THE DEVILS wouldn’t be where they are without the new wave, that’s pretty obvious what with Jamie Langenbrunner, Joe Nieuwendyk and Jeff Friesen scoring five of their team’s six goals in the opening two-game service hold against the Bruins. But no matter the degree of the franchise facelift that commenced at the 2002 trade deadline, Martin Brodeur and Scott Stevens remain the essential pillars of success.

Boston played hard and nasty in last night’s Game 2; had the physical edge early, beating the Devils to the battles before winning more than they lost.

And on a night when the puck was bouncing around like an unruly Blackhawk at a Columbus gentleman’s club, that attack bought the Bruins a 1-0 lead deep into the opening period. The Devils couldn’t complete a pass; couldn’t clear the zone without two or three tries at it.

And then up stepped Stevens with 6:15 to go in the period, and he stepped up on Mike Knuble at the left wing circle.

We’ve seen this before, more dramatically and more emphatically against Eric Lindros in 2000, Slava Kozlov in 1995 and Shane Willis in 2001, to cite the hat trick of open-ice highlights.

But though last night’s take-out of Knuble wasn’t Stevens’ biggest or best, it seemed to infuse the Devils with energy. Less than a half-minute later, Friesen tied it, and though the Bruins hardly conceded, the Devils became a more focused opponent.

“I think a hit like that brings confidence and life to the bench,” Stevens, who needed 15 stitches to close a right arm wound he sustained late in the first when cut by Joe Thornton’s skate, said after the 4-2 victory. “But it’s not something you can calculate. The opportunity has to present itself.

“I know people expect it. Sometimes I get the impression people think I can do it anytime, but it’s not like that. But I was able to do it in this game and hopefully it helped. Personally, it’s another one I can remember.”

Everyone remembers the Devils losing in six in last year to Carolina even though they surrendered only nine goals.

They lost because they had, as Nieuwendyk said, “issues and a degree of turmoil,” and they lost because Arturs Irbe and Kevin Weekes were able to create a tag team that played up to Brodeur’s level. Suffice to say that Steve Shields has not done that through two games for the B’s, which is why Jeff Hackett is expected to be in nets tomorrow afternoon in Boston.

Brodeur was especially active last night, hurling his body at shots, sparring with Michal Grosek, Martin Lapointe and all of the determined Boston net-crashers. He was at his best on a penalty kill midway through the third, repelling three glorious chances from around the net. He’s allowed two goals or fewer in 76 of his 117 Cup starts.

So the goaltender obviously doesn’t miss much. Except that he missed Stevens’ hit.

“I can’t watch Scotty; I’m watching the puck,” he said. “I’ve missed them all. I didn’t even see the one on Lindros.”