Devils dominate Flyers as road trip comes to a close

The Philadelphia Flyers had a chance to end their eight game road trip with a winning record. Jaromir Jagr notched a hat trick, Scott Gomez and Patrick Elias also scored and the Flyers lost to the Devils 5-2 on Saturday night.

Jagr opened the scoring at 13:20 of the first period. Ray Emery turned the puck over behind the net and Adam Henrique stole the puck and fed Jagr who stuffed home a backhander into the empty cage. 

Patrick Elias made it 2-0 three minutes later with his fifth goal of the year. R.J Umberger was in the box for high sticking when Elias slammed home a rebound on the power play. Nick Schultz blocked the initial shot but it found it's way to a wide open Elias who slammed it home.

Jagr got his second of the game with just over three seconds left in the period.  The Devils were able to gain control off a faceoff at their own blue line as time was winding down. Jagr managed to get the puck and fired a shot passed Emery for a 3-0 lead after the 1st period.

Steve Mason replaced Emery to start the second but it did not make much of a difference. Scott Gomez got his third of the season at 9:35 of the second to make it 4-0. Gomez fired a shot off the post and in behind Mason. 

Jagr would get his third of the night less than three minutes later. He slammed home a pass from Gomez for the hat trick goal and a 5-0 lead.  He became the oldest player in NHL history to record a hat trick.

Andrew MacDonald got Philadelphia on the board with his second goal of the season at 16:38 of the second. MacDonald took a pass from Brayden Schenn and fired a wrist shot home. 

The Flyers scored the lone goal of the final stanza as Vincent Lecavalier scored his seventh of the season on the power play at 5:59. Leacavlier took a pass from MacDonald and fired a laser over the shoulder of Cory Schneider. 

It was a close as the Flyers would get. New Jersey shut everything down after the Lecavalier goal and easily skated away with the victory.

The Flyers will be back in action Tuesday night at home against Ottawa. Game time is 7:00.

Bill Minchin is a contributing writer for Flyerdelphia. Follow Bill on Twitter @wtfd103074