Back from Break, Flyers Woes Continue in Loss to Devils

(Kate Frese/Sports Talk Philly)

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 

Facing a two-goal deficit in the third period, the Flyers changed goalies for the third time in their last four games.

It may have been their first game back from a five-day break, but little changed for the Flyers.

Two late goals in the second and another early in the third allowed another game to unravel as the Devils defeated the Flyers, 4-1, on Saturday night at Wells Fargo Center.

The Devils got on the board first in this one. Off a failed clearing attempt by the Flyers, Kyle Quincey threw a shot on goal. The rebound went to Wayne Simmonds, but he was quickly poke-checked by Pavel Zacha. The loose puck went to Jacob Josefson, who set up Zacha for the backhander in the slot to put the Devils ahead at 7:11.

The Flyers managed to get the equalizer just over three minutes later, just as a power play expired. After a few passes at the blue line, the puck came to the point where Ivan Provorov put a shot wide. The rebound came out the other side for Nick Cousins, who threw a backhander on Keith Kinkaid. But Cousins and Travis Konecny charged the net and Konecny managed to put it past Kinkaid for his eighth goal of the season. 

The Devils held the advantage in shots after the first, 14-10, and both teams went 0-for-2 on the power play in the period.

The two teams skated to an intense and tight-checking second period. The Flyers had the shot advantage in the period, 15-11, evening the shot total through two periods at 25.

The game took a turn however with 4:26 to play in the period. Miles Wood and Taylor Hall had a two-on-one, which Radko Gudas broke up with a hip check. It was called clipping, putting the Flyers shorthanded. In addition, Simmonds got an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, putting the Devils on a two-minute 5-on-3. They didn't waste any time capitalizing.

Kyle Palmieri ripped a shot from the top of the right circle past Michal Neuvirth to put the Devils in front, 2-1. The Flyers killed off the remaining 1:43 of power play time, but the damage was done.

The Devils added another goal late in the period. With the Flyers caught in a line change, Wood chased down a loose puck and sped around the Flyers defense, roaring in on a breakaway and scoring to make it a two-goal game with 48 seconds left in the second period.

Steve Mason came on in goal for the Flyers in the third, but that didn't stop the bleeding. A penalty to Pierre-Edouard Bellemare put the Flyers shorthanded again, and the Devils cashed in once again.

It was Wood left open at the side of the net. He took the feed from Hall for the easy tap-in goal to make it 4-1.

Kinkaid stopped 35 shots in picking up the win. The Flyers were 0-for-5 on the power play.

The Flyers are back in action on Sunday night when they face the New York Islanders at 6 p.m.

Box Score

Scoring Summary

1st Period

• NJ Pavel Zacha (4) (Jacob Josefson, Kyle Quincey) 7:11
• PHI Travis Konecny (8) (Ivan Provorov, Nick Cousins) 10:49

2nd Period

• NJ Kyle Palmieri (11) PP (PA Parenteau, Mike Cammalleri) 15:51
• NJ Miles Wood (6) (Cammalleri, Steven Santini) 19:12

3rd Period

• NJ Wood (7) PP (Hall, Karl Stollery) 4:26

Game Statistics