the last round."

Kovalchuk had three goals and two assists in the first-round, a seven-game series win against the Panthers. He averaged just over three shots a game.

Sunday, in over 21-minutes of ice time, he did not have a shot on goal. It was the first time Kovalchuk did not have a shot on goal in his last 70 games, dating back to Nov. 23 against Columbus.

Kovalchuk did have an assist on Travis Zajac's power-play goal Sunday, but the Devils didnt sign him to a 15-year, $ 100 million deal to set up other players.