Flyers Shut Out By Devils For 10th Straight Loss
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) -- Mackenzie Blackwood made 25 saves and the New Jersey Devils snapped a four-game skid and sent the reeling Philadelphia Flyers to their 10th straight loss, 3-0 on Wednesday night.
Jesper Bratt had a second-period goal and assisted on a power-play goal by rookie Dawson Mercer later in the period. Michael McLeod scored into an empty net late as the Devils beat the Flyers for the second time in 10 days.
Carter Hart had 24 saves for the Flyers, who fell to 0-2 under interim coach Mike Yeo. He took over on Monday after Alain Vigneault was fired.
The Flyers' 10-game skid (0-8-2) is two shy of the team's longest winless streak. The record of 12 games (0-8-4) was set from Feb. 24-March 16, 1999. Philadelphia's last win was 2-1 over Calgary on Nov. 16.
The longest current skid in the NHL is 11, shared by Arizona and the New York Islanders.
After a scoreless first period, Bratt put the Devils ahead at 5:30 of the second. Standing on the outside of the right circle, he took a cross-ice pass from Nico Hischier and beat Hart with a shot that got between the goaltender and the post for his seventh goal.
Mercer scored on a power play a little more than six minutes later. Defenseman Ty Smith took a shot from the point and Mercer tipped it past Hart for his seventh goal.
Blackwood had an easy night in his second shutout of the season. His toughest save came in the third period when defenseman Travis Sanheim skated around two players and was stoned on a backhand attempt in close. Sanheim has not scored a goal in 24 games this season.
Pavel Zacha of the Devils had a goal waved off late in the second period when the Flyers challenged the call for offside and won.
The Flyers and Devils will complete their three-game season series on Dec. 14 in Philadelphia.
JERSEY PRIDE
The Devils wore their new third jersey for the first time. The black sweater has the word 'Jersey' on the front. There are 21 stripes on the jersey, representing the state's 21 counties. The Devils moved to New Jersey from Colorado in 1982.
UP NEXT
Flyers: Travel to Las Vegas to face the Golden Knights on Friday in the second of a three-game trip.
Devils: Finish a three-game home stand on Friday against Nashville and former coach John Hynes.
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