Stafford’s shootout score ends Flyers’ streak at four
PHILADELPHIA » Travis Hall scored twice in regulation, Drew Stafford had the only tally in the shootout and the New Jersey Devils snapped a four-game losing streak with a 5-4 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday night.
John Moore and Nico Hischier also tallied goals in regulation for the Devils.
Claude Giroux had a goal and an assist and Radko Gudas, Travis Konecny and Scott Laughton also scored for the Flyers, who learned earlier Tuesday that starting goalie Brian Elliott will be out for at least five weeks.
Philadelphia remained in sixth place in the Eastern Conference while the Devils stayed in seventh but pulled within two points of Philadelphia.
Keith Kinkaid made 31 saves and stopped all three Flyers attempts in the shootout.
Stafford, New Jersey’s second shooter, beat Michal Neuvirth through the fivehole to snap Philadelphia’s four-game winning streak.
Neuvirth, the Flyers’ backup, made 31 saves in his second straight start since Elliott was injured during Saturday’s shootout at Arizona.
General manager Ron Hextall announced prior to the game that Elliott had abdominal surgery on Tuesday and will be out 5 to 6 weeks.
Hall scored his second of the night with 1:21 left in regulation to tie it at 3. Hischier’s shot from the slot rebounded off Neuvirth to Hall, who roofed it for his 23rd of the season.
The teams combined for six goals in an electrifying second period.
Hall beat Neuvirth from a sharp angle 4:08 into the period to tie the game at 1.
Laughton’s tally 41 seconds later from close range put the Flyers ahead, and it was a two-goal advantage for Philadelphia when Gudas’ slap shot from the point whizzed past Kinkaid with 9:24 left in the period.
Moore’s hard slap shot beat Neuvirth on the glove side with 6:43 remaining in the second to pull New Jersey within 3-2, but Giroux answered with a power play goal 2:42 later when his shot from a sharp angle deflected off the stick of Devils defenseman Ben Lovejoy and through Kinkaid’s five-hole.
Ten seconds later, Hischier finished a 2-on-1 with a wrist shot over Neuvirth’s glove after a turnover by Ivan Provorov off the faceoff to make it 4-3.
Konecny opened the scoring 1:54 into the contest with his 14th goal of the season and eighth in the last 13 games when he streaked down the right side and shot past Kinkaid.
*** NOTES » In 41 games this season, Elliott has posted a 2111-7 mark with a 2.72 goalsagainst average and .908 save percentage . ... Hall has points in 15 straight games (11 goals, 12 assists).