PHILADELPHIA — The other Devils lost Tuesday night, the ones who have been shut out three times in their past nine games.
Martin Brodeur says other Devils besides the big guns have to win these games, now and more importantly, a month from now, when they’re chasing the Stanley Cup.
“These are the types of things that are going to be tough in the playoffs. You have to ride it out and find a way,” Brodeur told The Post after Tuesday night’s 3-0 loss to the Flyers snapped their four-game winning streak.
“In most of our games, our top six guys are doing the job. But when we’re getting shut out, our depth has to kick in,” Brodeur said. “In games like this, our chances come only from top guys. ”We don’t get the back support we usually get to feel good about our game.
The Devils’ suddenly too-frequent goal-less tendency stains their recent 14-6-1 surge, especially because they went 60 straight without being blanked before these last three shutouts.
It was the second time this season the Flyers shut out the Devils, beating them a 3-0 on Oct. 8, New Jersey’s opening night. They weren’t shut out again until Feb. 27, by the Rangers, and March 4, by the Islanders.
The Devils, still in sixth place in the Atlantic Division, squandered the chance to move ahead of the Flyers in the standings. The Devils finished 3-3 against Philadelphia.
Last night was the first time in seven games the Devils allowed more than one goal (5-2 while outscoring foes 20-8).
Even when presented a four-minute power play when trailing by two in the third, the Devils managed just one Ilya Kovalchuk shot, and little else.
“That seemed to sum up the whole night,” Patrik Elias said. “We weren’t aggressive enough.That’s the time we have to step it up and give ourselves a chance. That’s a pretty good opportunity to get back in the game.”
It was different from Sunday, when the Devils beat the Flyers 4-1 in Newark. Instead of Sergei Bobrovsky losing his fourth straight in the Flyers goal, Ilya Bryzgalov won his sixth in a row and his third straight shutout. Bryzgalov blanked the Devils in October, and Tuesday night started for the 12th time in 13.
Brodeur had the tougher task in the scoreless first, before Sean Couturier opened the scoring at 11:07 of the second, from Braydon Coburn’s right point bank pass off the right end glass. The puck fell to the right side of the crease, where Couturier knocked his 12th past Brodeur.
Jakob Voracek made it 2-0 2:14 into the third, when rookie defenseman Adam Larsson wandered to the left side where Bryce Salvador fell when Flyer Danny Briere was changing directions. Briere used Eric Wellwood as a moving pick around the corner to center for Voracek, who backhanded in his 13th on his second try.
Briere snapped his 23-game goal drought with an empty-netter with 4:49 left.
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The Post has learned that Devils center Travis Zajac received medical clearance Monday to begin hard skating before joining the team in practice and then returning to the lineup, perhaps by the end of the month.
Zajac missed his 62nd game of the season last night and likely would undergo another exam before beginning full practice.
Monday’s clearance is believed to have been the big hurdle in his second comeback from Aug. 18 Achilles tendon surgery. He returned to action Dec. 16 for eight games before leaving the lineup again Jan. 4 after reinjuring the tendon. He has not practiced since.
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The Devils play host to Colorado tomorrow. … Cam Janssen sat out while Steve Bernier returned to New Jersey’s lineup.