Flyers pushed to overtime by the Devils, lose 3-2 on Jack Hughes’ game-winner
A day after getting blown out in the season opener, the Flyers showed improvement and Rasmus Ristolainen scored their first goal on a delayed penalty. Backup goalie Joseph Woll made 41 saves.
NEWARK, N.J. — Make no mistake, Joseph Woll was the primary reason the Flyers scored even a point on Thursday.
His 41-save performance masked an up-and-down game from the Flyers in the 3-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Jack Hughes’ overtime winner. It was an improvement compared to Wednesday’s 7-0 clunker, enough to send the game to overtime tied at 2-2, but after getting nearly doubled up on shots, it’s clear the Flyers still haven’t fully shaken off the offseason rust.
With a training camp of questions about the power play, the Flyers scored their first goal of the season at six-on-five on the delayed penalty. Rasmus Ristolainen opened the scoring for the season with a redirect in front in the first period. Their only power play later in the game did not register a shot, so there’s work to be done there still.
» READ MORE: Flyers hope to rebound vs. Devils after having a ‘wake-up call’ in the season opener
The Flyers took three offensive zone penalties in the first period, from Noel Acciari, Trevor Zegras, and Sean Couturier. That slowed the team’s offensive momentum, but did give a good look at the penalty kill, which stood strong through the first period.
The defense, which Rick Tocchet said was “the worst” he’s seen it during his tenure as head coach on Wednesday, had more structure, and kept a lot of the shots on Woll from long-range.
But eventually, as the Devils gashed through the neutral zone and fired pucks on net, something was bound to get through. That was Dougie Hamilton, who fired a first shot that got blocked by Matvei Michkov, collected the rebound, and finally got one past Woll in the second period, 30 shots in.
Early in the third period, Woll made his best save yet, sprawling to get a toe on a point-blank shot from Jesper Bratt. He kept the Flyers in it just enough for Travis Sanheim to fire a scorcher past Jake Allen to restore a one-goal lead.
The Flyers couldn’t maintain the lead for long. Luke Hughes tied the game at 2-2 with a wrister and the Devils forced overtime, where a Sanheim turnover gave Hughes, Bratt, and Hamilton a rush chance, all they needed to win the game.
