Flyers Show Guts In Back-to-back Spot, Go 3-1-0 On Road Trip

Flyers show guts in back-to-back spot, go 3-1-0 on road trip originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

NEWARK, N.J. — The Flyers played a commendable game on the second night of a back-to-back set to beat the Devils, 5-3, Saturday at the Prudential Center.

Owen Tippett and Matvei Michkov had multi-goal games for the Flyers. Tippett was awarded his second because of a tripping call when the Devils’ net was emptied and finished with three points on the night.

Trevor Zegras also had a goal and an assist, while Travis Konecny had two helpers.

Dan Vladar made huge saves for the Flyers (14-7-3), who are 8-2-2 in their last 12 games and went 3-1-0 on their road trip, which spanned only six days. They’re now in third place of a crowded Metropolitan Division.

“I don’t want to say it’s a measuring stick for us because I think we deserve to be talked about with the teams that we’re playing right now,” Konecny said of the road trip. “I think it just shows that we have some depth, we’re all contributing in different ways. If it’s your turn to be on the score sheet, that’s what you do. If it’s your turn to have a big block or big save from the goalies, everyone’s just stepping up. We love this group.”

Rick Tocchet’s club was coming off a 4-3 shootout win Friday over the Islanders. Entering this one, the Flyers were just 1-12-2 in the second game of back-to-back sets since last season.

Make that 2-12-2 now.

“I’m really proud of the group, how they played the second night of the back-to-back,” Vladar said.

New Jersey also played Friday, rolling the Sabres on the road, 5-0.

“From my experience, on the back-to-backs, I call it a professional game — good angling, short shifts, don’t put yourself in bad positions, use the bench,” Tocchet said before the game. … “They’re playing a back-to-back, too, so there’s no advantage tonight, there’s no excuse for tired teams. They played in Buffalo last night, so it’s an even game when it comes to energy.”

The Flyers are 2-0-0 in their three-game regular-season series with the Devils (16-8-1). They beat New Jersey a week ago when they scored three goals in 26 seconds en route to a 6-3 decision at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

The Devils have been without star forward Jack Hughes, who’s recovering from finger surgery.

• Vladar was really good with 29 saves on 32 shots.

The 28-year-old had a brilliant stop with 16 seconds left in the first period to keep the game tied at 1-1. The Flyers were on the penalty kill and Vladar denied Nico Hischier’s backdoor tip-in attempt.

The Flyers rewarded Vladar with a fast start after intermission. Michkov popped out of the penalty box and scored off a 2-on-1 with Konecny just 53 seconds into the second period.

Michkov then cushioned the Flyers’ lead to 3-1 a little under two and a half minutes later. Cam York made a nifty move at the blue line to set up Konecny for a shot, which Michkov got a piece of in front.

Vladar also delivered a big-time save with 2:33 minutes left in the second period when the Flyers were up 4-1 and New Jersey had a 2-on-1 shorthanded chance.

“He’s ridiculous, he’s unbelievable,” Zegras said. “I feel like he’s unbelievable every single time he’s in there.”

The Devils trimmed the Flyers’ lead to 4-2 with a power play goal in the final minute of the middle stanza. Dawson Mercer then made it very interesting when he dangled around the Flyers’ defense in the third period to draw New Jersey within 4-3.

But Vladar and the Flyers held on.

“In times where maybe they came at us a little bit, Vladdy kind of kept us rolling,” Tippett said. “It’s easy for us to kind of get a jump and get playing in front of him when you see him on his head like that behind us.”

Devils netminder Jacob Markstrom stopped 27 of the Flyers’ 31 shots.

• After being shut out by the Lightning, 3-0, to open the road trip, the Flyers scored 12 goals over the final three games.

“That Tampa game was tough, we did not play great,” Zegras said. “We had a big meeting on things that we wanted to do to get better, to play tighter, to play more connected. And I think the last three, we did that.”

Tippett opened the scoring against New Jersey just 5:18 minutes into the action with his 100th career goal and 200th career point. He made a nice move at the doorstep off a feed from Christian Dvorak, who finished November with 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in 14 games.

Zegras also recorded an assist on the play and then added his goal in the second period to make it 4-1. After Jesper Bratt hit iron on a breakaway, the Flyers immediately countered with a 3-on-1 rush and Zegras capitalized.

The Flyers improved to 12-2-2 when the 24-year-old trade acquisition records a point.

• Tyson Foerster and Nick Seeler had tough blocked shots on the same shift in the second period as the Flyers were protecting a 3-1 lead.

The Flyers also had two key penalty kills in the third period as the Devils were pushing for the game-tying goal.

“The one thing I love about this group is they always want to learn,” Tocchet said. “Whether we win or lose or it’s a bad period or it’s a good period, they’re asking questions, they’re trying to learn. That’s what we’re doing every day and we’re trying to build some blocks here.”

• The Flyers return home for a matchup Monday against the Penguins (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP).