Devils have what it takes to erase 3-1 hole vs. Hurricanes, Elias says

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Patrik Elias knows what it takes for a team to climb out of a 3-1 hole in a best-of-7 series in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

"You got to go after it but go after it with smarts," Elias told NHL.com. "In the situation we're in right now I think the most important thing is for the guys to have that mindset and go from there."

The we Elias refers to are the New Jersey Devils, who face elimination heading into Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Second Round against the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; TNT, CBC, SN, TVAS).

Elias, a two-time Stanley Cup winner with the Devils, played a big part in the New Jersey's comeback from the same deficit against the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2000 Eastern Conference Final.

It's the only time in 11 tries the Devils won a playoff series in which they trailed 3-1.

RELATED: [Complete Hurricanes vs. Devils series coverage]

Elias hasn't lost hope it could happen again but knows it won't come easy.

"The mindset (entering Game 5 at Philadelphia) was that we weren't good enough, weren't playing to our potential," said Elias, who works in a consulting role with his former team. "We each realized we had way more to give in playing more as a team, doing it the right way. That was by waiting for our opportunity, making it difficult on Philly and, most importantly, not looking too much ahead."

Elias recalled the importance of playing smart and patient in the opening 10 minutes of Game 5 in Philadelphia. He said the Devils will need to do the same thing in hostile territory on Thursday.

"You know how hard it is to start a game in Carolina, so they got to be ready for that and simplify in the beginning," Elias said. "Carolina's going to come after you but don't give them any opportunities, make them work the first five minutes and it'll eventually even out because it always does. We have a good enough team to create offensive chances down low, below the dots, and that's very important. You can't be playing with the puck too much up along the blue line, making those risky plays."

Elias had a goal and an assist in a 4-1 win in Game 5 against Philadelphia.

"We've got some experience here, guys who have been through it, guys who know what it's going to take," he said. "We have a talented enough team to make the difference.

"When you look ahead and think about what you still have to do advance, it can be overwhelming, but the Devils know how they played in Game 3 (an 8-4 victory) when everything worked. They played with an edge, were confident, and that didn't happen in Game 4 (a 6-1 loss)."

Elias understands how difficult it can be to find your offensive groove as a player in the postseason. It comes down to perseverance and staying positive.

"It is hard, it's a different kind of game," Elias said. "I went through it. There are years where sometimes it clicked but other years the opponent is not a great matchup. You got to figure out another way to help the team, if it's power play, or just playing a little simpler. Sometimes there's no need to be flying around the ice all over the place. Maybe it's parking yourself in front and it doesn't matter if you're 150 or 230 pounds. You've got to break the slump some way to help the team.

"You don't want to put too much pressure on yourself, meaning I need to score, even though the team is counting on it. You have to find a way to help the team in other ways."

After outscoring the Flyers 8-3 in winning three straight games to close out the 2000 conference final, New Jersey defeated the Dallas Stars in six games for its second of three championships.

"They just have to play with poise, be simple, and see how things develop," Elias continued, "and we have more of the skill players on our side capable of changing the game if it is a low-scoring game."