Flyers in another dismal defeat to Devils

PHILADELPHIA – Sean Couturier‘s two goals in the third period were too little, too late for the Flyers in a 4-3 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night.

Joel Farabee #86 of the Philadelphia Flyers taps the puck across the crease as JanneÊKuokkanen #59 of the New Jersey Devils reaches to stop the puck.

Mackenzie Blackwood made 30 saves for the Devils to get the win, their fourth in five games.

“We did a lot of good things,” Devils head 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.”

Michael McLeod got the party started for the Devils when he scored for a 1-0 lead to New Jersey.

“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,” Ruff said.

Joel Farabee got the Flyers even with a power-play strike.

“We didn’t look like we had a lot of jump at the start of that game,” Philadelphia head 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.”

Kyle Palmieri gave the Devils a 2-1 lead with seconds left in the opening frame, it was also a power-play marker.

“That line obviously has been great,” the Devils’ Ty 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.”

Travis Zajac and Yegor Sharangovich also scored for New Jersey who had a 4-1 lead before Couturier tried to rally the Flyers on his own.

Carter Hart made 28 saves in the loss.

“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.”