All About The Jersey - New Jersey Devils 5, Philadelphia Flyers 3: Game 14 CoverageA world class blog for Jersey's team: the New Jersey Devilshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47083/lou-fave.png2013-02-15T23:09:45-05:00http://www.allaboutthejersey.com/rss/stream/37542672013-02-15T23:09:45-05:002013-02-15T23:09:45-05:00Devils Comeback to Smash Second Rate Rivals 5-3
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<figcaption>Ilya Kovalchuk: Difference maker. Ilya Bryzgalov: Helped out as the Devils put four past him. | Bruce Bennett</figcaption>
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<p>The New Jersey Devils rallied from a 3-1 deficit after an awful first period to beat the Philadelphia Flyers 5-3. This recap goes over how the Devils made their comeback, what went right and wrong, and other observations from the win.</p> <p>Despite a goal by <span>Travis Zajac</span> off the first shot of the game by the home team, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/">New Jersey Devils</a> dug themselves in deep in the first period against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.broadstreethockey.com/">Philadelphia Flyers</a>. The Flyers responded to the goal with consistent offensive pressure. They cashed in on a power play when an uncovered <span>Wayne Simmonds</span> backhanded a puck in between <span>Martin Brodeur's</span> legs for the equalizer. <span>Mike Knuble</span> scored less than two minutes later with a wrister from the high-slot. Less than a minute later, a <span>Mark Fayne</span> giveaway to <span>Claude Giroux</span> quickly went to <span>Matt Read</span> for a one-timer. Three goals against in 2:36. The Devils looked lost in their own end and in the neutral zone, Peter DeBoer burned his timeout after the Knuble goal which did little to settle his team, Wayne Simmonds and <span>Brayden Schenn</span> each had glorious chances to score, and the Flyers didn't sit on a 3-1 lead. Zajac's goal and the fact it was 3-1 and not 4-1 or 5-1 were the only positives out of that first period. The Devils had no one else to blame but themselves for their worst first period performance since the Montreal game a couple of weeks ago. The Devils needed to get it together.</p>
<p>And the Devils did just that on offense. Even with their six shots in the first period, <span>Ilya Bryzgalov</span> looked shaky and the Flyers defense could be exploited off the rush. Right on the Devils' first shift, Brodeur hits Kovalchuk with a long pass in the neutral zone, Kovalchuk gets the puck off to his right to a wide-open <span>Alexei Ponikarovsky</span>, and the "new" guy fired it shortside to make it 3-2. The Devils' defense continued to be out of sorts. Their decision making wasn't quick enough, they tended to bunch up on one side, they nearly got beaten in scrums in front, and they needed a few breaks and bailout saves. The Flyers matched their 11 shots in the first period with 11 more. But the Devils' offense really opened things up with their forecheck and movement through the zone when they did have the puck. With under six minutes left, <span>Kimmo Timonen</span> gave away the puck to Kovalchuk. Kovalchuk looked up, saw <span>Patrik Elias</span> coming in late, and Elias rewarded Timonen's error with a goal. The Devils had nine shots on net, tied the game at 3-3, and looked like they could hang with Philly after a bad first period.</p>
<p>The third period was tenser and both teams dug in a bit. There were a lot of lost pucks in the neutral zone and defensive stops to prevent attempts. The Flyers found more success on offense with a few shots on net early, but the Devils got the break they were looking for. After spending most of the first ten minutes with little offensive presence, the <span>Adam Henrique</span> line actually got set up on offense. After a missed shot by Elias went into the corner, Read attempted a clearance. <span>Adam Larsson</span> kept it in, fired a low shot towards the bodies in the slot, and <span>David Clarkson</span> - of course it was Clarkson, everything's going his way this year - got his stick on it to deflect it past Bryzgalov. It broke the tie and in a way, it broke the Flyers. The Flyers would only put up three more shots in that period as the Devils tightened up in their own zone. They pulled the goalie within the last two minutes, the Devils got the puck back, and <span>Steve Bernier</span> sealed the win at 5-3. </p>
