Final - OT
Flyers-Devils Preview
Dec 4, 2015 - 5:59 AM Philadelphia's last meeting against New Jersey was the very beginning of a prolonged slump, but the Flyers hope the next will help them continue their resurgence.While the Flyers seek a fourth straight win Friday night, the Devils try to avoid a fourth consecutive home defeat.
Philadelphia (10-10-5) has won three in a row and four of five to offset a miserable three-week stretch. The Flyers went 2-7-3 from Oct. 29-Nov. 21, starting with a 4-1 home loss to the Devils, but they have a chance to sweep their three-game road trip.
They opened it with wins of 3-0 over the New York Rangers on Saturday and 4-2 over Ottawa on Tuesday, the latter sealing Philadelphia's first three-game winning streak.
"The last little bit we've been playing good hockey,'' right winger Wayne Simmonds said. ''I think we're spending a lot more attention to detail and we're getting it done.''
Simmonds tallied a goal and an assist against the Senators, giving him three goals and two assists in the past two games after he went six contests without a point.
Steve Mason also has been a key contributor lately after opening the season 2-5-2 with a 3.55 goals-against average in his first nine games. He has a 1.82 GAA for a 3-2-2 record with one shutout in his last seven.
Mason has been the constant for a defense that allowed at least four goals eight times in its opening 16 games but has done so just once in the last nine.
He did suffer the late-October loss against New Jersey, though, after surrendering three goals on 32 shots, and he has lost all seven of his starts against the Devils with a 3.77 GAA.
The Flyers' defense will also be without Radko Gudas for three games after he was suspended without pay by the NHL on Wednesday for an illegal check to Ottawa's Mika Zibanejad's head. He was not penalized on the play but will sit out after it was reviewed by the league.
The first matchup in this series started Philadelphia's decline, but it was the middle of a 10-3-0 stretch for New Jersey.
The Devils (13-10-2) have been inconsistent at 3-4-1 since, and they will try and win back-to-back games for the first time since the tail end of their hot stretch.
New Jersey has scored just four goals during a three-game losing streak at the Prudential Center, and ranks 29th in the league with 1.92 goals at home. Only Philadelphia (1.75) is worse.
But the Devils, who have won three in a row and five of six in this series, had no problem offensively in Thursday's 5-1 victory at Carolina. Mike Cammalleri scored twice and added an assist while Adam Henrique, Stephen Gionta and Jacob Josefson each found the back of the net.
''We feel like we accomplished something as a team (Thursday),'' Cammalleri said. ''The result followed.''
Center Travis Zajac left the game during the first period with an upper-body injury. Zajac, who has six goals and nine assists, won't be available against the Flyers but his status moving forward is unclear.
Backup Keith Kinkaid earned the win, but Cory Schneider will be back in net Friday. Schneider earned the victory in the first matchup, and he is 3-2-0 with a 2.37 GAA lifetime against the Flyers.
- PHILADELPHIA: 4
NEW JERSEY: 3
Final - OT
Feb 26 4:49 PM - PHILADELPHIA: 4
NEW JERSEY: 3
Final - OT
Dec 4 9:42 PM - End of 1st OT.
Dec 4 9:41 PM - PHILADELPHIA: 3
NEW JERSEY: 3
End of Regulation
Dec 4 9:34 PM - End of 3rd Period.
Dec 4 9:34 PM - Power play - Goal scored by Mike Cammalleri assisted by Lee Stempniak and Tyler Kennedy
Flyers 3, Devils 3 3rd - 1:00Dec 4 9:33 PM - Goal scored by Pierre-Edouard Bellemare assisted by Chris VandeVelde and Yevgeni Medvedev
Flyers 3, Devils 2 3rd - 10:30Dec 4 9:22 PM - Goal scored by Kyle Palmieri assisted by Patrik Elias and Mike Cammalleri
Flyers 2, Devils 2 3rd - 18:05Dec 4 9:05 PM - End of 2nd Period.
Dec 4 8:43 PM - PHILADELPHIA: 2
NEW JERSEY: 1
End of 2nd
Dec 4 8:42 PM - Power play - Goal scored by Claude Giroux assisted by Jakub Voracek and Shayne Gostisbehere
Flyers 2, Devils 1 2nd - 12:48Dec 4 8:18 PM - PHILADELPHIA: 1
NEW JERSEY: 1
End of 1st
Dec 4 7:46 PM - End of 1st Period.
Dec 4 7:46 PM - Power play - Goal scored by Wayne Simmonds assisted by Jakub Voracek and Claude Giroux
Flyers 1, Devils 1 1st - 10:04Dec 4 7:27 PM - Stephen Gionta won faceoff against Sean Couturier in neutral zone
Dec 4 7:09 PM - PHILADELPHIA: 0
NEW JERSEY: 0
1st Period - 20:00
Dec 4 7:08 PM
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