Devils Rake Leafs

New Jersey
Devils

"It's a great feeling to get past the second round," said Sykora. "We just have to make sure we remain calm, we're just halfway there."

"Just to get that start, it was unbelievable," Devils rookie Scott Gomez said. "I don't know if it brought them down, but it brought us up. We just kept our game plan."

The Devils dominated the game holding the Leafs to only six shots. New Jersey will play the winner of Philadelphia-Pittsburgh series in the Eastern Conference finals.

"We didn't shoot the puck," Toronto coach Pat Quinn said. "It wasn't just in the series, it's an ongoing problem for our hockey club."

"We didn't give them much tonight," Devils captain Scott Stevens said. "We played excellent postional hockey. Because of the positioning, we never gave them any shots. We blocked shots at times and did whatever it takes to win."

Jason Arnott scored 25 seconds into the second period and John Madden added an empty-netter for the Devils.

New Jersey advanced past the second round for the first time since 1995, when they won the Stanley Cup.

"We can't look to far ahead," Devils center Bobby Holik said. "We just have to get ready for the next game and the next series. Whether it's Philly or Pittsburgh, there's nothing in the win column."

The Maple Leafs have been to the conference finals only four times since 1967, the last time they won the Stanley Cup.

"You've got to give them credit. They played well defensively," Toronto's Tie Domi said. "They gave us no space, we couldn't create any chances and we were were more worried about coughing the puck over then getting our own chances."