Special teams play key role in Flyers' crucial win over Devils

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NEWARK, N.J. -- With their backs up against the wall after another lost weekend, the Flyers displayed another level they haven't reached often this season Tuesday night.

And they did so having to heavily rely on their special teams.

The Flyers scored two power-play goals, killed off six penalties and surrendered just one goal on a five-minute major during a 6-3 win over the Devils at the Prudential Center (see Instant Replay).

"Special teams were the key," winger Wayne Simmonds said. "Our PK did a great job. We gave up one, but they did a great job blocking shots and getting pucks down 200 feet."

With the win coupled with Tampa Bay's regulation loss, the Flyers are now four points behind the Pittsburgh Penguins, who were idle Tuesday, for the second wild-card spot. They're five points behind N.J., which holds the first wild-card spot with 65 points.

Hours after calling the game a must win, the Flyers did exactly that behind their special-teams effort and a four-goal third period that saw the Flyers show resiliency.

"We still have a lot of hockey to play," winger Brayden Schenn said. "We obviously had a bad weekend, not where we wanted to be. To get three out of four points against the Devils, we'll take it."

With the Flyers holding a 2-1 lead in the third period, Devils forward Jordin Tootoo found the back of the net with a wrister through traffic to tie the game at two at 9:24 just as a New Jersey power play ended.

Not two minutes later, while on a power play, Simmonds answered for the Flyers. Simmonds potted an easy tip-in on a thing of beauty from the first power-play unit.

Claude Giroux made a beautiful pass near the blue line to Schenn, who found Simmonds open in the crease for an easy marker. Schenn (one goal, two assists) and Giroux (three assists) each had three-point games.

Less than a minute after Simmonds' go-ahead goal, Nick Cousins registered his second career goal at 13:12 to give the Flyers a 4-2 lead. They would add two more.

But for a team that entered 1-3-2 in its previous six games — and a team that's struggling to score — Tootoo's goal could have spelled disaster and an all too familiar narrative.

Get a lead, give up a crushing goal and never rebound from it.

That didn't happen against New Jersey on Tuesday. The Flyers fought back right away.

"It was immediate," head coach Dave Hakstol said. "We had a great penalty kill and then it's one of those pucks that got through a couple of our bodies and it had eyes. Next shift, guys went back out and got back at it. We were able to answer it pretty quick."

At 8:10 in the first period, the Flyers saw their first major test of the game. Defenseman Radko Gudas delivered another questionable hit, this time on Devils forward Bobby Farnham and received a five-minute major and game misconduct for an illegal hit to the head.

The Devils managed one goal during the five-minute power play and nearly had a second minutes prior on a goal that was reversed after a coach's challenge. Behind Michal Neuvirth, some active sticks and bodies, the Flyers escaped the major down just 1-0.

Gudas' hit will be reviewed by the NHL Department of Player Safety.

"For a night where we have five D," Hakstol said of Gudas' hit, "it puts a lot of stress not only on the entire penalty killing unit but it puts a lot of stress on those defensemen back there.

"We did a better job in the second half of the game staying out of the box and I think that helped that group of five back there.

"Obviously, one young guy back there and four guys who are veterans who've played a lot of games in these league, I thought they handled the minutes pretty well."

The Flyers' first goal saw Shayne Gostisbehere extend his point streak to 13 games. Gostisbehere fluttered a wrister past of Cory Schneider at 17:23 in the first period.

Gostisbehere is now seven games shy of tying Paul Stastny's NHL rookie record of 20 games, and with 11 goals, he's two goals shy from tying Behn Wilson for most goals by a rookie defenseman in Flyers history.

But as he has throughout the point streak, Gostisbehere deflected any personal acclaim.

"Not really [paying attention to it]," he said. "Focused on two points and the playoffs."

And the Flyers' win Tuesday helped keep those playoff hopes alive.

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