Underrated Brylin Returns To Devils

Tough little tiger. Sparkplug. Mr. April.

Those are just some of the names that have been used this spring to describe winger Sergei Brylin, an underrated cog in the New Jersey Devils machine. And it’s part of the reason Brylin’s return to the lineup for tonight’s Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against Toronto was so eagerly anticipated.

“We know he’s going to give us whatever he’s given us before,” center Bobby Holik said after Friday afternoon’s practice at Air Canada Centre. “He has speed, he’s solid off the boards, and he’s a very good defensive player, better than a lot of people think. He’s scored playoff goals before, so I expect him to do what he’s done in the past.”

Brylin hasn’t played since Game 2 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals when he bruised his right knee in a collision with Florida’s Oleg Kvasha.

“I’m just happy to be back with the guys,” said Brylin. “It was pretty painful to sit home for two weeks and watch these guys play.”