Devils Host Flyers for First Meeting This Season | PREVIEW

THE SCOOP

The Devils enter a weekend of back-to-back matinee games looking to pick up two home wins. Despite winning only two of their last five games, New Jersey has points in each of those contests (2-0-3). In their most recent game, a 4-3 overtime loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs, Captain Nico Hischier had two power play goals while Jack Hughes also scored. New Jersey has seen improved play in their last five games and will look to win in regulation after going into extra minutes for their last four straight.

Captain Nico Hischier leads the Devils with 22 goals, is tied for fourth with 17 assists, and is third with 39 points. Jack Hughes is second on the team with goals (18) and is tied with Jesper Bratt for most-assists on the Devils (37). Hughes leads New Jersey with 55 points. Bratt’s 52 points are second on the team while his 15 goals are fourth. Jacob Markstrom has played the last six straight for the Devils and has suited up for 34 of the Devils’ 47 games this season. He has a 21-8-5 record, is averaging 2.20 goals against, and has a .913 save percentage. Jake Allen makes up the second half of the goaltending tandem. He has a 5-7-1 record through his 13 games played. He’s averaging 2.83 goals against and has a .901 save percentage.

Scoring 28.8% of the time, the Devils power play is third in the NHL while the penalty kill is 10th, killing penalties 82.2% of the time. New Jersey is allowing the fifth fewest goals per game, averaging 2.53 goals against per contest. New Jersey scores the 11th most goals in the NHL, averaging 3.11 per game. On Friday, the Devils placed forward Erik Haula on the IR and recalled defenseman Colton White from the Utica Comets. Earlier this week, New Jersey also recalled forward Brian Halonen from the Comets. Saturday is the first of three straight games at home with New Jersey hosting the Ottawa Senators Sunday afternoon and the Boston Bruins next Wednesday.

The Flyers enter Saturaday with points in four-straight and they’ve gone 3-1-1 in their last five games. Philadelphia saw five different goal scorers in their most recent game, a 5-3 win over the New York Islanders. In addition, this recent stretch of improved play snapped a four-game losing streak to start 2025.

Travis Konecny leads Philadelphia with 20 goals, 33 assists, and 53 points. In addition, Konecny has eight points, all assists, in his last five games, including three against the Islanders in the team’s last outing. Owen Tippett and Matvei Michkov are tied for second with 13 goals, while Michkov’s 19 assists and 32 points are second on the team, an impressive showing in his rookie campaign. Tippett’s 28 points are third on the Flyers. Currently the Flyers are carrying three goaltenders on their roster with Samuel Ersson carrying the majority of the workload. Ersson has played 23 games this season and has a 12-7-2 record. He’s averaging 2.87 goals against per game and has a .888 save percentage.

Philadelphia allows the fifth-most goals in the NHL, averaging 3.41 goals per game. They’re scoring the 13th most in the league, 3.04 goals for per game played. The Flyers power play is 28th (16%) while the penalty kill is 22nd (77.5%). Following Saturday’s game in New Jersey, the Flyers return home to host the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday night before heading to New York for a back-to-back between the New York Rangers and the New York Islanders.

WHO’S HOT

Devils: Captain Nico Hischier has three goals in his last two games, including two power play goals Thursday night against the Maple Leafs. Hischier has hit a new career-high in power play goals over a single season (8) with runway left on the year. Hischier leads the Devils with 22 goals and is third with 39 points.

Flyers: Garnet Hathaway has three goals and four total points in his last four games. Hathaway’s most recent goal was a shorthanded tally versus the Islanders. Hathaway’s heating up as he’s recorded half of his goals this season in these last four games.

INJURIES

Devils: Noesen (illness), Haula (ankle, IR), Hatakka (shoulder, IR)

Flyers: Poehling (upper-body), Deslauriers (upper-body, IR), Makiniemi (abdomen, month-to-month), Ellis (back, LTIR)

REGULAR-SEASON RESULTS

• Jan. 18 vs Flyers
• Jan. 27 at Flyers
• Jan. 29 vs Flyers
• Mar. 9 at Flyers