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Wrap: Flyers Defeat Devils, 6-1

December 14, 2021, 10:34 PM ET [370 Comments]
Bill Meltzer
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • RSSArchiveCONTACT
The Philadelphia Flyers have won three straight games. On Tuesday, they blew out the New Jersey Devils, 6-1, at the Wells Fargo Center. The Flyers jumped out early and built on it from there over the remainder of the game. Cam Atkinson led the way offensively with a hat trick and an assist.

Travis Sanheim and Oskar Lindblom each notched a goal and an assist. Claude Giroux (one assist) played an excellent all-around game, and easily could have had a multi-point night. He and Atkinson both finished at plus-five. Rasmus Ristolainen chipped in two assists, six hits and a blocked shot.

As a team, the Flyers played a structured game with generally clean breakouts, good gaps, reliable puck support and sticks in the lanes. The result on this night was a lot of transition opportunities off Devils turnovers and six goals in the cash register.

The Flyers dominated the first period and were rewarded with a 2-0 lead. Sanheim (1st goal of the season) and Atkinson (4-on-4, 10th goal of the season) scored the goals.

In the second period, Justin Braun (2nd) made it 3-0 but the Devils soon got the goal back on a tally by PK Subban (2nd). In the latter stages of the period, Atkinson scored a shorthanded goal for his second marker of the night (11th of the season, 2nd SHG) and then fed Lindblom (2nd) to open a 5-1 lead.

Atkinson, who already had 4-on-4 and 4-on-5 goals to his credit on the night, notched a 5-on-5 goal in the third period to complete the hat trick (12th goal of the season). This extended the Flyers' lead to 6-1.

Carter Hart had plenty of goal support on this night but was excellent in net when he had to be. This was especially true on a couple of penalty kills. Hart finished with 26 saves on 27 shots.

Mackenzie Blackwood played the first two periods in goal for the Devils. He yielded five tallies on 22 shots. Akira Schmid played the final 20 minutes, stopping seven of eight shots.

The Flyers did not receive any power plays in the game. They were 4-for-4 on the penalty kill, with the Atkinson shorthanded goal for good measure.

The only down note in the game. Right after his third shift of the opening period, Morgan Frost exited up the tunnel and did not return. It seemed unusual, as there was no apparent injury. After the game, Flyers interim head coach Mike Yeo said that Frost, who had taken a COVID test earlier in the day, had to removed to due COVID protocols. The team will know more about his status tomorrow.

The Flyers will hold a short practice on Wednesday and then depart for a flight to Montreal. For more on Tuesday's win, see the Postgame 5 on the Flyers' official website.
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