Devils Postgame
Devils Postgame: Devils Wrap Up Preseason with Loss vs. Flyers
In their preseason game, the New Jersey Devils lose to the Philadelphia Flyers 5-4 and get set to kick off the regular season in Prague.
And that’s a wrap on the New Jersey Devils preseason. Over the past week, the Devils have iced what will likely be their AHL and ECHL lineup and did so one last time tonight against the Philadelphia Flyers.
With Isaac Poulter leading the team onto the ice one last time, the Devils fell to the Flyers 5-4.
Devils Recap
The Flyers opened the scoring early into the first period when Ollie Lycksell turned home a loose puck off an Isaac Poulter blunder. Poulter lost the puck in his crease, and before a Devil could get to hit, Lycksell tucked it home into a largely empty net. Ryan Schmelzer and the Devils responded a little over halfway through the first period off a one-timer that went post and in.
Deja vu to start the second period when Flyers forward Jon-Randall Avon scored a beautiful end-to-end powerplay goal early on to give them a 2-1 lead. The Devils thought they had tied it back up halfway through the period off of a Mike Hardman shot, but after a coach’s challenge, it was deemed offside. Late in the period, they would still get that second goal as – you guessed it – Kevin Labanc scored his fourth of the preseason. However, it would take all but 16 seconds for the Flyers to retake the read on an Emil Andrae goal.
The third period started just like the prior two: an early Flyers goal, this time by Anthony Richard on the powerplay. Goal scorer extraordinaire Kevin Labanc added another goal to his name, this time on a Devils powerplay to make it a 4-3 game. Although the Flyers would put a bow on the game late on a goal by Noah Cates. A late goal for the hat trick by Labanc wasn’t enough to get the win but may be enough to earn him a contract.
Devils Takeaways
Another Physical Affair
After two hard-fought and spirited games against the New York Rangers, the Kevin Dineen-led Jr. Devils continued their physical ways. There were two fights within the first seven minutes, one of which saw Samuel Laberge rock Flyers forward Sawyer Boulton with a strong right hand.
The two decided to run it back in the early stages of the second period, this time a more even scrap. The two sides had no problem taking the body tonight, combining for 33 hits through two periods.
The two sides continued to bang bodies even into the third period, with the Devils winning the hit advantage 25-18.
READ: Devils Top Prospect to Make NHL Debut at Global Series
One Last Ride
For most of tonight’s lineup, this is a rare final chance to dawn an NHL sweater. With the main team settling in Prague over the past week, this represented the best chance for AHL and ECHL bodies to show what they have against some NHL competition. For guys like New Jersey native Jack Malone and defenseman Jackson Van De Leest, this may be the only time in their careers they get to wear an NHL jersey in a live game.
For guys like Kevin Labanc and Jakub Zboril, it represents one last chance to earn a contract.
On the flip side, for prospects like Chase Stillman, Cam Squires, Brian Halonen, Daniil Misyul, Mikael Diotte, and Isaac Poulter it’s a chance to build toward the future. With the main roster striving to be Stanley Cup contenders, roster spots down the line will be few and far between, and it’ll take something special to make the team, but tonight is one last chance to plant the seed.
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