<p>Tonight, the Devils started off poorly and deserved to be down by much more than 3-1. The Devils' response was nothing short of admirable. While they didn't rack up a lot of shots, they finished the game down only 46-41 in attempts and, most importantly, scored four unanswered goals. Had the Devils' defense been tighter earlier and been on sides about six fewer times, we could have seen more offense in transition against a vulnerable goaltender. It wasn't the prettiest of wins; however, coming from behind to smack down a rival at home is always going to be more beautiful than an unfortunate loss. Tonight's game also provided an important life lesson that we all can takeaway: never give up on a job even if it starts off terribly. You could very well find a way to get it done - just like the Devils tonight.</p>
<p><b>The Stats: </b>The <a href="http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20122013/GS020198.HTM" target="_blank">NHL.com Game Summary</a> | The <a href="http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20122013/ES020198.HTM" target="_blank">NHL.com Event Summary</a> | The <a href="http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20122013/PL020198.HTM" target="_blank">NHL.com Full Play by Play Log</a> | The <a href="http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20122013/SS020198.HTM" target="_blank">NHL.com Shot Summary</a> | The <a href="http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20122013/FC020198.HTM" target="_blank">NHL.com Faceoff Comparison</a> | The <a href="http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20122013/TH020198.HTM" target="_blank">NHL.com Devils Time on Ice Report</a> </p>
<p><b>The Opposition Opinion: </b> User everybodyhitswoohoo has every reason not to be happy with <a href="http://www.broadstreethockey.com/2013/2/15/3994214/flyers-vs-devils-recap-booooooo" target="_blank">the Flyers in their recap over at Broad Street Hockey.</a> Well, they did blow a 3-1 lead.</p>
<p><b>The Game Highlights: </b>You want to see eight goals, close saves by Martin Brodeur, and so much more in an up-and-down game. You want to see this video from <a href="http://www.nhl.com" target="_blank">NHL.com.</a> Here it is, for you:</p>
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<p><b>Selfless Russian: </b><span>Ilya Kovalchuk</span> only had two shots on net out of three attempts. That's not much like him. But I assure you, he was the best Devil on the ice tonight. When he had the puck in the neutral zone, it often was carried into the Philadelphia Flyers' end of the rink. He commanded the Flyers' D so much attention he found not just one but two open teammates that led to goals off the rush. When Timonen gifted him a puck along the boards in the second period, he hit Elias with a pass so sublime that it would have been a shame if Elias <i>didn't</i> score. Kovalchuk was everywhere he needed to be in his 23:03 of ice time tonight. He was instrumental in their big comeback win tonight. He was the difference maker with his three primary assists tonight. Kovalchuk fully deserved his award as First Star of the Game by Tonight's Attending Media.</p>
<p><b>My Large Poni: </b>Alexei Ponikarovsky played 19:39 alongside Kovalchuk and Travis Zajac, the most he's played all season. He did pretty well. He only had one shot on net, but it went into the net for his third of the season. It got the Devils right back into the game just 26 seconds after a terrible first period. It was refreshing to see the top two lines kept together for a whole game and it speaks to how Ponikarovsky played in general. He was solid going forward and he didn't hurt the team on defense. As far as first games go, you can't ask for much better.</p>
<p><b>Snapped: </b>Zajac's goal 40 seconds into tonight's game was his first goal since the last Devils-Flyers game. That's big for him. Hopefully, he'll be able to build on that now that he has that huge weight off his back. He'll definitely do better at the dot after going 8-for-21 tonight.</p>
<p><b>Stay Hot, My Friend: </b> The line of Adam Henrique, Patrik Elias, and David Clarkson continue to lead the offense. While the Zajac line picked up the points, this trio had more shots and more attempts. They also got on the scoreboard too as that line led the attack that ended with Clarkson's deflection. Elias came on late and fired in the equalizer, the first of his three points tonight. His other two being assists on the Clarkson goal and Bernier's empty net goal. Henrique only had one shot on net but he did well at the dot by going 10-for-16 and came incredibly close to a goal off a rebound in the first period. Clarkson, well, what more can I write about him? Six shots on net, eight total attempts, and he scored his tenth of the season. Clarkson has remained hot for close to a full month now and even when the goals do dry up, he's still making an impact with all the shots he keeps getting. Those six shots don't even include the post he hit in the first period before the Flyers' flurry of goals. Good night for the line, great night for Elias and Clarkson.</p>
