Devils defeat Flyers, win team-record 11th straight on road

PHILADELPHIA -- Dawson Mercer scored in the third period, and the New Jersey Devils extended their road winning streak to 11 games with a 3-2 victory against the Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Center on Saturday.

The streak is a Devils record and the second-longest in NHL history, behind the 2014-15 Minnesota Wild and 2005-06 Detroit Red Wings (12 games each).
"Every team feels the most comfortable at home, and we've been doing a really good job coming in there and just playing our game and finding ways to win," Mercer said. "I think that's a big accomplishment. Road games are hard and to come away with that many, it's a special thing."
New Jersey plays its next two games at home. Its first chance to tie the NHL record will be at the New York Rangers on Dec. 12.
"We've been on a great stretch, but it doesn't make a season," Devils forward Miles Wood said. "We've got to play the next 60-something games here and we've got to improve each game."
Fabian Zetterlund and Jack Hughes scored, and Wood had two assists for New Jersey (20-4-1). Akira Schmid made 31 saves.
"First two periods we were mad at ourselves, and we weren't happy with what was going on," Devils forward Erik Haula said. "What was said after two [periods], it was just like, 'You know what? We're in a good spot here. Let's try to put it together for 20 and get two points,' which is what we did."

Travis Konecny and Lukas Sedlak scored for Philadelphia (8-12-5). Carter Hart made 15 saves.
"We did a lot of good things," Konecny said. "I love that we stuck with it no matter what was going on out there. They pop the first one, we come right back. We just battled to the end. There's a lot of good things to take from tonight."
Mercer put New Jersey ahead 2-1 at 1:49 of the third period after Hart misplayed the puck behind the net. He tried passing to teammate Nick Seeler, but the puck bounced off Wood and in front to Mercer, who scored into an empty net.
"The forecheck is a big thing when the goalie's got the puck, you want to take away his options," Mercer said. "Me and 'Woody' did a good job on that, and that ended up giving us good start to the third period and give us some life and helped us out at the end of the game."
Hart called the play a miscommunication between himself and Seeler.
"Just both need to communicate better with each other," he said. "It's something we'll go talk it out and go over some stuff in practice."
Hughes put the Devils ahead 3-1 at 6:56 of the third with a strong individual effort. He spun away from Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov along the left wall and carried the puck to the net. Hart stopped Hughes' initial backhand attempt, but the forward chipped the puck between the goalie's pad and the post.

Hughes has eight points (six goals, two assists) during a five-game point streak.
Sedlak got the Flyers within 3-2 from the high slot at 15:12.
After pulling Hart for an extra attacker with 2:08 remaining, the Flyers had three shots on goal but couldn't get anything else past Schmid.
"We played a great game the whole 60 [minutes]," Hart said. "I think it just comes down to goaltending at the end of the day. I've got to be better. I've got to make a few more saves, make some better plays. Learn from it and move on and I will be better."
Zetterlund put the Devils ahead 1-0 at 6:01 of the second period. After a giveaway by Provorov behind Philadelphia's net, Michael McLeod passed to Wood, who stepped in front and found Zetterlund driving to the net.
"Our team has a lot of depth. We score a lot of ways," Wood said. "And you saw it tonight."
Konecny tied it 1-1 at 7:41 of the second with a power-play goal. It was Philadelphia's first goal with the man-advantage since Nov. 17, ending an 0-for-20 drought.
NOTES: New Jersey's only road loss this season was at Philadelphia on Oct. 13. ... Schmid won his fifth straight game to start the season, tying Chris Terreri (1993-94) for the longest season-opening winning streak in Devils history. ... The Devils are 10-0-0 when Hughes scores. ... Konecny's goal was his third in two games against the Devils this season. ... The Devils are 17-1-1 in their past 19 games.