Postgame RAV4: Flyers Drop 3-2 Decision to Devils in OT

The Philadelphia Flyers played their first road game of the 2026-27 season on Thursday night. Rick Tocchet's team settled for one point in a 3-2 loss.

After getting shut out on opening night, the Flyers got a goal and an assist from Travis Sanheim and tally from fellow defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen.

Ristolainen (1st) scored during a first period delayed penalty to establish a 1-0 lead. Three successful penalty kills, a dozen blocked shots and several excellent saves by Joseph Woll helped Philly take a lead to intermission.

In the second period, the Flyers still spent considerable time trying to keep New Jersey contained in the defensive zone. Attack opportunities remained few and far between. Finally, Dougie Hamilton (1st) tied the game at 1-1.

Woll made two more great saves, including one of the absolutely spectacular variety to keep the score tied at 1-1. Then Travis Sanheim, who assisted on the Ristolainen goal, put Philadelphia ahead 2-1. However, the Flyers gave up too much space on a Luke Hughes goal as New Jersey re-tied the score.

Making his Flyers debut, Woll stole one point. He finished with 41 saves on 44 shots. Jake Allen got the OTW for New Jersey with 23 saves on 25 shots.

1ST PERIOD

The Flyers juggled each of their top three forward lines to start the game.

New Jersey hit the post in the game's first minute. At 2:05, Jack Hughes ripped a right circle shot on net. Noah Cates had a pair of shots at the other end.

In the early going, the Flyers continued to lose battles on the walls. Their defensive coverage was better but they gave up six of the game's first eight shots.

At 7:19, Noel Acciari went off for grabbing hold of Luke Hughes. Travis Sanheim did a good job separating a check from the puck and clearing it down the ice. Nick Seeler blocked a shot off the outside of his left knee. Later, Rasmus Ristolainen and Noah Cates combined for a clear. New Jersey had a pair of shot attempts on net during the two minutes.

The Flyers made it 1-0 on a delayed penalty at 11:12. Ristolainen set up shop on front of the net and deflected home a Sanheim shot. Travis Konecny had the secondary assist.

Just 19 seconds later, at 11:31, Trevor Zegras was called for holding in the offensive zone. The Devils generated a scramble, with Luke Evangelista having a chance down low. New Jersey had three shots during this man advantage.

Ar 15:29, Sean Couturier got a boarding penalty on a missed call by veteran referee Wes McCauley. Woll made a short save save on Jesper Bratt. The Flyers killed the rest of their third penalty of the period with authority.

Shots:  Flyers 6 - Devils 14 

Faceoffs: Flyers 10 -- Devils 12

2ND PERIOD

Anthony Mantha set up Bratt for a high-danger chance in the opening two minutes. Woll made a bang-bang save.

Evangelista tripped Carl Grundstrom at 4:07. Philly went on the power play. Allen stopped a Tyson Foerster flank snap shot. Nico Hischeir created a shorthanded chance for Evan Rodrigues that hit the side of the net.

After a New Jersey neutral zone turnover on a long shift, the Devils got hemmed in. Philly was unable to get any Grade A chances, but it was a productive shift.

At the other end of the ice, Woll denied a turnaround shot from Hischier.  The Devils controlled the two shifts that followed.

After a turnover on a breakout attempt, Cam York had a good recovery. The Flyers turned the puck over again. Rodrigues had a good chance. Shots were now 12-5 Devils for the period.

Philly turned a puck over in the neutral zone. Sanheim broke up a play in the defensive zone. Philly continued to find themselves in "bend but don't break" mode. At least the defensive support arrived. Shot attempts were 58-19 in New Jersey's favor.

With 5:05 left in the period, Woll stopped a Luke Hughes shot. As play resumed, New Jersey won another board battle. Acciari blocked a shot. 

The Devils finally broke through at 17:58. Woll was screened as Hamilton blasted home the tying goal on New Jersey's 30th shot of the night. 

Shots: Flyers 8 (14 overall) - Devils 16 (30  overall)

Faceoffs: Flyers 10 (20 overall)  -- Devils 8 (20 overall)

3RD PERIOD

At 37 seconds, Dvorak took a high sticking minor. Woll made a 10-bell pad save on Bratt from the top of the blue paint.  The Flyers survived.

Woll came up big again on Dawson Mercer at 5:20. The Devils got caught in a bad change. At the other end, the Flyers struck for a 2-1 lead. Sanheim ripped home the puck from the top of the left circle on a full slap shot, set up by Couturier.

At 9:46, the Flyers gave up room in the middle to Luke Hughes and gave up a blocker side goal. The assist went to Evangelista.

Jamie Drysdale blocked his sixth shot of the game to temporarily alleviate pressure. 

A failed breakout for Philly led to another chance for Mercer. Shots for the game were 39-22 at this point. Then Woll had to stop a Jack Hughes wraparound two shifts later.

Shots:  Flyers 8 (22 overall) - Devils 11 (41  overall)

Faceoffs: Flyers 11 (31 overall)  -- Devils 10 (30 overall)

OVERTIME

The Devils attacked right off the bat.  At 35 seconds, Allen stopped Zegras on a great chance that the goalie turned over to the slot. Hamilton was stopped to the short side by Woll,

Matvei Michkov and the Flyers created some pressure off Devils' turnovers in their defensive zone.

New Jersey ended the game on a give-and-go transition rush at 3:23. Jack Hughes had the finish and Bratt the assist.

Final Shots :Flyers 3 (25 overall)  - Devils 3 (44 overall)
Faceoffs: Flyers 1 (32 overall) - Devils 2 (32 overall) 

FLYERS STARTING LINEUP

Alex Bump - Trevor Zegras - Owen Tippett

Tyson Foerster - Noah Cates - Matvei Michov

Travis Konecny - Christian Dvorak - Porter Martone

Carl Grundstrom -Sean Couturier - Noel Acciari

Travis Sanheim - Rasmus Ristolainen

Cam York - Jamie Drysdale

Nick Seeler - Simon Benoit

Joseph Woll

[Dan Vladar]

POSTGAME RAV4 (RAV4 Things Revisited)

1. New Jersey's speed 

The Devils  outskated and out-possessed the Flyers for the majority of the game. Philadelphia was forced into containment mode most of the night. Eventually, New Jersey broke through.

2. Woll debut

Woll deserved a much better fate in his first regular season game as a Flyer. He was the main reason Philly came away with one point. The blocked shots and defensemen chipping in a couple goals helped, too, but Woll was the brightest spot for his new team.

3. Special teams

The Flyers were 0-for-1 on the power play but did have a 6-on-5 goal on a delayed penalty. They went 4-for-4 on the penalty kill. 

4. Scoring the first goal

The Flyers got the game's first tally despite playing at a territorial disadvantage for most of the opening 20 minutes. However, the lead felt shaky at both 1-0 and 2-1.