Devils Fall to Flyers

For a team that hadn't won a game all year, they didn't appear to be on a slide. The Flyers came out firing against the Devils Friday night, winning for the first time this season 6-3. I’m sure beating their archrivals felt pretty good as well. The game went back and forth throughout, but for once the Devils defense let them down.

The Devils opened up the scoring just 47 seconds in on Travis Zajac’s first goal of the year. However, it took Phily only about a minute later to tie the game on Jeff Carter’s fifth of the year from Martin Biron.

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Biron would end with 23 saves on the night. The first period scoring didn’t end there. The Flyers took a 2-1 lead after Mike Knuble got it past Brodeur on a Philadelphia powerplay. Four minutes later the Devils took advantage of their own man-up opportunity with a goal by Dainius Zubrus, from Zach Parise and Patrick Elias. With about twenty seconds remaining in the first, Parise lit the lamp for his fifth of the season, giving the Devils a 3-2 lead heading into the locker room.

The second period belonged to the Flyers. Simon Gagne connected for his fifth of the year on the powerplay once again. The Devils need to find a way to stop teams while short-handed. Scott Hartnell would give the Flyers the lead for good with about three minutes remaining in the second.

Although being out-shot 14-7 in the third, the Flyers scored two more goals (one empty netter) to finish off the Devils for their first victory of the year. Even without superstar Daniel Briere, Philadelphia found a way to score and win against a very tough defensive-minded Devils team. Brodeur allowed 5 goals on 27 shots. He came into the game with a 1.30 G.A.A. and a .942 save percentage.

The Devils will get a rematch today at 4 at Philadelphia. They will try to rebound after letting up the most goals they have all season. They will also try to gain ground they lost on the Rangers last night, who were victorious against the Blue Jackets.

Notes:

Devils powerplay looked slightly better, going 1 for 3.
Jamie Langenbrunner left game in the second period.
Mike Richards had a career-high four assists for the Flyers.