The Philadelphia Flyers and New Jersey Devils played at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey for the 2024 Stadium Series on Saturday, February 17th. Both Nico Hischier and Nathan Bastian scored two goals in a 6-3 victory against the Flyers. Owen Tippett scored two of the three goals for the Flyers. This is the biggest game of the season, to date, that the Devils have won while also playing on the largest stage they've ever played on in the first NHL outdoor game in New Jersey.
On Sunday, February 18th - The New York Rangers and the New York Islanders play the second 2024 Stadium Series game... It was announced that the Detroit Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets will be playing the 2025 Stadium Series game at the Ohio Stadium.
Flyers lineup against the Devils:
Tippett - Couturier - Konecny
Farabee - Frost - Atkinson
Cates - Poehling - Hathaway
Lycksell - Laughton
York - Sanheim
Seeler - Walker
Staal - Drysdale
Zamula
Ersson
Peterson
Devils lineup against the Flyers:
Palat - Hischier - Bratt
Hughes - Haula - Toffoli
Meier - Lazar - Mercer
Holtz - Nosek - Bastian
Bahl - Nemec
Hughes - Marino
Smith - Miller
Daws
Schmid
Nico Hischier gave New Jersey a 1-0 lead just 32 seconds into the game on a breakaway. At 6:30 of the first period, Tyler Toffoli extended the Devils' lead to 2-0 off a rebound from a shot by Brendan Smith from the point. The Devils kept their 2-0 lead in the next few minutes remaining in the first frame.
Cutting New Jersey's lead to 2-1, Owen Tippett scored his 20th goal of the season 12:17 remaining in the second period. Late into the middle frame and off a rebound of Ondrej Palat's shot, Brendan Smith pushed it 3-1... Only 72 seconds later, Nathan Bastian scored into the top right corner of the net coming from the right circle to give the Devils a three-goal lead. Tippett strikes again to get his 21st goal of the season and to cut New Jersey's lead again, 4-2, on the power play.
Nico Hischier got his second of the night to make it a 5-2 game at 17:12 of the third period. At 10:53, Nick Seeler fired a shot by Nico Daws to get the Flyers their third and final goal of the night... as well as his first goal of the season. Nathan Bastian struck the empty net at 1:45 to get his second goal of the night and his fifth goal of the season for a 6-3 final.
Nico Hischier on the Devils' win against a rival team and what he tries to bring every game to help the team: "It was a big game, big event, but especially a big game against a rival. A four-point game here, and it was a huge win for us. That's a team we're chasing and I think everybody was ready to play. It was all business for us here," - "I just want to bring something to the table that helps the team. I always try to have a team-first mentality and do whatever I can to help the team. Tonight was a big game, I knew I had to bring my 'A' game. I think I did that and I was happy to help the team win."
Nathan Bastian on Nico Daws and how Daws has been playing, as well as what he brings to the team: "For a couple of weeks now, I think you've seen, he's been awesome. Goaltending is such a huge part of the game and all of our goalies have helped us at different points. There have been stretches of seasons where as a group, we've played some tough hockey and it's made our goalies look bad. Lately, Nico has been making us look good. Having a young guy back there who's playing and he's confident, it's so promising for us."
Nico Daws on how it felt stepping onto the ice at the MetLife Stadium and the Devils getting the first lead in their 6-3 victory: "It was kind of breathtaking. To hear everybody chanting and the majority of them being Devils fans, that was really special. It was a lot of fun," - "Getting the first goal is really important. Anytime you can get out to a one-nothing lead, it's going to help a lot. It makes everybody feel comfortable right away."
Notes:
- Nico Hischier's opening goal was the second-fastest goal to start an NHL outdoor game. Hischier is behind Colby Armstrong, who scored a goal in the first 21 seconds of the 2008 Winter Classic in Buffalo.
- The Devils are just five points behind the Philadelphia Flyers for third place in the Metropolitan Division, a game in hand... They are two points behind the Detroit Red Wings for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference...
- Brendan Smith had a goal and an assist... Ondrej Palat, John Marino, and Curtis Lazar each had two assists.
John Marino hit 100 NHL career points... Colin Miller played his 500th NHL career game.
- Nico Daws made 45 saves for New Jersey and Samuel Ersson made 34 saves for Philadelphia.
- Owen Tippett scored two goals, both were off passes by Travis Konecny.
- This was the first NHL outdoor game to have three players with at least two goals.
*All photos used by the New Jersey Devils used with permission*
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