The Devils' skill players – like Patrik Elias and Petr Sykora and Brian Rafalski – skated up and down the ice, without worry of anyone doing anything the least bit nasty to them.

Their big forwards – like Jason Arnott and Bobby Holik and Randy McKay – had their way with the Pens' undersized and undermanned defense.

And, their rugged defensemen – like Scott Stevens and Ken Daneyko and Colin White – beat up an injured and disinterested Jaromir Jagr just enough to make him disappear?completely.

Yes, there was the fear of Super Mario. But, in the end, even a player as great as Lemieux needs help. On the team he owns, there was none to be found.

In Colorado, however, there is a lot of help. In fact, there is a team committed to taking the Cup from New Jersey. The slogan that hangs from banners around the Pepsi Center says it all, "One Team, One Goal."

So, in Saturday's Game 1, the Devils found themselves-for the first time in more than two weeks-playing in a competitive playoff game. Suddenly, the champs found that loose pucks were being contested, passing and shooting lanes were being clogged and guys were actually getting hit.

It all seemed to be major shock to the Devils' collective system. They looked rusty. They looked slow. They looked out of sync. Actually, they kind of looked like the Dallas Stars in the opener of last year's Cup Final in New Jersey, won by the Devils, 7-3. (You remember that game. The A-Line was A+ and Ed Belfour was zonked out on cold medicine.)

Against the talented, focused, hustling Avalanche, the Devils didn't have the time and space to make pretty plays. So, they ended up rushing things. They haven't had to do that in a while and it showed.

Last year, when they hammered the then-defending champion Stars in Game 1 and went on to take the Cup, the Devs had come off a tooth-and-nail battle with the Flyers in the Eastern Conference final. In that series, they rallied from 3-1 down to win the last three games. By the time they reached the Stars, they were firing on all cylinders.

Now, having been clubbed 5-0 by the Avs in this year's opener, the Devils have two days off before Tuesday's Game 2. Two days to get back up to speed. Two days to get back in sync. Two days to find some answers for the Avs and their legendary goalie, Patrick Roy, who has been "in his zone" since Game 2 of their second round series against the Kings.

Can the Devils do it? Yeah, they absolutely can. There's a great team in that dressing room. But, they'd better find their game fast, because they ain't in Pittsburgh anymore.

E.J. Hradek writes puck for ESPN The Magazine. E-mail ej.hradek@espnmag.com.