NHL

Devils defeat Flyers in Game 2 without Kovalchuk; series tied

COMIN’ AT YA: David Clarkson (left) beats the Flyers’ Ilya Bryzgalov for the game-winning goal in the Devils’ 4-1 victory last night in Philadelphia, which evened their Eastern Conference semifinal series 1-1. (Getty Images)

PHILADELPHIA — By turning this series against the Flyers on its head, the Devils won one for themselves, but they also won one week for Kovy.

Theirs was a dramatic victory Tuesday night, 4-1 over Philadelphia that squared their Eastern Conference semifinal series 1-1, but meant so much on so many fronts.

Besides grabbing home-ice advantage from the Flyers, the Devils’ stunning four-goal, third-period comeback can be an inspiration they can ride right up the Turnpike to Newark for Game 3 Thursday night.

The Devils showed they could overcome the discouraging loss of Ilya Kovalchuk to a bad back and win without him, giving the Flyers a face slap to the swagger they built from their overtime triumph in the opener.

Now the Devils don’t have to press Kovalchuk back into action immediately, and can give him a full week off before Game 4, although that might not be enough to heal his back completely.

“The more we win, the less pressure is on him to make a miracle comeback,” Martin Brodeur told The Post. “He needs to get himself as good as he can to perform at the level we expect from him and he expects from himself. The last few games were tough on him. Now he’s getting treated and hopefully he’s going to get out of it.

“We’re here for a long journey, not a short sprint. If it takes him not being there, and us all pulling together, trying to weather the storm, and keep on going forward, he’ll be back when it counts.”

Kovalchuk sat out with what sources confirm is a back injury. He underwent an examination midway through the first round, and two sources suggest his condition may have been aggravated by riding a stationary bike during an off-day in Florida.

Though the Flyers had the Devils on their heels early, the visitors turned the tide with a near-record second-period shutdown, then romped home in the third.

“We knew the hole we’d be in if we lost, our backs against the wall. I’m not surprised with the way we responded,” Devils coach Pete DeBoer said.

The Flyers threatened to continue their home domination when rookie Matt Read opened the scoring 2:53 into play, given two chances after an unopposed stroll across the front of the net.

The Devils dominated the second but failed to tie the game, despite outshooting their hosts 12-0 through the first 18:33 of that period. The two shots they allowed matched the second-best total in team playoff history, behind just the one given up against the Bruins in the third period of Game 6 of the second round, May 9, 1994 — Brodeur’s first playoff shutout.

Adam Larsson, playing because Peter Harrold moved up to wing in Kovalchuk’s absence, tied the score in his playoff debut 3:08 into the third. On a 4-on-4, Larsson cruised in from the right point to the circle to fire over Ilya Bryzgalov’s glove, short side.

“My biggest goal,” said Larsson, who had played one game since March 25.

David Clarkson broke a 1-1 tie at 11:17 of the third period with his first goal of the postseason, ready to pounce on the right side when Bryzgalov poked the puck from Zach Parise, alone in front. Clarkson made quick work of the open side.

Travis Zajac gave the Devils insurance at 14:01, circling behind the net to wrap his fifth around the right post, and Bryce Salvador hit the empty net shorthanded with 2:51 left.

It left the Devils believing they’ve turned this series.

“In our minds, we hope so,” Parise said. “But we have to back it up in Game 3.”

It will be a lot easier now to imagine them doing so now.

Salvador wore the ‘A’ in Kovalchuk’s stead. … In each of the four previous Flyers-Devils playoff series, the winner of the opener won the series.