Giroux scores twice in third, Flyers hand Devils 10th straight loss

PHILADELPHIA -- Claude Giroux scored two goals in 22 seconds for the Philadelphia Flyers late in the third period, and the New Jersey Devils lost their 10th straight game, 4-3 in a shootout at Wells Fargo Center on Sunday.

Giroux made it 3-2 at 18:34, then tied it at 18:56. It was the fastest two goals by a Flyers player since Jaromir Jagr scored twice in 18 seconds against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Feb. 18, 2012. Each of Giroux's goals were scored with goalie Brian Elliott pulled for an extra attacker.
"He's one of the most competitive human beings out there," Flyers center Sean Couturier said of Giroux. "Anything he does he wants to win, and I think it reflects on everyone on the team and you have no choice [but] to kind of follow up. That's what makes him such a great leader and great captain."
Kevin Hayes scored the winner in the sixth round for the Flyers (22-19-7). Elliott made 29 saves through overtime and four in the shootout.

Miles Wood had a goal and an assist for the Devils (14-27-7), who held a 3-1 lead with 10:42 remaining. Mackenzie Blackwood made 33 saves.
New Jersey has not won since April 8. The first nine losses of the skid came in regulation. The Devils also had a 10-game skid (0-8-2) from Feb. 19 to March 11, 2017.
"I'm pretty confident there that that's one we should have won," New Jersey forward Nathan Bastian said. "In the last two minutes, up by two goals, you've got to find a way to close it out."
Philadelphia is sixth in the eight-team MassMutual East Division, nine points behind the fourth-place Boston Bruins. The top four teams will qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
It was the first of four consecutive games between the teams. They will play again at New Jersey on Tuesday.
Giroux's second goal gave him 850 points (270 goals, 580 assists), moving him one past
Brian Propp
for third in Flyers history. He trails Hockey Hall of Fame forwards
Bobby Clarke
(1,210 points) and
Bill Barber
(883).
"Brian Propp was a great player here," Giroux said. "Just being able to pass him, it's an honor. And being able to win this game makes that feels even better."
Elliott stopped Nico Hischier to clinch the win. Giroux and Couturier also scored in the shootout for the Flyers. Yegor Sharangovich and Jesper Bratt scored for the Devils.

Michael McLeod gave New Jersey a 1-0 lead at 4:56 of the first period when he finished an odd-man rush with Bastian. It gave the Devils a lead for the first time in 10 games, dating to the first period against the Penguins on April 9.
Couturier tied it 1-1 at 11:45 when he tipped a shot by Philippe Myers.
Philadelphia outshot New Jersey 16-8 in the first period.
Wood gave the Devils a 2-1 lead at 7:07 of the second. Bastian, who had two assists, held off Flyers defenseman Samuel Morin and centered a pass to Wood, who drove to the net and redirected the pass.
Pavel Zacha made it 3-1 at 9:16 of the third period from the slot.
"[I] thought we moved the puck well, we skated well," New Jersey coach Lindy Ruff said. "We probably passed up a lot of good opportunities to widen that [3-1] margin. We tried to make the right plays. ... [I] thought we had a little panic late, that last minute and a half, and we'll get by that."
NOTES: Devils forward Andreas Johnsson left the game with 4:46 remaining in the third period after being hit into the boards by Flyers forward Scott Laughton. There was no update. ... New Jersey is 0-5 in shootouts this season; Philadelphia is 3-4. ... Flyers forwards James van Riemsdyk and Jakub Voracek each had two assists.