New Jersey’s Jamie Langenbrunner breaks up a third-period tie and sets up a pair of goals.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) – Jamie Langenbrunner is running the Boston Bruins out of the playoffs.

Langenbrunner broke a third-period tie and set up two other goals to lead the New Jersey Devils to a 4-2 win over the Bruins and a 2-0 lead in their first-round playoff series on Friday night.

Langenbrunner was acquired in a trading-deadline deal with Dallas last year and then did very little in the postseason (one assist). He has had a hand in five of the Devils’ six goals (three goals, two assists) against Boston.

“Mentally more than anything, I feel very comfortable on this team,” Langenbrunner said. “When you come in late, I think you’re still trying to find your niche. I’m getting a great opportunity to play important roles. I’m enjoying it.”

Jeff Friesen, Brian Rafalski and Joe Nieuwendyk also scored, and Martin Brodeur made 24 saves as the Devils became the only team in the playoffs to win their first two games at home this season.

“You know Boston is a great playoff town,” Brodeur said. “It’s going to be difficult to play. Having this cushion really helps.”

Glen Murray and Dan McGillis scored for Boston, which will return home for Games 3 and 4 in the best-of-seven series. The Bruins will need a big comeback to avoid a second straight first-round exit.

“There’s still time,” Bruins captain Joe Thornton said. “We’ve played well at home all year so we have to play well at home now.”

Langenbrunner broke a 2-2 tie 15 seconds into the third period by one-timing a Scott Niedermayer pass past Steve Shields on a 4-on-3 power play.

“He’s developed a better shot than I ever saw him take in Dallas,” said Nieuwendyk, who also came to New Jersey in the trade with Langenbrunner. “When you play with confidence and as gritty as he does, good things happen.”

The Bruins’ gritty play got them in trouble. Defenseman Nick Boynton was called for slashing at the end of the second period with time about to expire. The penalty wasn’t called until after the horn sounded, and Langenbrunner made Boston pay.

“I cost the team,” Boynton said. “We should have won that game. I took a dumb penalty and that’s that. It was an iffy call.”

New Jersey, which struggled with the extra man all season, was 2-for-7 with the extra man on Friday.

Brodeur and Rafalski made the lead stand up with big saves on the Bruins’ fifth and last power play.

Brodeur made a great pad save on Murray’s shot from between the circles with 8:09 to play. Seconds later, Marty McInnis ripped a shot that fluttered past Brodeur and hit off Rafalski, but the defenseman used his stick to pull the puck away from the net.

“I made the save and it went right off Ralfy’s pants,” Brodeur said. “I was going to try to whack it, but it hit off Ralfy’s shaft and went wide. It’s nice when guys are helping out like that.”

Langenbrunner iced the game by setting up Nieuwendyk on a breakaway with 5:36 to go.

“I have played against him for a while and he’s a skill player,” Bruins defenseman Bryan Berard said. “He can skate, and right now he is shooting the puck well and making smart decisions out there. We just have to find a way to limit our mistakes.”

The Bruins took an early lead, fell behind 2-1 before the first period ended, and then tied it in a second period marked by at least four scrums.

One of the melees in front of Brodeur ended up costing New Jersey when Colin White picked up a double minor for roughing.

McGillis tied it at 2 with a power-play shot from the high slot at 13:59.

Boston used a physical game to get the early lead.

Murray hit Scott Stevens behind the Devils net, and New Jersey was forced to send the puck around the boards. Bruins defenseman Ian Moran one-timed a shot on net, and Brodeur stopped Thornton’s rebound. Murray scored on the rebound at 8:52.

The Devils seemingly didn’t wake up until Stevens made an open-ice hit on Bruins forward Mike Knuble during a Boston power play. Shortly after the penalty ended, Langenbrunner set up Friesen in the left circle at 14:17.

Rafalski put the Devils ahead 2-1 with a power-play goal with 26 seconds left in the opening period. The defenseman’s shot appeared to hit off a Bruins player on the way in. It came 10 seconds after Knuble was called for interference.

Notes: Stevens got tangled with Thornton and needed 15 stitches to close a first-period skate cut under his right arm pit. … D Don Sweeney played in his 100th NHL playoff game. … Devils D Ken Daneyko played in his 164th consecutive playoffs game for New Jersey, which is every one the Devils have played. … Devils C Scott Gomez, who missed most of Game 1 after a collision with teammate Grant Marshall, played 15 shifts and had five shots. … Langenbrunner’s goal was the fastest at the start of a period in a Devils home playoff game. The old mark was 18 seconds, last done by Petr Sykora against Toronto on May 8, 2000.