Stolarz rescues Flyers after Neuvirth collapses
PHILADELPHIA -- Rookie goaltender Anthony Stolarz turned aside all 22 shots he faced in emergency relief of Michal Neuvirth, who left the game after collapsing in his goal crease, to lead the Philadelphia Flyers to a 3-0 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Saturday night at the Wells Fargo Center.
Brayden Schenn, Colin McDonald and Jordan Weal scored goals for the Flyers (38-32-8), who won for the fourth straight time and remained six points behind the Boston Bruins for the second wild-card playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Flyers and Bruins each have four games remaining, so any combination of a Flyers loss or a Bruins win would eliminate the Flyers from playoff contention.
Cory Schneider stopped 34 shots for the Devils (27-37-14), who lost for the sixth straight time (0-4-2).
Stolarz, 23, grew up in Edison, N.J., as a Devils fan and learned he would be suiting up for the Flyers two hours before the game when goaltender Steve Mason fell ill.
Only 7:37 into the game, Stolarz was called off the bench after Neuvirth collapsed in his crease and was carted off the ice on a stretcher. Neuvirth later was taken to Pennsylvania Hospital, where he was "awake and alert," according to Flyers general manager Ron Hextall.
Coming off Thursday night's blowout victory over the New York Islanders, the Flyers pressured the Devils early and with Travis Zajac in the penalty box for hooking grabbed a 1-0 lead 7:28 into the game on Schenn's 24th goal of the season and team-high 17th on the power play.
Schenn was at the side of the Devils net when Claude Giroux's errant shot caromed off the end boards onto his stick for an open netter.
Nine seconds later, on a faceoff in the Devils' zone, Neuvirth collapsed in his goal crease and lay motionless on the ice for close to 2 minutes.
He later sat up and appeared groggy as he was carted off the ice on a stretcher.
"It's obviously pretty scary when you see your goaltender just collapse like that," Flyers left wing Chris VandeVelde said. "I'm not sure really what happened, if he fainted or got lightheaded or what, but it was pretty scary and I'm glad to see he was moving and functioning when he was rolled off the ice."
Stolarz, who arrived at the Wells Fargo Center moments before the opening faceoff as an emergency backup to Steve Mason, entered the game at the 7:37 mark.
McDonald, who was recalled by the Flyers on Friday as an injury replacement for Matt Read, gave the Flyers a 2-0 lead with his first NHL goal since Nov. 27, 2015. McDonald, 32, raced past Devils defenseman Andy Greene, eluded a pokecheck by Schneider, and scored his 20th career NHL goal and first as a Flyer.
The Flyers made it 3-0 midway through the second period on Weal's eighth goal of the season and first career power-play goal.
NOTES: With RW Matt Read sidelined 4-to-6 weeks with an upper body injury, Colin McDonald played his first game with the Flyers on a fourth line with C Pierre-Edouard Bellemare and LW Chris VandeVelde. ... F Mike Vecchione, who signed a free-agent contract with the Flyers on Friday following his senior season with Union College, practiced Saturday but did not play. He is doubtful for Sunday night's game against the New York Rangers but could see his first NHL action on Tuesday night at New Jersey. ... Devils C Jacob Josefson (upper body injury) resumed skating but sat out his 16th straight game. RW Devante Smith-Pelly (upper body injury, day-to-day) sat out his 11th straight contest. ... The Devils are off until Tuesday when they host the Flyers.