Hischier's Late Goal Lifts Devils Over Flyers 4-3
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Nico Hischier scored on a deflection with 1:27 to play and the New Jersey Devils rallied to beat the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3 on Thursday night.
Damon Severson scored with 9:00 left to tie it, and Hischier's first goal in 11 games gave New Jersey its second straight win and spoiled goaltender Alex Lyon's first NHL start.
Kyle Palmieri and Drew Stafford also scored for the Devils, who have won only four times in 14 games (4-7-3) since Dec. 29. Keith Kinkaid made 22 saves.
Claude Giroux, Wayne Simmonds and Shayne Gostisbehere scored for the Flyers, who were looking for their third win over the Devils in less than a month. Lyon made 18 saves a night after making his NHL debut in relief of Michal Neuvirth, and Philadelphia lost its second in as many nights.
Blake Coleman set up the winner on a rush. His pass toward the net was re-directed by Hischier between Lyon's pads, just barely getting through and crossing the goal line.
Severson tied it after the Devils won a battle for the puck behind the net. Pavel Zacha found Severson coming down from the point for a quick shot from between the circles.
Gostisbehere gave the Flyers a 3-2 lead 7:01 into the second period with a shot from the left circle that hit off Kinkaid's side and the goalpost before trickling into the net. The puck got to the Flyers defenseman after a cross-ice pass hit off Severson's skate.
Gostisbehere, who had only one assist in his last seven games, also got an assist on Simmonds' tying power-play goal late in the first period.
With both teams right on the playoff bubble in the Eastern Conference heading into the final two-plus months of the regular season, this game was intense. There were two fights in the first period and several scrums, resulting in power plays that led to all four first-period goals.
Palmieri put the Devils ahead 1-0, beating Lyon from the right circle with a shot over the goaltender's shoulder.
Giroux tied it a little more than three minutes later with a shot into an open net with the Flyers enjoying a two-man advantage.
Stafford gave New Jersey 2-1 lead at 13:49, deflecting a shot by John Moore past Lyon. Simmonds scored on a rebound at 15:46 to tie the score at 2-all.
NOTES: Seven of Palmieri's 10 goals have been on the power play. ... Giroux's goal was the Flyers' second this season with a two-man advantage. ... Flyers F Travis Konecny had his five-game goal-scoring streak snapped. .... Philadelphia D Radko Gudas angered the Devils by jumping into Palmieri after a rush into the offensive zone. Travis Zajac got into a fight with Gudas minutes later, but all it did was give Philadelphia the power play on which Simmonds got his 17th goal.
UP NEXT
Flyers: Host Ottawa on Saturday night.
Devils: Host Pittsburgh on Saturday night.
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