Sloppy Flyers Handed Embarrassing Shutout Loss by Devils

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 

The Flyers played the team with the fewest points in the league on Monday night, came out and handled business. When the team with the third-lowest points total in the league entered Wells Fargo Center on Thursday, the expectation was to do the same thing and take care of business.

The Flyers didn't come close.

The New Jersey Devils scored 13 seconds in for the only goal they needed. They also scored in the first two minutes of the second and third periods as well, cruising to a 5-0 win over the Flyers on Thursday night.

The Flyers found themselves trailing almost immediately. Just 13 seconds into the game, Travis Zajac won a battle in the corner and centered to an open Blake Coleman. Coleman went to the backhand in the slot and beat Brian Elliott to make it 1-0 with his 20th goal of the season.

The Devils controlled play for most of the first half of the opening period, including getting a power play that the Flyers killed off. The Flyers had better chances in the second and went to the power play in the final three minutes of the period. On the Flyers man-advantage, the Devils got more chances. Elliott made three saves on the successful kill for the Devils, stopping two shots on a two-on-one and another on a shorthanded breakaway.

Through 20 minutes, the Flyers trailed 1-0 and the Devils had a 10-9 edge in shots.

Just like in the first, the Devils got an early power play in the second and this time they cashed in. Mackenzie Blackwood got the puck to Damon Severson to start a rush. Severson moved in on the right wing and fired a shot that beat Elliott to make it 2-0 at 1:39 of the period.

The Flyers outshot the Devils, 16-5, in the period and had two pucks go off the post, including one that leaked through Blackwood and sat at the side of the net for Jake Voracek but was rammed off the post. Despite the disparity in shots, the Devils took a 2-0 lead to the third.

The Flyers got a chance to get back into the game early in the third with a power play. But instead, the Devils finally cashed in on a shorthanded chance. Kevin Hayes whiffed on a shot and that allowed the Devils to gain control and come back on a two-on-one. Pavel Zacha finished it off, firing a shot past Elliott to make it 3-0 at 1:10.

Just over three minutes later, the Devils iced the game with a breakaway goal for Miles Wood, who gained control off a turnover by Shayne Gostisbehere at the blue line. That ended Elliott's night, he allowed four goals on 17 shots.

For good measure, Wood scored again at 11:16 of the third, getting around Phil Myers and outworked two Flyers defenders on the way to the net to beat Alex Lyon. Lyon made one save on two shots.

Blackwood picked up the shutout, making 46 saves.

The Flyers get back to action on Saturday night when they travel to face the Washington Capitals. Game time is 7 p.m.

Box Score

Scoring Summary

1st Period

• NJ Blake Coleman (20) (Travis Zajac, P.K. Subban) 0:13

2nd Period

• NJ Damon Severson (7) PP (Mackenzie Blackwood) 1:39

3rd Period

• NJ Pavel Zacha (6) SH (Kevin Rooney) 1:10
• NJ Miles Wood (9) (Unassisted) 4:23
• NJ Wood (10) (Mirco Mueller) 11:16

Game Statistics