John Tortorella spoke to the media after the Flyers’ 3-1 win over the Devils.
NEWARK, N.J. — The Flyers won a defensive grind over the Devils, 3-1, Saturday afternoon at the Prudential Center.
Matvei Michkov and Bobby Brink provided the Flyers' first two goals. Brink's came in the third period on the power play to give the Flyers the lead. Noah Cates and Tyson Foerster had assists on the marker.
Travis Konecny iced the game with an empty-netter.
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The Flyers (21-20-6) matched their season-best point streak of five games (4-0-1), something they've done two other times. They've outscored opponents 20-9 over this run.
Last season, as the Flyers stumbled down the stretch, John Tortorella felt he didn't harp enough on that grinding style of play. On Saturday, the Flyers showed they can beat a good team in that environment.
"You just don't want to give up odd-man rushes," Tortorella said. "You don't want to overexert and lose your patience. You need to stay on your toes, but also keep your patience. I think it's a huge part of what we're trying to do as a team because that's the way we have to play. We just can't get into run and guns with other teams.
"T.K. is one that I thought looked frustrated all [game] long, but I thought he kept his patience. He didn't do something stupid and didn't cost us at least going back our way. It's good to live through one and find a way to get a result."
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The Flyers see the Devils (26-16-6) twice more before the end of January and once more in March.
• When Michkov gets a breakaway, he tends to take advantage of it.
The 20-year-old winger buried a shot as he went in alone to draw the Flyers even at 1-1 just 1:56 minutes into the second period.
"I see that in practice all the time," Samuel Ersson said. "He's such a pure goal scorer, you can see it all the time in practice, he doesn't want to get denied."
Sean Couturier picked off a pass to spring Michkov the other way.
"He has got a lot of offensive skill," Couturier said. "He'll bury those a lot of times."
It was the rookie's 14th goal of the season. He came in on pace for 23.
• Ersson converted 12 saves on 13 shots. It was the Flyers' fewest shots allowed in the Tortorella era.
"We do such a good job of blocking shots, of getting sticks on pucks — I cannot complain that we're good at defending," Ersson said. "It's just up to me to stay sharp and be ready mentally for when that shot comes."
The 25-year-old netminder was excellent on a penalty kill late in the second period to keep the Flyers even.
New Jersey struck only 2:17 minutes into the game when Dougie Hamilton sent a shot through all kinds of traffic. The Flyers were a step behind on that first round of shifts and it cost them. They found themselves later in the first period.
Aside from the start, the Flyers helped Ersson, who came in playing very well. He entered 5-1-0 with a 1.77 goals-against average, .931 save percentage and one shutout since the holiday break.
"I think he's getting back into his rhythm," Couturier said. "He seems to be on his game. It's fun to see. He's a big part of our team."
The Flyers also won a coach's challenge 3:41 minutes into the third period that overturned a Jesper Bratt go-ahead goal. The play was deemed offside.
Later in the period, Nick Seeler and Jamie Drysdale had a gutsy shift in which they both blocked a shot.
"We ate shots all over the place," Tortorella said.
Devils backup Jake Allen stopped 15 of the Flyers' 17 shots.
• After picking up his first multi-point game of the season two days ago in the Flyers' 5-3 win over the Islanders, Joel Farabee was a plus-1 against New Jersey and had three shots.
• With Ryan Poehling out after taking an illegal check to the head Thursday night, Olle Lycksell drew into the lineup as Scott Laughton moved to center.
• The Flyers are scheduled to practice Monday at 11 a.m. ET in Voorhees, New Jersey before they host the Red Wings on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP).
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