Ryan Poehling scores twice; Owen Tippett secures overtime victory against Devils, 3-2

NEWARK, N.J. — Ryan Poehling is buzzing.

Originally slotted in as the center on the fourth line to kickstart the season, Poehling was once again elevated to the second line during the Flyers’ shootout win against the Washington Capitals on Thursday night. In that game, he made a smart play to Joel Farabee from behind the net to set up his tying goal.

He stayed between Farabee and Cam Atkinson again on Saturday night in a win against the Detroit Red Wings and on Tuesday night he was finally rewarded with a pair of goals. Each of his goals tied things up before Owen Tippett intercepted a pass by Jack Hughes and sniped the puck with a minute and 36 seconds left in overtime to give the Flyers a 3-2 win over the New Jersey Devils. The Flyers’ point streak, which is now at nine (7-0-2), started with a 4-3 overtime loss to the Devils.

“I don’t think anyone really expected us to be doing this well but guys in this room are pulling in the same direction and it’s a lot of fun when you’re winning,” Tippett said. “We all want the same end goal and there’s just a lot of belief and we don’t quit until the game’s over.”

Poehling’s first of the night came after he picked off a pass attempt by Jack Hughes in the Devils zone. He then dropped it off for Farabee as they criss-crossed and headed to the right circle where he got the return pass and scored on a one-timer.

As Poehling has moved up the lineup, regardless of his left winger, he often has Farabee on his right. The pairing always seems to click.

“I’ve played with Joel a few times before here,” said Poehling regarding his 2019 World Junior teammate. “So every time we do, I love how he plays and he’s very predictable and he holds his own out there in a great way. He’s so skilled with the puck. So I mean, he’s an easy guy to play with, which you always appreciate.”

His second of the night came off a great stretch pass by Travis Sanheim up to Travis Konecny, springing the two forwards for a 2-on-1. Konecny seemed to be yelling, “thanks, buddy,” to Sanheim for the perfect pass.

He now has four goals on the season thanks to his fifth career multigoal game. The last time Poehling had a two-goal gamer was, well, against the Flyers. He potted two as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins on Nov. 25, 2022.

“Poehls has played himself in a position where he’s just demanding more ice time,” said coach John Tortorella. “Him and Beezer have had some chemistry along the way. The thing that really helps me with him is his skating. He could skate. And, you know, I have to find him more ice time and so went with that.”

Stop if you’ve heard this one before: Sam Ersson once again had an outstanding game.

The Swedish netminder has been on an absolute tear, going 7-0-1 in his last eight starts. He has started the past four games. Carter Hart did not dress for the game due to illness.

“I’ve been feeling more and more confident and also kinda like been getting into a little bit of a flow here, getting some games in a row,” Ersson said. “It’s been a lot of fun and, but for me, it’s very important to stay in the moment and be present. I know how I started the year so I know how it feels when things are not going great. So just stay in the moment and take [it] game-by-game here.”

Ersson started the season 0-1-2 and allowed 12 goals in his first two starts. But this version of Ersson is showcasing a calm game where he tracks the puck well. He made 24 saves in the game — including eight high-danger shots — with his buddies blocking another 21. And he did it again in front of his family.

“He’s a real confident kid, anyway. The thing that’s impressed me about him is when he was struggling early on, he owned it,” Tortorella said. “He talked about how disappointed he was in his play. And basically, it was Sam saying, ‘I’m gonna play better.’ And he has. Each start that he gets, he looks bigger to me. He settles us down. In the third period, overtime, he makes some great saves to keep it tied, so we have a chance to win it. So each game he’s playing better and better.”

Before the game, Tortorella was asked about the message to his team.

“Play — Be ready to start the game and play,” Tortorella said. “I think they lost big here the last game, and they’ll be ready to play tonight. All it is for me, as I said the other day, is readiness.”

Well, the Flyers weren’t exactly ready. Although they didn’t give up much in terms of shots on goal — the teams combined for 11 — the Devils took a 1-0 lead in the first period off a defensive breakdown.

After Nic Deslauriers played the puck around to Rasmus Ristolainen, the defenseman had the puck poked away by Curtis Lazar to Nathan Bastian. Egor Zamula left Michael McLeod alone in front and went down to try and block the pass but Bastian fed McLeod at the right post.

Deslauriers, who tried to pick up McLeod after Zamula released him, was seen throwing a bottle or two on the bench. Tortorella did talk to the forward on the bench, saying after the game he explained the need to go forward or north with the puck on that play. And he did lay the blame on that one particular play on the goal against.

After a five-game streak without allowing a power-play goal (16-for-16), and a stint of allowing just three in 51 opportunities against, the penalty kill is showing some minor cracks.

The Flyers allowed a power-play goal to the Capitals — and they have one of the worst power plays in the NHL. Although going 3-for-3 against the Red Wings, they allowed another extra-man marker on Tuesday night.

Each of the goals looked eerily similar, as they both came on the doorstep. Winger Tom Wilson was sitting on the left post and banged in a cross-crease pass from Dylan Strome for the Capitals.

In the Devils game, it was Jesper Bratt who knocked a bouncing puck in from atop the crease during the Devils’ lone power play. On Bratt’s goal, Sanheim went down to prevent the pass but Nico Hischier got a shot on before it seemed to float mid-air to his teammate.

“I don’t really know what happened,” Ersson said. “It kind of took a little bit of a weird bounce there and that’s what happens. I feel like I could maybe have done a little bit better job just keeping track of the puck and getting my eyes on it earlier.”

Cal Petersen, who was called up earlier in the day with forward Rhett Gardner, backed up Ersson. ... Olle Lycksell was sent down to Lehigh Valley in a corresponding move. ... Sanheim was back in the lineup after missing Saturday’s game due to illness. Marc Staal was the odd man out. ... Cam Atkinson was dropped down to the fourth line during the game and Garnet Hathaway was elevated to the wing with Farabee and Poehling.

» READ MORE: Carter Hart misses game against Devils

The Flyers play the first of back-to-back games on Thursday when they host the Nashville Predators (7 p.m. on NBCSP).