Jake Allen And The Devils Shutout Flyers 5-0

 

Photo: Andrew MacLean

   

   Following a frustrating 4-2 defeat earlier in the week, the Devils flipped the script in a decisive way, shutting out the Philadelphia Flyers 5-0 at the Prudential Center on Wednesday, reclaiming their momentum with a dominant performance across the board. Jake Allen, who was in the net for the previous loss, was a picture of composure, turning aside every shot and contributing significantly to the Devils' dominant performance. Both Jack and Luke Hughes found the back of the net for New Jersey, this marks the sixth time the brothers each scored in the same game. Dawson Mercer, Ondrej Palat, and Nate Bastian also scored for the Devils to help secure this incredible win. The Devils head back out on the road for two games, stopping in Buffalo first and Pittsburgh second before returning home to host the Vegas Golden Knights. The Flyers take on the New York Islanders at the Wells Fargo Center on Thursday.

New Jersey Devils Lineup:

Palat - Hughes - Bratt

Meier - Mercer - Noesen

Cotter - Dowling - Tatar

MacDermid - Lazar - Bastian

Siegenthaler - Hamilton

Dillon - Pesce

Hughes - Kovacevic

Allen

Poulter

Philadelphia Flyers Lineup:

Tippett - Frost - Konecny

Farabee - Laughton - Michkov

Foerster - Cates - Brink

Richard - Couturier - Hathaway

Sanheim - Drysdale

York - Ristolainen

Seeler - Johnson

Ersson

Fedotov

   Ondrej Palat got the party started after the scoreless first period when he found the back of the net for an early 1-0 lead in the middle frame on his 11th goal of the season. A wrister by Dougie Hamilton hit off the glass, the puck finding its way to Jack Hughes, whose pass was intercepted but quickly found its way back to Hamilton, who sent it to Jesper Bratt. The puck was passed back over to Hughes, and he sent it over to Palat for a power-play goal, scoring on his own rebound just 54 seconds into the second period. With 13:33 on the clock, Luke Hughes struck to make it 2-0 when he picked up his fourth of the season after Timo Meier lost the puck, Travis Sanheim grabbed ahold of it and accidentally gave it back to the Devils. Luke got ahold of it and drove down the ice with his brother on a 2-on-1 rush, sending a snap shot behind Samuel Ersson from the right face-off circle. Nathan Bastian gave New Jersey a 3-0 lead later into the period from the slot, scoring on the power play after a series of failed attempts to add to the lead when Luke took a pass from Jack and sent it to Meier, who fired it to the front of the net for Bastian's third goal of the season. Dawson Mercer extended it to 4-0 not long after the third Devils' tally with 6:17 remaining in the second, putting a snap shot over Ersson from low in the right circle off a pass from Meier, who had gotten the puck from Brett Pesce.

   Jack Hughes put the puck home for his 20th goal of the season and for the 5-0 final early into the third frame at 18:02 when he converted a give-and-go with Jesper Bratt after the Flyers took the puck out of their zone, fighting to keep it out, but failing when Brett Pesce got it back out for Hughes to grab ahold of it.

Notes:

- Jack and Luke Hughes not only each scored the sixth time in the same game, but it was also the second time that both brothers recorded a goal and an assist in the same game. ...With his multi-point night, Luke now ties Joe Cirella (15) for the fourth-most by a defenseman, 21 or younger, in franchise history. He sits behind Barry Beck (23), Scott Niedermayer (21), and Rob Ramage (18). ...With his helper on Ondrej Palat's goal, Jack has 40 assists this season so far.

- Prior to this game on Wednesday, Head Coach Sheldon Keefe announced that Nico Hischier would be missing the game against the Flyers, and will be week-to-week.

- Jesper Bratt, Timo Meier, and Brett Pesce each collected a pair of assists.

- Tomas Tatar skated in his 900th NHL career game.

- Jake Allen made a total of 24 saves for New Jersey in his fourth straight start. ...This is Allen's third shutout of the season, as well as the 27th of his NHL career, and his first in eight career matches against the Philadelphia Flyers.

- This is the first win for the Devils against the Flyers in three tries this season, including Monday's 4-2 loss.

- The Devils are 3-1-0 in their past four games.

- NJ: 29-18-6, PHILLY: 23-23-6

- Owen Tippett left the game early into the middle frame, not making a return to the lineup after taking a hit by Brendan Dillon at center ice.

- Samuel Ersson allowed four on 16 shots and was replaced by Ivan Fedotov, who made nine saves at 13:43 of the second period.

- The Philadelphia Flyers are 6-3-1 in their past 10 games.