Flyers sweep Devils in 3-1 win
Photo by Flyers Twitter
It’s not how you start in many NHL games, it’s how you finish them.
That’s how the Flyers played tonight as they had an alright first period, but a gosh-awful and second period, but finished it off int the third to win 3-1!
Recap:
Period 1
The game started out with a Claude Giroux steal and a breakaway. There two Devils behind him, it was all Giroux. Right when Giroux got to the goal, the puck slipped off his stick and away from Giroux.
After six shots on goal in six minutes, the Devils would knock in their first goal of the game. As Gustafsson was guarding Severson, who knocked in the goal, and he, once again, decided to not play hockey, of course. Serverson shot it off the left post and past Hart to make the score 1-1.
Then just a few seconds later, Gustafsson would put up a shot that hit off the left pad of Wedgewood. Presser was right where he should’ve been and he knocked in the rebound.
Now, you might be scratching your head, who is Prosser? Well, this his first game as a Flyer. He’s a defenseman that hasn’t scored a goal in the NHL since April 5, 2018. He was with the Minnesota Wild for a while, then played for St. Louis Blues for only one game. The Flyers would then pick him up over the offseason to be on the taxi squad. They would call him up prior to Thursday night’s game for some defensive help.
Anyway, he would knot up the game at one!
The first power play of the night would go in the Devils’ favor as Sanhiem was caught interfering. As the Flyers’ penalty killing hasn’t been the greatest lately, they were able to kill off the penalty and get the game back to full strangth.
Period stats:
Flyers: 4 shots on goal, 4 hits, 14 faceoffs won, 2 penalty minutes.
Devils: 14 shots on goal, 7 hits, 2 faceoffs won, 0 penalty minutes.
Not the best first period by the Flyers, but not the worst either. The Flyers are still allowing way too many shots, but not a bad first for the Flyers.
Score after one was Flyers 1, Devils 1.
Period 2
The first penalty of the period was called on Patrick as he got caught slashing. The Flyers would kill the New Jersey power play for their second PPK of the evening.
Just a bit after the 11 minute mark, Carter Hart would make a fantastic sliding save to keep the game tied at one.
Voracek got held by Zacha. Flyers would go their first power play of the night! The penalty was killed.
Flyers would later be called for too many men on the ice. Flyers killed off the power play. After going into the game struggling on the penalty kill, they’ve killed every penalty so far.
Period stats:
Flyers: 4 shots on goal, 3 hits, 8 faceoffs won, 4 penalty minutes.
Devils: 10 shots on goal, 5 hits, 8 faceoffs won, 2 penalty minutes.
After a disappointing second period, the score remains 1-1.
Period 3
Flyers started off with a crazy goal that will be hard to break down, but here we go!
Flyers came down in the offensive zone, Devils recovered. A Devil then lost the puck and the Flayers recovered it. Bunnaman shot it, then Raffl got the rebound and got the puck in the net to give the Flyers a 2-1 lead!
The Flyersa few moments later would win a faceoff in the offensive zone. Gustafsson would get a pass, he slapped a shot that deflected onto Giroux stick and into the net. It’s Giroux’s first goal of the season as the Flyers doubled their lead to 3-1.
Farabee would get called for slashing, he went to the box. During the penalty, Subban went to the box for hooking. It was four-on-four for a few moments then both penalties were killed.
Wedgewood went to the bench for the Devils with over 2 minutes to go. Devils had an empty net.
The Flyers would hold on for the 3-1.
Game stats:
Flyers: 17 shots on goal, 14 hits, 39 faceoffs won, 8 penalty minutes.
Devils: 34 shots on goal, 14 hits, 14 faceoffs won, 4 penalty minutes.
3 stars:
- Hart (33 saves)
- Claude Giroux (1g)
- Erik Gustafsson (2a)
The Flyers (5-2-1) will go back home to play the New York Islanders (3-3-0 as of 9:35 P.M. E.S.T.) on Saturday, Jan. 30 at 7:00 P.M. E.S.T.