<p><b>Defensive Woes, or Surely We Have to See Tallinder Soon: </b>As much love as I have about the Devils' goals and who made them happen, I don't have a lot of love for the defensive effort. The forwards didn't help enough and the defensemen were just slow to react and decide what to do. As a result, there were several plays where the Flyers would get a loose puck or make a play to a dangerous spot and you'd see two to four red jerseys just caught frozen. All four lines from the Flyers got their licks in, with Read, Brayden Schenn, Simmonds, Giroux, and <span>Jakub Voracek</span> leading the way with at least two shots apiece and countless plays and zone entries. The Devils had plenty of shifts where they couldn't make the one pass or clearance to get the play out of their own zone. They had some absolutely strange moments like seeing four Devils to Brodeur's left and in front of him, who then watched a pass to Giroux who just fires the one-timer off the outside of the post. The team allowed 22 shots in the first two periods and they weren't easy shots for Brodeur. Because they struggled to make that pass out of the zone, that hamstrung their offense to a degree.</p>
<p>Mark Fayne had a particularly poor game. I'll admit that's largely driven by his awful giveaway in the first period that led to Read's goal. Keep in mind, he delayed with the puck to allow Salvador and Zajac to get away from him and then just threw it up to Giroux. He was notably not paired with Salvador later in the game, playing along side <span>Anton Volchenkov</span>. That was definitely an in-game demotion. I think Fayne will be better in future games.</p>
<p><b>Silver Lining in the Defense: </b>I will give the Devils this on defense, they really clamped down in the third period. They held the Flyers to only six shots total and only one after Clarkson scored off a deflection. Adam Larsson really stepped up big at both ends. He really stepped into players at the right time along the boards, he cleared out pucks to prevent second chances, and he even out-muscled Simmonds (who looked real good and had a couple of chances to score more than one tonight) to deny him a pass to the slot that would have given him a great chance at a late equalizer. Larsson had a strong third period. <span>Andy Greene</span> threw an important hit that kept a Flyers dump-in moving that continued up out of the zone and ended with Steve Bernier scoring an empty net goal. I even liked what <span>Marek Zidlicky</span> did late, save for B. Schenn getting behind him for a shot. I still think that outside of this period, the coaches are understandably not pleased with their play in their own end and we could see <span>Henrik Tallinder</span> get in a game.</p>
<p><b>Brodeur Over Bryzgalov: </b> I can't say Brodeur had a great night, but he didn't get a lot of help early on. I don't fault him on Simmonds goal since he put in no-look backhander that found daylight. That's hard (and it brings to mind why Salvador didn't think to get over to cover him) to stop. I felt he could have stopped Knuble's shot. He had no chance on Read's one-timer. He nearly got beaten among a scrum but Larsson bailed him out with a late stop. He did make a number of important stops, most notably on Schenn - once in the first period at the post and again very late in the game. I really liked how Brodeur handled the puck tonight. He only had one puck that went awry but the Devils recovered quickly enough before, you know, Fayne coughed it up to Giroux. Other than that, he was perfect with his apex being his pass to Kovalchuk that led to Ponikarovsky's goal early in the second. </p>
<p>Bryzgalov faced fewer shots and just looked out of sorts. He got beaten five times (Clarkson hit the post early), he let out quite a few dangerous rebounds, and he really should have stopped the shots by Zajac and Elias that they scored on. They both got him in between his arm and the body, and in Elias' case, he got more than a piece of it. Those were goals he'd rather have back in my view. His play was surprising in the sense that Bryzgalov has been very fine at five-on-five play this season. Tonight, he had the sort of performance that makes outsiders question whether the Flyers are OK in their own end. At least the eventual game winner wasn't his fault. </p>
<p><b>Disciplined in Favor of the Visitors: </b> Only two penalties were called all game. Both teams had their fair share of borderline calls but referees Tom Kowal and Ian Walsh let it all slide. It certainly made for a more free-flowing game than the last Devils-Flyers game, which was loaded with penalties. </p>
