Devils Shutout in Philly | GAME STORY

PHILADELPHIA, PA - A shorthanded goal by Flyer Travis Konecny eventually sealed the Devils’ fate in Philadephia on Saturday night.

Retrieving a puck in the neutral zone and skating free for a breakaway, Konecny unleashed a wrist shot that beat Devils goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen for the game’s opening goal. It was the only bit of offense the game would produce, and stood as the game-winner, as the Devils are shutout in Philadelphia 1-0. The Flyers desperately needed the victory in order for them to remain in playoff contention. 

"It was a tight game, we knew they were going to put it all on the line, because they want to make the playoffs," Jonas Siegentahler said, "We knew that, I thought we didn't play bad, our energy matched their energy but at the end, it was a one-goal difference which kind of sucks, but that happens."

The game was a tightly contested affair, where one quick moment at 10:50 of the second, made the difference for the Flyers, who also blocked 19 shots.

"We just didn’t get the puck through enough," Siegenthaler added, "They did a good job blocking shots, there was always somebody in the lane. They did it pretty good."

“I think both teams ended up with 20 shots, it was a tight-checking game," interim head coach Travis Green shared, "They defended well, we defended well, as well. It came down to a shorthanded goal.”

The Devils with their 1-0 loss in Philadelphia finish their road schedule for the 2023-24 season with a 21-18-2 record.

Here are some observations from the game:

• The Devils were forced to kill off a Flyers 5-on-3 power play for 1:13 midway through the first period. Nico Hischier, John Marino and Jonas Siegenthaler were tasked with the job and played the entire 1:13. The three Devils did a valiant job, killing off the penalty and providing very little opportunity to the Flyers by keeping Philadelphia along the walls and aggressively using their sticks in the passing lanes.

"They were great," Kahkonen said of his teammates in front of him. "It was clear, for me it was easy to read, whenever we were putting pressure on, I knew I could take a step back and see if they try to go seam, or whatever. When they had a chance to shoot, it was clear, I had a sightline to the puck so good job by those guys."

New Jersey went on to kill both Erik Haula and Brendan Smith’s penalties, keeping the score at zeros.

• Kahkonen was playing his first game since he was injured against Toronto on April 7, when he was forced to leave the game with a lower-body injury. In his return to the lineup, he made 19 saves 20 shots. Perhaps one of his biggest saves was in the third period when the puck bounced unexpectedly off the end-boards straight out to his right. The unexpected bounced left Travis Konecny the beneficiary, who had a point-blank opportunity in close but Kahkonen stayed sharp on the play, making the high-danger save.

• Trailing 1-0, Travis Green shortened his bench reuniting a line of Ondrej Palat, Nico Hischier and Jesper Bratt in the second period. Used sparingly in the period were Kurtis MacDermid, Nolan Foote and Graeme Clarke.

Green rolled mostly three lines:

Palat-Hischier-Bratt
Meier-Tierney-Mercer
Bowers-Haula-Holtz

• Travis Konecny’s shorthanded goal was his sixth this season for Philadelphia, which is the most by an NHL player since 2018-19 when Arizona’s Michael Grabner scored six.

• The Devils were shut out for a fourth time this season and for the first time since Feb. 10 against Carolina.