Devils 3, Flyers 0
PHILADELPHIA -- Ryan Carter, Matt D'Agostini and Adam Henrique scored goals, Martin Brodeur stopped 23 shots and the New Jersey Devils snapped a 10-game winless skid by defeating the Philadelphia Flyers 3-0 Thursday night at Wells Fargo Center.
With both teams clinging to slim playoff hopes, the Devils (16-17-10) played a little more desperate.
New Jersey remains six points behind the New York Rangers for the eighth and final spot in the Eastern Conference, with five games left.
The Flyers (19-22-3) are seven points behind the Rangers and have only four games remaining.
Brodeur registered his 121st career shutout and second this season. His previous one came in Philadelphia on Jan. 22. Brodeur won for just the third time in his last 13 starts on the Flyers' home ice.
The Devils hadn't won since beating Florida on March 23, going 0-6-4 to fall out of the playoff picture.
Brodeur preserved the 1-0 lead with a chest save on Claude Giroux's slap shot midway through the third period.
D'Agostini then shot one between goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov's legs to give New Jersey a two-goal cushion with just over five minutes left. A frustrated Bryzgalov smashed his stick after allowing the goal.
Henrique added an empty-netter in the final 90 seconds.
After the Flyers missed out on a 3-on-1 breakaway by not even getting a shot on net, the Devils scored at the opposite end. Carter fired a slap shot from the left circle that appeared to deflect off a stick and sailed past Bryzgalov to give the Devils a 1-0 lead 5:36 into the second.
Jakub Voracek kicked the puck into the net later in the second, but the goal was waived off immediately and the call was upheld by a video review.
Stephen Gionta nearly scored a shorthanded goal to put the Devils up 2-0, but his shot hit the post.
The Flyers had won two in a row but are now two Rangers points away from being eliminated from the playoffs. It'll be the first time they miss the playoffs since 2007 and second time in 18 years.
NOTES: Devils forward Ilya Kovalchuk, who hoped to play after skating on Tuesday, missed his 11th straight game with a right shoulder injury. ... Brodeur made his 13th straight start. ... This was the fifth and final meeting between the two teams. ... The Flyers have 46 first-period goals while the Devils have 22. ... Carter's goal snapped New Jersey's goal drought. The Devils were shut out in the previous two games. ... Flyers forward Jay Rosehill was a late scratch.