<p>The Flyers were the superior team on special teams tonight, for sure. The Devils' lone power play saw them struggle to get set up in their zone. They only had one shot - from Clarkson, of course - and it came out of nowhere. They did not score, snapping their six game PPG streak. The Flyers made the most of their sole man advantage. The Devils maybe only had one real chance to clear it as Philly just hit pass after pass. The goal itself was a bit fortunate but the work before it was all legitimate. Fortunately for New Jersey, that would be the last power play given tonight. </p>
<p><b>Time is Short for the Room for Improvement:</b> As great as it was that the Devils fought back from being down 3-1 to win 5-3, they need get their heads right soon. They're not always going to face a shaky back-end of a team and score four goals on 17 non-empty net shots. They're usually not going to come out well after getting out-shot in every period. Appreciate the win, but they got a game tomorrow and the bad habits need to be avoided.</p>
<p><b>Your Reminder: </b>The Flyers are the Second Rate Rivals. And now you know.</p>
<p>That's my take on tonight's win, now I want to know yours. Who was the most impressive Devil on the ice? What was your favorite part of the comeback? How livid were you after the Flyers went up 3-1? Which defenseman on New Jersey stuck out to you tonight either in a good or bad way? How would you have rated Ponikarovsky's first game as a Devil in 2013? What would you like the Devils to do differently for tomorrow's game based on what you saw tonight? Please leave your answers and other thoughts on tonight's comeback win in the comments. Thanks to everyone who commented and followed along in the Gamethread and on Twitter. Thank you for reading.</p>
https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2013/2/15/3994192/new-jersey-devils-comeback-from-awful-first-period-to-beatJohn Fischer2013-02-15T18:00:05-05:002013-02-15T18:00:05-05:00Devils vs. Flyers: Gamethread #14
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<p>The New Jersey Devils will take on the Second Rate Rivals, the Philadelphia Flyers tonight. This post is a place where members can discuss the game as it happens in the comments section.</p> <p><strong>The Time: </strong>7:00 PM EST</p>
<p><strong>The Broadcast: </strong>TV - MSG+; Radio - 660 AM & 101.9 FM WFAN</p>
<p><strong>The Matchup: </strong>The <a href="https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">New Jersey Devils</a> (8-2-3) vs. the <a href="https://www.broadstreethockey.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Philadelphia Flyers</a> (6-7-1; SBN Blog: <a href="http://www.broadstreethockey.com/">Broad Street Hockey</a>)</p>
<p><strong>The Game Previews: </strong>My preview from <a href="http://www.inlouwetrust.com/2013/2/15/3986888/new-jersey-devils-vs-philadelphia-flyers-game-14-preview">earlier this morning is right here.</a> For the opposition point of view, please check out <a href="http://www.broadstreethockey.com/2013/2/15/3992958/devils-vs-flyers-game-preview">Travis Hughes' preview at Broad Street Hockey.</a></p>
<p><strong>The Song for Tonight: </strong> Shattered Realm goes hard and so does this track from <em>Broken Ties...Spoken Lies</em>: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VWFnso91SI">"This World Is Mine!"</a> Among all else, dig that snare drum.</p>
<p><strong>Gameday Info: </strong><a href="http://blogs.northjersey.com/blogs/fireice/comments/ponikarovsky_feels_like_he_never_left_in_rejoining_devils_after_trade_with_winnipeg/" target="_blank">Tom Gulitti reported earlier today</a> that <span>Alexei Ponikarovsky</span> is expected to start tonight's game alongside with <span>Travis Zajac</span> and <span>Ilya Kovalchuk</span>. <span>Stefan Matteau</span> will be a healthy scratch. <a href="http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/flyers/20130215_Flyers_continue_trip_in_New_Jersey.html" target="_blank">According to this report by March Narducci at the Philadelphia Inquirer</a>, <span>Sean Couturier</span> feels better after having the flu so he very well could play tonight.</p>
<p><strong>The Reminder of Rules: </strong>This is a place where you can comment about this game before, during, and after it's played before the recap is up. This is a place where we <em>primarily</em> discuss the Devils game. An odd mention of other NHL games is OK, but it shouldn't dominate discussion. All comments will be clean, respectful of each other, relevant to the game, and legal (read: no streams). Please do not post super-big pictures or .GIFs so the gamethread can keep moving for everyone. If you must use pictures, please put a title in the comment.</p>
<p>I will provide occasional thoughts and a bit more through <a href="http://www.twitter.com/inlouwetrust">@InLouWeTrust</a>. Go Devils!</p>
https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2013/2/15/3990766/new-jersey-devils-vs-philadelphia-flyers-gamethread-14John Fischer2013-02-15T07:00:07-05:002013-02-15T07:00:07-05:00Devils vs. Flyers: Game 14 Preview
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<img alt="This was one of the cool moments from the last Devils-Flyers game. Let's hope for some more cool moments tonight." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/sX3um10WUbTax9LDnG84ruCOcx4=/0x0:4000x2667/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/8159525/20130122_ajw_se8_090.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>This was one of the cool moments from the last Devils-Flyers game. Let's hope for some more cool moments tonight. | USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Tonight, the New Jersey Devils get back in action against their Second Rate Rivals, the Philadelphia Flyers. This preview looks at how the Flyers have done so far in 2013 and what the Devils may look like tonight.</p> <p>Yesterday was apparently a day of romance. Tonight, there won't be much love at the Rock.</p>
<p><b>The Time: </b>7:00 PM EST</p>
<p><b>The Broadcast: </b>TV - MSG+; Radio - 660 AM & 101.9 FM WFAN</p>
<p><b>The Matchup: </b>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/">New Jersey Devils</a> (8-2-3) vs. the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.broadstreethockey.com/">Philadelphia Flyers</a> (6-7-1; SBN Blog: <a href="http://www.broadstreethockey.com/">Broad Street Hockey</a>)</p>
<p><b>The TiqIQ Ticket Link:</b> If you're thinking about going to the Rock for the game and the hate, then consider checking out our partners at TiqIQ to get some seats off the secondary market. Here's a link: <a href="http://www.tiqiq.com/nhl/new-jersey-devils-tickets/?publisherid=1011101" target="_blank">New Jersey Devils tickets.</a></p>
<p><b>The Last Devils Game: </b>The Devils hosted the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.canescountry.com/">Carolina Hurricanes</a> on Tuesday and it took a while for them to get going. You could argue it took them two periods. The Devils got up early from a power play banger from <span>Ilya Kovalchuk</span>. However, the Canes owned the possession game and they eventually tied up the game with an early power play goal by <span>Jussi Jokinen</span> in the second period. They broke through with a 2-1 lead late in the second thanks to a deflection by <span>Patrick Dwyer</span>. The Devils did turn it on in the third period and carried much of the play. <span>Ryan Carter</span> got a quick equalizer off a steal. However, penalties helped did the Devils in. A needless <span>Mark Fayne</span> penalty and a lack of coverage on <span>Jiri Tlusty</span> allowed him score on the power play. The Devils tried to find an equalizer but they couldn't thanks in part to two calls and mostly <span>Cam Ward</span>. They had a valiant effort late with the empty net but it didn't happen and so Tlusty sealed it with an ENG for a 4-2 loss. The game ended New Jersey's winning streak at five. <a href="http://www.inlouwetrust.com/2013/2/13/3983108/new-jersey-devils-thwarted-carolina-hurricanes-4-2-snapped-6-game-winning-streak" target="_blank">My recap of the loss is here.</a></p>
<p><b>The Last Flyers Game: </b>While the Devils came out flat against Carolina, the Flyers went up to Manitoba to play the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.arcticicehockey.com/">Winnipeg Jets</a>. The Flyers opened the scoring when <span>Brayden Schenn</span> re-directed a pass by <span>Jakub Voracek</span> close to halfway through the first. <span>Andrew Ladd</span> hit back with a goal of his own right in front to make it 1-1. The Flyers weren't done in the first as <span>Kimmo Timonen</span> lit the lamp on a power play to end the first 2-1. The Jets pressed the issue in the second period but <span>Ilya Bryzgalov</span> stopped all 11 shots in that period. In the third, the Flyers extended the lead when <span>Tye McGinn</span> re-directed a feed from Voracek 4:17 into the period. The Jets didn't must much of a response but they did get a late goal from Ladd. The Flyers held on in the final 47 seconds to get their first road win in a while, a 3-2 victory. <a href="http://www.broadstreethockey.com/2013/2/12/3982988/jets-vs-flyers-recap-final-score-victory-party" target="_blank">Travis Hughes liked what he saw according to his recap at Broad Street Hockey.</a></p>
