Devils down Flyers in Shootout

The Flyers just can't win in New Jersey. It took a shootout, but the Devils won their 12th straight home game against the Flyers, 5-4. The Flyers did well to come back from a 3-1 deficit to earn the point, but couldn't earn the all important second point in the shootout. The point pulls the Flyers past the idle Boston Bruins into the 7th seed in the East, but they remain two points behind the Rangers, who have played one less game.

The Flyers featured a well-balanced attack, with 4 different players scoring. Mike Knuble scored the game tying goal late in the third period following a sweet pass by Mike Richards. Danny Briere and Vinny Prospal continued to show their on-ice chemistry on the first goal of the game, where Briere slid the puck to Prospal who blasted it home. For the Devils, Johnny Oduya scored two goals, and Jamie Langenbrunner notched the clinching shootout goal.

The game also featured a spirited fight between Randy Jones, who just returned from an injury, and Mike Mottau in the first period. The fight seemed pretty even, and both players received fighting majors and matching minors, with Mottau's minor being an unsportsmanlike conduct for pulling Jones' hair.

The Flyers have four games left, the next one against the Islanders tomorrow, and then a pair of games against the Penguins next week with the Devils sandwiched in between. The Flyers appear to be a solid bet to make the playoffs, unfortunately it will likely be in the 7th or 8th seed, meaning an early playoff exit might be inevitable.

Highlights of the game, from Comcast SportsNet: