5 Observations: Flyers, Carter Hart (48 saves) Steal Win in New Jersey

The Philadelphia Flyers were thoroughly outplayed Thursday at the Prudential Center, but you wouldn’t have known it by the scoreboard.

Final: Flyers 2, New Jersey 1.

Carter Hart absolutely stole the win for the Flyers, who were outshot 49-24. They ended a four-game losing streak and finished 1-1-2 on the road trip.

“It was a collective effort,” Hart fibbed after equaling a career high with 48 saves.

Here are five quick highlights:

1. Travis Konecny capitalized on a late chance.

With 8:14 to go in regulation, Travis Konecny (six shots) scored on a breakaway to give the Philadelphia Flyers a 2-1 lead. It was his team-leading 12th goal and seventh in the last 11 games.

Noah Cates, who had a pair of assists, knocked the puck away from a Devil to set up Konecny’s breakaway.

The clutch goal gave the Flyers just their second win in 12 games that were tied heading into the third period this season. They also snapped a nine-game road winless streak.

Picked a spot and ripped it. #PHIvsNJD | #FueledByPhilly pic.twitter.com/tduDoi23BP

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) December 16, 2022

2. Carter Hart withstood several odd-man rushes.

The Devils, using their huge speed advantage, had numerous odd-man rushes in the game, but Hart stood tall in the nets.

Hart was the main reason the game was tied at 1-1 after two periods, even though the Devils had a 30-15 shots domination.

Up to that point, his biggest save was when he stopped Yegor Sharangovich on a shorthanded breakaway after a bad Flyers line change in the second. Hart also stood tall as the Devils had a five-on-three for 39 seconds late in that period.

Hart’ continued to shine in the third period, making an outstanding glove save on Jesper Bratt’s high-slot drive with 16:54 left in regulation. The 24-year-old goalie stopped all 19 shots he faced in the third.

“That has to be our recipe when you play against a team like that, a high-octane team,” coach John Tortorella said about Hart’s dominating night.

Tortorella said he liked Hart’s “whole demeanor. I’m not a goalie coach, but there wasn’t a lot of extra movement.”

We'll take more of this. pic.twitter.com/Zy1jrjifp1

— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) December 16, 2022

3. For the Flyers, a familiar script in the opening act.

The Flyers again had a dud of an opening period. They were outworked, outshot, 16-7, and fell into a 1-0 hole.

“We were in a fog a little bit,” Tortorella said.

Jack Hughes‘ artistic power-play goal 4:40 into the game put the Devils ahead, 1-0. He finished with a game-high eight shots.

The Flyers have allowed the first goal for the 23rd time in their 31 games.

4. This is how you rebuild.

The Devils, who took a 21-6-2 record into the game, have become a contender because they rebuilt with lots of high-end draft picks in recent years.

New Jersey has had five top-seven draft picks in the last eight years — and their young players are producing.

The Devils have the NHL’s third-youngest team, and they entered the night with a league-high 72 goals from players 24 or under.

💥Sergeant One-Timer. 💥#PHIvsNJD | #FueledByPhilly pic.twitter.com/2H3lsM4mWq

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) December 16, 2022

5. Scott Laughton scored a much-needed goal.

The Flyers were getting badly outplayed when Laughton delivered a power-play goal, knotting the score at 1-1 with 15:48 to go in the second period. He scored on a one-timer from the top of the right circle as Noah Cates provided the screen on goalie Vitek Vanecek.

The Flyers rebounded from a failed four-minute power play that started late in the first period. They had just one shot, and their zone entries were poor.

Philly had a five-on-three for 1:02 in the second period but was unable to convert.

Breakaways

Kevin Hayes, who was not playing well, was benched for the third period and played just 9:47 overall. Tortorella declined to say why he was benched. … Olle Lycksell, 23, recalled from the Phantoms earlier in the day, played left wing on the third line with Laughton and Joel Farabee. The Sweden native had 16 points (5-11) in 16 games with the Phantoms. He had two blocked shots and one hit in 10:07 Thursday. … The Flyers won 52.6% of the faceoffs. … Nick Seeler came out of the penalty box and was stopped on a shorthanded breakaway late in the second. … Nick Deslauiers decisioned  Michael McLeod in a lively and long second-period fight. It was Deslauriers’ eighth fight this season, tops in the NHL. … Patrick Brown and Max Willman missed the game with upper-body injuries, and Tony DeAngelo was absent because of a family matter. … Zack MacEwen returned to the lineup. … The Flyers host the Rangers on Saturday night.

WATCH: Flyers’ Deslauriers and Devils’ McLeod in spirited bout.