<p><b>The Last Devils-Flyers Game: </b> Way back on January 22, the Devils played their first game at the Rock in this shortened 2013 season against the Flyers. There was no special ceremony for the Eastern Conference Championship banner because we don't celebrate second place in New Jersey. Anyway, the game got off to a rocky start for the Devils as the Flyers put up plenty of rubber on <span>Martin Brodeur</span>. Brodeur was more than up to the task. Even if he wasn't, he did have an early cushion thanks to a goal by <span>Travis Zajac</span> within the game's first two minutes. The Flyers kept knocking, but the Devils got the bounce when <span>David Clarkson</span> attempted a wraparound and the puck careened off <span>Ruslan Fedotenko's</span> skates and past Ilya Bryzgalov. The late first period power play goal got the Devils up 2-0. Early in the second period, the Devils were killing a penalty and Kimmo Timonen fouled Ilya Kovalchuk on a shorthanded breakaway. The penalty shot was given and Kovalchuk converted it to make it 3-0. The Devils' own discipline problems were then outshined by the Flyers imploding. They took penalty after penalty, helping the Devils cruise the rest of the night. In total, both teams combined for 29 penalties. While that was out of hand, Brodeur's 120th career shutout was in his hands (and pads) in the 3-0 win. <a href="http://www.inlouwetrust.com/2013/1/23/3906176/new-jersey-devils-martin-brodeur-shutout-philadelphia-flyers-recap" target="_blank">My recap of the win is right here.</a> For the opposition point of view, <a href="http://www.broadstreethockey.com/2013/1/22/3905774/flyers-vs-devils-recap" target="_blank">Travis Hughes was understandably unhappy at Broad Street Hockey.</a></p>
<p><b>The Goal: </b>Stay calm. I don't anticipate another game with 29 total penalties assessed. However, it's a rivalry game and I do anticipate some chippiness, beef, and all kinds of emotions to come into play tonight. There will be penalties at some point. After all, the Devils are second in the league with most shorthanded situations with 63 and the Flyers are close behind at 61 It's still in the best interests for the Devils to remained poised as much as they can and not to rashly react to whatever the Flyers will do. While the Flyers' <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/teamstats.htm?fetchKey=20132ALLSAAAll&sort=powerPlayPercentage&viewName=summary" target="_blank">power play is below the league median at 17%</a>; the Devils can ill-afford to hand them time and opportunities to attack at will. It won't be easy but I think it's worthwhile to try.</p>
<p>The goal of staying calm also refers to how they should handle the puck in their half of the rink. They really struggled at times in the first two periods against Carolina because they just rushed their clearing attempts and were too fierce with some of their passes out of the zone. As a result, they ended up having those pucks blocked or re-collected by Carolina, which facilitated more offense for them. This was also the case in the first period of their Sunday win over Pittsburgh as a matter of fact. It can be a cycle at times: they hurry the puck and then quickly find themselves in situations where they hurry the puck. They need to avoid that cycle tonight as well. Keeping a cool head with the puck as well as with a Flyer in their face can go a long way towards a Devils victory tonight.</p>
<p>Now that we're over a quarter of the way through the 2013 season, we can get an idea of what the Flyers actually are. On paper, their forwards are fierce. <span>Danny Briere</span>, who didn't play in the last Devils-Flyers game, will be active. <span>Wayne Simmonds</span> came back a few games ago. They still have <span>Claude Giroux</span> running the show. <span>Matt Read</span>, Brayden Schenn, <span>Sean Couturier</span>, and Jakub Voracek are all young, dangerous, and talented. They've even been getting offensive help from Tye McGinn, a pleasant surprise for the orange and black and new winger alongside Voracek and Schenn. The Flyers can go three lines deep with danger and it'll make match-ups an issue for New Jersey, even with the last change.</p>
<p>Let's look at the stats, though. The Flyers have been a good possession team. According to Behind the Net, they're <a href="http://behindthenet.ca/fenwick_2012.php?sort=1&section=close" target="_blank">very good in tied-score situations</a> but just above 50% (and the league median) in close-score situations, which is a bit weird. Nevertheless, <a href="http://behindthenet.ca/fenwick_2012.php?sort=6&section=close" target="_blank">they can certainly handle themselves pretty well in terms of Fenwick.</a> So can the Devils, so tonight's game isn't going to be a mismatch in that department.</p>
