PHILADELPHIA, PA. (AP)—Mike Richards, R.J. Umberger and Brian Savage all scored to lead the Philadelphia Flyers over the New Jersey Devils 3-2 Thursday night in preseason play.
Umberger opened the scoring for Philadelphia midway through the first period, when he slid past a defenseman and backhanded the puck on net, watching it trickle past Devils goaltender Scott Clemmensen for a power-play goal.
Savage made it 2-0 with about four minutes left in the period when he slammed a rebound past Clemmensen from just outside the crease.
David Hale scored for the Devils 24 seconds later to cut the lead to 2-1, beating Flyers goalie Robert Esche with a wrist shot from the top of the slot.
Richards beat Devils goaltender Ari Ahonen with about 1 1/2 minutes left in the second to extend the Flyers’ lead to 3-1. It was Richards’ third goal of the preseason.
Sergei Brylin scored nearly three minutes into the third period on the man-advantage, knocking in a loose puck from the side of net to cut Philadelphia’s lead to 3-2.
Esche made 16 saves for Philadelphia, while Clemmensen stopped 18 and Ahonen 10 shots for New Jersey.
The Flyers went 1-for-5 on the power play, and New Jersey was 1-for-8.
Flyers defenseman Kim Johnsson left the game with a groin strain and did not return, while offseason acquisition Derian Hatcher made his debut.
Peter Forsberg, the biggest offseason addition for Philadelphia, is expected to make his debut Friday or Saturday when the Flyers conclude their preseason schedule. He has been sidelined since undergoing surgery on his injured ankle Sept. 12.
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