G Mason hurt as Flyers fall to Devils
NEWARK, N.J. -- Steve Mason had injury added to insult Thursday night as the Philadelphia Flyers dropped a 6-2 decision to the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center.
Mason surrendered four goals on 23 shots, falling to 0-9-0 in 11 lifetime appearances against the Devils. To make matters worse, Mason sustained an unspecified injury on New Jersey's fourth goal, a Taylor Hall breakaway early in the third period, and had to leave the game.
The loss was the fourth in five games for the Flyers (32-30-8), who shut out the Pittsburgh Penguins just 24 hours prior.
The Devils (26-31-12) snapped a season-high, 10-game losing streak with the victory, their first since Feb 18. Hall and Adam Henrique both scored twice for New Jersey, and backup goaltender Keith Kinkaid made 17 saves for his first win since Jan. 21, which, coincidentally, came against the Flyers.
Michal Neuvirth replaced Mason and allowed Henrique's second goal. Neuvirth made four saves.
The Devils' last tally was an empty-netter by Hall, his 17th goal of the season.
Despite giving up the game's first goal, the Devils held a 3-2 lead after two periods of play on goals from Kyle Palmieri, Henrique and Joseph Blandisi.
After Michael Del Zotto opened the scoring at the 17-minute mark of the first period, Palmieri evened things up just 1:11 later with his team-leading 23rd goal of the season, and eighth in the past 11 games.
The Devils then took the lead 5:50 into the second period with Henrique converting a Beau Bennett pass into the slot for his 17th goal. Blandisi's power-play deflection made it 3-1 New Jersey just under four minutes later at 9:40.
However, the Flyers had a quick answer on Brayden Schenn's easy tap-in at 11:13, off a pretty Radko Gudas seam pass.
NOTES: Flyers C Claude Giroux picked up an assist on D Michael Del Zotto's first-period goal, extending his point streak to six games. ... The goal was Del Zotto's first since Dec. 14 against the Colorado Avalanche, a span of 26 games. ... The Flyers scratched C Nick Cousins, D Brandon Manning and LW Roman Lyubimov. ... The Devils were without four injured forwards: LW Michael Cammalleri (shoulder), C Jacob Josefson (upper body), RW Devante Smith-Pelly (lower body) and C Blake Coleman (upper body). ... New Jersey also scratched D Steven Santini.