Jack Hughes scored with 1:37 left in overtime and the New Jersey Devils opened their season by coming back to edge the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 on Thursday in Newark, N.J.
Hughes stole the puck from Travis Sanheim behind the Devils’ net and raced up the ice before dishing to Jesper Bratt as the teammates neared the crease. Bratt immediately dished back to Hughes, who tucked the puck into the wide-open net as Flyers goalie Joseph Woll was caught leaning towards Bratt.
Dougie Hamilton had an unassisted goal in the second period and Luke Hughes forced overtime by scoring just before the midway point of the third for the Devils, who won their season opener for the fourth time in six years. Goalie Jake Allen made 23 saves.
Rasmus Ristolainen scored in the first and Sanheim had a goal in the third for the Flyers, who played one night after suffering a 7-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins in their season opener — the most lopsided home-opening defeat in Philadelphia history.
Woll recorded 41 saves Thursday for the Flyers, who are winless through two games for the second straight season.
Ristolainen put the Flyers ahead with 8:48 left in the first, when he screened Allen before redirecting Sanheim’s shot from the blue line.
Hamilton tied the score with 2:02 remaining in the second after collecting a puck at the top of the right faceoff circle. He sent a shot past Woll as he was screened by teammates Jamie Drysdale and Cam York as well as Devils right winger Anthony Mantha.
Sanheim collected his second point 5:33 into the third when his shot from above the left faceoff circle sailed beyond Allen’s glove.
The Devils tied the score again a little more than three minutes later thanks to a nifty assist by Luke Evangelista, who shook Ristolainen by whirling and dishing to Luke Hughes just beyond center ice. Luke Hughes descended into the slot and beat Woll stick side.