Devils hold off late Flyers push for fourth win in five games

PHILADELPHIA --Travis Zajac and Yegor Sharangovich each had a goal and an assist for the New Jersey Devils, who held on for a 4-3 win against the Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Center on Tuesday.

Michael McLeod and Kyle Palmieri scored, and Mackenzie Blackwood made 30 saves for New Jersey (12-14-4), which has won four of its past five games.
"We did a lot of good things," Devils coach Lindy Ruff said. "All four lines played well, defense played well, our puck movement was really good leaving our zone. I thought until the third period when we got a little bit on our heels, it might have been our best game all the way around, and [Blackwood] was giving us the saves when we needed them."
Ruff said he's seen a lot of the positives during the Devils' recent stretch that he saw back in January, when they were 4-3-2 before having their season paused from Feb. 1-15 because of NHL COVID-19 protocol.
"Standing behind the bench, puck movement, players in position, our skating up the ice, in a schedule that's been tough, I thought we did a lot of good things and we looked a lot like that team from the start of the year," he said.

Sean Couturier scored two goals for Philadelphia (15-12-4), which was coming off a 2-1 overtime loss to the New York Islanders on Monday and is 2-5-1 in its past eight games. Carter Hart made 28 saves.
"We didn't look like we had a lot of jump at the start of that game," Flyers coach Alain Vigneault said. "Their speed and skill level showed. It didn't seem like we had a lot in the tank. We had a push at the end there, but it didn't seem like we had a lot there."
McLeod gave the Devils a 1-0 lead at 9:52 of the first period, going forehand to backhand while cutting across the crease off a setup by Ty Smith.
Joel Farabee scored a power-play goal at 12:43 to tie it 1-1. Blackwood saved a shot from the right circle by Jakub Voracek, but Farabee knocked in the rebound at the right post.
Palmieri gave New Jersey a 2-1 lead with six seconds remaining in the period with a power-play goal.
"That was really important," Ruff said. "Anytime you score a late goal it deflates the team you're playing."

Sharangovich made it 3-1 at 9:32 of the second period. Zajac created a turnover in the Flyers zone before getting the puck back from Janne Kuokkanen and passing to Sharangovich for a one-timer in the slot.
Zajac extended the lead to 4-1 with 24 seconds left with his 199th NHL goal. He got inside position on Philadelphia defenseman Justin Braun in front of Hart and tapped in a pass by Smith.
The line of Sharangovich, Zajac and Kuokkanen (two assists) combined for six points (two goals, four assists).
"That line obviously has been great," Smith said. "They've been doing a really good job at obviously defending, but at the same time they are creating a lot of offense. I think they're just playing the right way if you really look at it. They work really hard and they're always in the right spots. It's pretty cool to see, and it's a lot of fun when you're out there with those guys."
Couturier tapped in a pass from Travis Konecny to make it 4-2 at 11:37 of the third period before cutting it to 4-3 with 1:02 remaining and Hart pulled for an extra skater.
"There shouldn't be any excuses," Couturier said. "I don't know if it's fatigue. A lot of mental mistakes. We're giving up pucks pretty easy. When we control the puck we're a pretty tough team to play against."
NOTES:Zajac would become the fourth player to score at least 200 with the Devils, joining Patrick Elias (408), John MacLean (347) and Bobby Holik (202). ... Hart has allowed at least three goals in seven consecutive starts, and at least four goals in four of his past five games. ... Voracek and James van Riemsdyk each had two assists for the Flyers.