Flyers 'start to see a little bit of sun'
The Flyers moved to within three points of eighth-place Winnipeg in the Eastern Conference on Friday, scoring a hard-earned – and desperately needed — 2-1 shootout win over New Jersey at the Wells Fargo Center.
Winger Simon Gagne put the victory in perspective.
"We understand that tonight was the biggest game of the season and the next one is going to be the biggest of the season," said Gagne, who set up the Flyers' only goal in regulation, a first-period tally by Max Talbot. "Every game is going to be huge for us. I don't want to say we feel good about ourselves because it is only one win. We need to win a lot more than only one.
"You start to see a little bit of sun, but not much yet. It's coming."
Goalie Ilya Bryzgalov, who had slumped in March, was the game's best player; he made 27 saves and was especially spectacular in the overtime. He allowed just one goal in three shootout attempts.
Bryzgalov was much more aggressive in the shootout than usual _ he poke-checked the puck away from David Clarkson on the Devils' second attempt _ as he led the Flyers to just their second win in the last six games. He is now 4-6 in shootouts with the Flyers in the last two seasons, and 23-28 in career shootouts.
Thanks to Bryzgalov and goals by Matt Read and Claude Giroux, it was the Flyers' first shootout win in a little over a year.
Breakaways. Giroux, Kimmo Timonen, and Jake Voracek have been among the NHL's most productive power-play performers. Giroux began the night tied for second with 15 power-play points, while Timonen and Voracek were tied for eighth with 14 power-play points….Before facing the Devils, the Flyers were sixth in the 30-team NHL on the power play (23.3 percent success rate) and 11th on the penalty kill (83.3 percent).. . . Harry Zolnierczyk was recalled from Adirondack so he could serve the third game of his four-game suspension…Danny Briere moved back to the second line, with Brayden Schenn and Wayne Simmonds....Winnipeg has two games in hand on the Flyers, who play just once in the next eight days _ Monday in Tampa....They will not practice on Saturday.
Follow Sam Carchidi on Twitter @BroadStBull.