<p>In terms of offense, they really haven't been that productive in 5-on-5 play <a href="http://www.behindthenet.ca/2012/team_data3.php?sort=16" target="_blank">according to Behind the Net.</a> Their shots for per 60 rate is only 27.5, which is below league median, and <a href="http://www.behindthenet.ca/2012/team_data3.php?sort=16" target="_blank">they have one of the lowest shooting percentages in the league at 6.6%.</a> Carolina's shooting percentage was low too but they made up for it in part due to their volume of shots. The Flyers can't claim that. Their power play has been more prolific with shots with <a href="http://www.behindthenet.ca/2012/team_data3.php?sort=25" target="_blank">a top-ten shots for per 60 rate in 5-on-4 situations at 52.3.</a> They'll bomb away, which is a good reason for the Devils to avoid giving them several chances. Yet, <a href="http://www.behindthenet.ca/2012/team_data3.php?sort=26" target="_blank">their shooting percentage is below league median at 11%</a> in those same situations.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats.htm?season=20122013&gameType=2&team=PHI&position=S&country=&status=&viewName=summary" target="_blank">The Flyers' offensive production</a> has been shared between Voracek (team scoring leader with three goals and ten points), Read (five goals to lead team and nine points), Schenn (nine points), Timonen (nine points to lead their D), Giroux (eight points), and Simmonds (seven points). Beyond that, it's a little spotty beyond McGinn's surprising three goals and five points. Briere has been especially cold with only two goals out of a team-leading 35 shots. <span>Scott Hartnell</span> has been out with a fractured toe from the last Devils-Flyers game, so he's been missed. He'll also be missed by Philly tonight. <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats.htm?season=20122013&gameType=2&team=PHI&position=S&country=&status=&viewName=summary" target="_blank">Frank Seravalli at Frequent Flyers says Hartnell hopes to receive clearance to skate on Saturday.</a> Some of these guys will come around (and in Hartnell's case, come back) with better puck luck and the team's percentages will improve. They still need to be respected as dangerous even though the numbers make them look tamer. I just hope it's not going to start tonight.</p>
<p>Defensively, the <a href="http://www.behindthenet.ca/nhl_statistics.php?ds=30&f1=2012_s&f2=5v5&f4=D&f5=PHI&c=0+1+3+5+4+6+7+8+13+14+29+30+32+33+34+45+46+63+67" target="_blank">Flyers are led</a> by Kimmo Timonen and <span>Braydon Coburn</span> followed by an unimpressive crew consisting of <span>Luke Schenn</span>, <span>Nicklas Grossmann</span>, ex-Isles Bruno Gervais, and the non-defense of Kurtis Foster. Timonen has been pretty good by <a href="http://www.behindthenet.ca/nhl_statistics.php?ds=30&f1=2012_s&f2=5v5&f4=D&f5=PHI&c=0+1+3+5+4+6+7+8+13+14+29+30+32+33+34+45+46+63+67" target="_blank">the advanced numbers at Behind the Net.</a> You'll notice that Schenn and Grossmann look OK, but Foster, Gervais, and their other big-minute, top-competition-playing defender Coburn have some ugly numbers. Yes, injuries have hurt them to a point. As a team, the Flyers are <a href="http://www.behindthenet.ca/2012/team_data3.php?sort=18" target="_blank">just outside of the top ten in highest shots against per 60 rate with 28.7 in 5-on-5 situations.</a> That's not so good regardless of injuries. Fortunately for them, they've received good goaltending at evens thanks largely to <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats.htm?gameType=2&position=G&season=20122013&sort=evenStrengthSaves&status=A&team=PHI&viewName=specialTeamSaves" target="_blank">Ilya Bryzgalov's 92.6% save percentage at even strength.</a> The penalty kill is a different story. The Flyers are above the league median in success rate at 81.1%; their <a href="http://www.behindthenet.ca/2012/team_data3.php?sort=48" target="_blank">shots against per 60 in 4-on-5 situations is above league median at 44</a>; but their goaltending hasn't been good with Bryzgalov's PK save percentage of 85.6%. At least the Devils' power play should feel good if they can get shots on net. Of course, Michael Leighton's ugly night really hurts those numbers. Still, their top four appears to be Timonen, Coburn, Schenn, and Grossmann. The numbers suggest they can be beat -especially Coburn - so I think the Devils forwards can take advantage of this aspect of the game. Beating Bryzgalov, who I think will likely start since their backups have only played twice this season, will be trickier.</p>
<p>Ultimately, I can see why the Flyers are 6-7-1 and at the same time respect them as a tough opponent. They haven't had good luck with their shots, so their offense isn't where it could be. Injuries to players at points of this first quarter of the season took their toll to a degree, too. Their defense hasn't been all that good at evens but they're not like a colander either. Bryzgalov may get joked on but he has been anything but. There's a real good team here but it hasn't shown up often enough for their fans so far. Unfortunately for the Devils, the Flyers apparently played well against the Jets so maybe they're about to hit their stride. Given that it's a rivalry game and they got shut out in the last one, and it's almost a guarantee they'll be up for this one. The Devils can't afford another flat first period and will have to on their game for as long as possible tonight.</p>
