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Devils Falter in Second, Can’t Complete Late Comeback vs. Flyers
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- Devils Falter in Second, Can’t Complete Late Comeback vs. Flyers
John Jones-Imagn Images
There's something about the Philadelphia Flyers that is giving the New Jersey Devils trouble this season. Perhaps, they're a touch faster. Maybe it's their relentless forecheck.
Whatever it is, the Devils have yet to figure it out, losing for the second of three meetings with them this season, one week apart, and suffer their first regulation loss at home this season.
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Let's get into how it happened.
Period One
Since their last meeting one week ago, the Devils have flipped the script on their starts, which saw them on a three-game win streak heading into Saturday night. However, New Jersey didn't start all that strong, and a loose defensive structure cost them early.
On the rush, the Flyers gained New Jersey's zone with the puck on Christian Dvorak 's stick. The Flyers forward fed Owen Tippett on the rush, and he went forehand backhand to score, giving Philly an early 1-0 lead just over five minutes into the first period.
The Devils began to tilt the ice back in their direction, and at the 12:00 mark of the first frame, tied the game when Simon Nemec finished a Jesper Bratt feed on the rush.
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New Jersey and Philly continued to trade even strength chances until the 18:45 mark when Matvei Michkov was whistled for cross-checking Luke Hughes .
In the closing moments of the first period, Dan Vladar kept the pressuring Devils man advantage off the board with two sprawling saves.
Period Two
The Devils had 45 seconds on the power play to start the second, and although they controlled the puck, they didn't accrue many chances.
New Jersey's man advantage came to an end, and the Flyers started a rush toward the Devils' zone. Travis Konecny fed a streaking Michkov in the slot, and the sophomore Flyers forward scored to give Philly a 2-1 lead.
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Shortly after, Konecny took advantage of a loose Devils defense, gained the slot from the blueline, and extended the Flyers lead to 3-1, and factored on goals just over two minutes apart.
Nico Hischier 's line later applied plenty of pressure in Philly's end of the ice, with Hughes and Nemec on the blueline. However, as tall as the Devils' offense stood, Vladar stood taller and maintained Philly's lead.
With play making its way toward the neutral zone, Bratt picked up the loose rubber and sprung for a breakaway. However, he hit iron, and the play went directly the other way to the Devils' end of the ice.
On the odd-man rush, Tippett fed Trevor Zegras for a one time chance, and although Markatrom just got a piece of the puck, it fell behind the Devils goal line and the Flyers took a commanding 4-1 lead.
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The Devils earned a late power play when the Flyers were whistled for too many men on the ice. Before the second period could end, Timo Meier deposited a rebound created by Bratt, scoring his ninth goal of the season on the power play, and sending the game into the second intermission with the Flyers leading 4-2.
Period Three
Six minutes into the third period, Dawson Mercer displayed incredible work ethic, and a silky set of mitts, winning a puck battle in the Flyers zone as it was exiting the zone. Mercer, however, prevented the clear, and skated the puck back into a high-danger area. After skating through the Flyers' defense, he slid the puck under Vladar, finishing an incredible one-man effort to bring the Devils back within a goal.
Garnet Hathaway then put the puck over the glass, giving the Devils an opportunity to tie the game on the power play.
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However, Vladar maintained the Philly one-goal lead, and even strength ensued.
Deep in New Jersey's zone, Luke Hughes took a clear high stick from Sean Couturier . The penalty went uncalled, however, Meier drew a penalty moments later after taking a slash.
The Devils' power play failed to even the score.
The clock ran down and although the Devils came close, they couldn't even the score.
With Markstrom removed from goal, Tippett was tripped on a breakaway, and awarded an auto-goal to give the Flyers a 5-3 lead, and victory.
Markstrom made 28 saves on 32 shots, with a -0.63 saves above expected.
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