Postgame 5: Flyers End Preseason with 5-4 Win over Devils

The Philadelphia Flyers finished the 2024 preseason with a 5-4 win against the New Jersey Devils at Wells Fargo Center on Thursday evening. Philadelphia finished the exhibition slate with a 4-3-0 record.

Olle Lycksell (2nd goal of the preseason) collected a loose puck at the net and then stashed it home for a 1-0 lead at 4:00 of the first period. The assists went to Oliver Bonk and Anthony Richard.

At 10:35 of the opening stanza, New Jersey knotted the score on a 3-on-2 rush. Taking a cross-ice pass from Mikael Diotte. Ryan Schmelzter scored on a one-timer from the deep slot above the circle on the other side. Jack Malone drew the secondary assist.

J.R. Avon (PPG, 1st) put on a burst of speed, cut in and scored off a power play rush for a 2-1 lead at 1:23 of the second period. Rodrigo Abols and Oliver Bonk earned the assists.

Very shortly after the Flyers changed goalies, Mike Hardman scored on a scorching shot as a power play expired. The goal was wiped out by an offside review.

The Devils' Kevin Labanc scored one that counted through layered traffic at 18:36. The assists went to Daniil Misyul and Justin Dowling.

Philly responded immediately. Sixteen seconds after the Labanc tally, Emil Andrae (1st) of the preseason, intercepted a New Jersey turnover inside the blueline and scored an unassisted goal through a Noah Cates screen at 18:52.

The Flyers added a power play goal for a 4-2 lead at 3:58 of the third period. Andrae teed up a nice pass to Richard (PPG, 2nd of the game) for a one-time blast into the net from below the right dot. The secondary assist was credited to Erik Johnson.

Labanc buried a 5-on-3 one-timer off the far side post and in for a power play goal. The assists went to Dowling and Hardman at 11:18.

Noah Cates scored a power play goal (1st of the preseason) for a late 5-3 lead. Richard picked up his third point of the night. Andrae, with a secondary assist, also secured a three-point game.

With Issac Poulter pulled for a 6-on-5, Labanc scored from about five feet from the right post with 10.2 seconds left to reduce the final margin to 5-4.

Ivan Fedotov (seven saves on eight shots) and Alexei Kolosov split the game in goal for the Flyers. Kolosov (11 saves on 14 shots) entered at 10:11 of the second period. Isaac Poulter (24 saves on 29 shots) went the distance for New Jersey.

FLYERS STARTING LINEUP

Olle Lycksell - Noah Cates - Anthony Richard

Oscar Eklind- Rodrigo Abols - Garnet Hathaway
Brendan Furry - Jacob Gaucher - Garrett Wilson

Elliot Desnoyers - J.R. Avon - Sawyer Boulton

Emi Andrae - Helge Grans

Adam Ginning - Erik Johnson

Hunter McDonald - Oliver Bonk

Ivan Fedotov

[Alexei Kolosov]

POSTGAME 5

1) Samuel Laberge and Sawyer Bouldton had a brief fight early in the first period. Boulton went off for repairs. At the 7:00 mark, Hunter McDonald dropped the gloves with Nathan Lagere.

2) First period shots on goal favored the Flyers, 12-4. Noah Cates had a golden opportunity for a goal but was denied by Poulter.

3) At 1:03 of the second period, Hathaway was stoned on a power play breakaway. On the next shift, Avon scored. Moments later, Fedotov stopped Justin Dowling one-on-one on a transition rush.

4) Boulton and Laberge fought again at 3:14 of the second period. Boulton, who received an instigator penalty, fared better in this tussle.

5) In the opening minute of the third period, Kolsov made a point-blank save on Labanc to protect the 3-2 lead. With 1:55 left in regulation, the Devils were guilty of a too many men on the ice penalty.