<p>The Devils will at least have a new look at forward. They just acquired <span>Alexei Ponikarovsky</span> for picks from Winnipeg in <a href="http://www.inlouwetrust.com/2013/2/13/3986666/new-jersey-devils-trade-picks-to-get-alexei-ponikarovsky-back-winnipeg" target="_blank">a trade announced on Wednesday night.</a> With Dainius Zubrus out for the near-to-long future, the Devils will benefit from his large frame and good hands at wing. Ponikarovsky really didn't do much in his 12 games with the Jets. He just had two goals on ten shots and played less than twelve minutes per night. I think he'll benefit from coming here just as the Devils will benefit from having him as a Zubrus fill-in for <a target="_blank" href="http://blogs.northjersey.com/blogs/fireice/comments/zubrus_out_4-6_weeks_following_surgery_on_his_left_wrist/">at least four-to-six weeks</a> to come.</p>
<p>With Andrei Laktionov <a target="_blank" href="http://blogs.northjersey.com/blogs/fireice/devils_back_at_practice_preparing_to_face_flyers_friday_loktionov_returned_to_albany/">sent back down to Albany on Thursday</a>, there is now a roster spot for Ponikarovsky. <a target="_blank" href="http://blogs.northjersey.com/blogs/fireice/comments/ponikarovsky_expected_to_play_vs._flyers_goalies_to_split_back-to-back_games_again/">He will play in tonight's game according to Peter DeBoer in this report by Tom Gulitti at Fire & Ice.</a> Where exactly he will play is up in the air. He could line up alongside <span>Jacob Josefson</span> and <span>Bobby Butler</span>. This would function like a third line and it would allow Ponikarovsky to re-integrate himself into the team without having to play a ton of minutes. That's doubtful because I don't think Krys Barch gets scratched for a Devils-Flyers game. I could see Ponikarovsky up top with the currently-streaking Ilya Kovalchuk (3 goals and 3 assists in last four games) and currently-cold Travis Zajac (no points in last seven games). That left wing spot has seen the likes of <span>Mattias Tedenby</span> and <span>Stefan Matteau</span>, so I don't think it would be such a bad fit. Matteau would move down to the bottom six, if not scratched entirely. Those are the first two possibilities that come to mind, but there could be more if DeBoer is willing to split up the CBGBs and/or the <span>Adam Henrique</span> line. Since Ponikarovsky wasn't in Thursday's practice, it will be a game-time decision.</p>
<p>Elsewhere it will be - wait for it - status quo for the roster. The defense, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.inlouwetrust.com/2013/2/13/3986328/the-currently-solid-state-of-the-new-jersey-devils-defensemen">which has been great at shot prevention this season</a>, should be organized the same as we have seen for the last week or so. Keep an eye out for who DeBoer puts out there against Giroux's line. It will likely be the the tough-minutes-so-far pairing of <span>Bryce Salvador</span> and Mark Fayne. That's fine, at least in Fayne's case. However, he could opt for a more mobile duo in <span>Andy Greene</span> and <span>Adam Larsson</span>. In net for the Devils will be Martin Brodeur. He did quite well against the Flyers back in January and he's been more than fine this season. <a target="_blank" href="http://blogs.northjersey.com/blogs/fireice/comments/ponikarovsky_expected_to_play_vs._flyers_goalies_to_split_back-to-back_games_again/">As Gulitti reported on Thursday</a>, the plan for this back-to-back is that he'll start tonight and <span>Johan Hedberg</span> will get Saturday's game.</p>
<p>As with all rivalry games, there's an increased desire to see the Devils win tonight. Given their lackluster play for most of the game until the third period against Carolina, we should all hope for a better effort. The Flyers may be on the mend so one should be just about required. Will we see one? Will the Devils be able to attack early and often? Can they keep the Flyers' forwards down, low shooting percentages and all? What are your expectations for Ponikarovsky's first game as a Devil in 2013? What do you think the Devils need to do - other than the obvious - to win tonight? Please leave your answers and other thoughts about tonight's game in the comments. Thank you for reading.</p>
https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2013/2/15/3986888/new-jersey-devils-vs-philadelphia-flyers-game-14-previewJohn Fischer