NEWARK, N.J. — At the All-Star Game, New Jersey Devils star Jack Hughes vowed to get revenge on the Flyers in their final matchup of the season, as Philadelphia held the 2-1 series edge.
Hughes’ promise became a nightmarish reality, as the Flyers fell, 7-0, to the Devils on Saturday night at the Prudential Center on the second night of a back-to-back. Their self-inflicted wounds, from turnovers to lost puck battles to blown coverages, gave way to two of the Devils’ three goals in the second period — a Hughes off-the-bench breakaway beauty for their second and Dawson Mercer’s wide-open one-timer from the low slot for their third.
Defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler opened the scoring three minutes into the middle frame when his shot through traffic beat goalie Samuel Ersson to put the home team up, 1-0. The Flyers continued to flounder in the third period, allowing goals from Nico Hischier, Dougie Hamilton, Jesper Bratt, and Nathan Bastian.
