The Philadelphia Flyers (39-26-12) have an opportunity to sweep the season series against the New Jersey Devils (40-34-3) on Tuesday night in a matchup that can keep the Flyers’ momentum rolling.
Where: Prudential Center; Newark, NJ
When: 04/07/2026; 7pm/ET
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Last Game PHI: 04/05/2026; 2-1 OT W; vs. Boston Bruins
Last Game NJD: 04/05/2026; 3-0 W; @ Montréal Canadiens
Where They Stand
Philadelphia currently sits 3rd in the Metropolitan Division with 90 points. New Jersey, meanwhile, has 83 points and, while not mathematically eliminated, will most likely not see playoff action this season. This game may not be labeled a “must-win,” but with the standings tightening, every point is critical.
The out-of-town scoreboard is not make-or-break, but something to keep an eye on. The Columbus Blue Jackets and Detroit Red Wings, both sitting at 88 points, face off tonight, meaning at least one team will gain ground. From a Flyers perspective, a regulation result is ideal, with Detroit being the preferable winner. Elsewhere, a Tampa Bay Lightning win over the Ottawa Senators would also help, though Tampa Bay is coming off a 4-2 loss last night in Buffalo.
Tonight’s Numbers
The Devils average 2.78 goals per game but have caught fire offensively as of late, scoring 19 goals over their last five games and hitting three or more goals in four of those contests. They allow 3.03 goals per game, though they are coming off a shutout performance. The Flyers hold a slight edge statistically, averaging 2.84 goals per game while allowing just 2.95.
Shot generation tells a different story. New Jersey ranks T-4th in the league with 29.8 shots per game, while Philadelphia sits 27th at 25.6. However, the Flyers are stronger defensively in this area, allowing just 25.4 shots per game (29th), compared to the Devils’ 27.4 (20th).
Special teams continue to be a challenge for Philadelphia. The Devils’ power play ranks 12th in the league at 22.4%, while their penalty kill sits 15th at 79.3%. The Flyers, meanwhile, are 20th on the penalty kill at 77.9% and remain last in the league on the power play at 15.2%.
Porter Martone’s overtime winner marked the Flyers’ first power-play goal since March 29 against the Dallas Stars, snapping a stretch of 11 consecutive unsuccessful opportunities.
Previous Matchups
The Flyers have won the two meetings against the Devils this season, both occurring back in November.
In the first matchup, a 6-3 Flyers win, Timo Meier opened the scoring on the power play before Noah Cates responded just 90 seconds later. A few minutes after that, the Flyers made history, scoring three goals in just 26 seconds, a franchise record, with Matvei Michkov netting one and Tyson Foerster scoring twice. Bobby Brink and Nico Hischier traded goals in the second, while Hischier added another in the third alongside a Trevor Zegras goal. Dan Vladař made 32 saves on 35 shots, while Jake Allen stopped 23 of 29 for New Jersey.
A week later, the Flyers did it again with a 5-3 win. Owen Tippett and Michkov each scored twice, with Zegras adding another. For the Devils, Šimon Nemec, Dawson Mercer, and Meier found the back of the net. Vladař again got the nod, stopping 29 of 32 shots, while Jacob Markström made 27 saves on 31 shots.
Philadelphia Flyers
Christian Dvorak continues to prove his value, recording the opening goal and a primary assist on the overtime winner in Sunday’s game. Over his last four games, he has totaled two goals and three assists. He now sits one point shy of 50 on the season, a career high, and is also one goal away from tying his career-best of 18. Additionally, he is just two points away from reaching 300 career points.
All eyes are also on rookie Porter Martone, who scored his first NHL goal in dramatic fashion as the overtime game-winner on Sunday. He became the second-youngest player ever behind Alexis Lafrenière to score his first NHL goal in overtime. Through his first four games, Martone is averaging 16:53 of ice time while already tallying one goal, two assists, and 20 shots.
Another rookie, Denver Barkey, could re-enter the lineup on the fourth line after being a healthy scratch for the last two games, replacing Carl Grundström.
Garnet Hathaway, who was just named the Flyers’ 2025-26 King Clancy Memorial Trophy nominee, has been dealing with something after a blocked shot against the Islanders last week. He has had limited practice time and did not participate in warmups recently, and he is not expected to play tonight.
In net, it would’ve made some sense for Sam Ersson to get the start, allowing Vladař a rest ahead of Thursday’s big matchup against the Red Wings, but the latter will tend the crease tonight for the Flyers. Vladař is 2-0-0 with a .910 SV% and 3.00 GAA against the Devils this season and the Flyers will look to ride him to the playoffs. Ersson does hold a 4-3-0 record against New Jersey, including a shutout, with a 3.19 GAA and .885 SV% in his career. On the season, he is 13-11-5 with a 3.15 GAA and an .867 SV%, but he has been trending upward, going 4-1-0 in his last five starts with a .909 SV% and allowing more than one goal in just two of those games.
New Jersey Devils
Nico Hischier leads the Devils with 26 goals this season and has historically performed well against Philadelphia, recording 10 goals and 15 assists in 27 career games.
Jack Hughes is close behind with 25 goals and leads the team with 72 points, including 2 assists in the Devils’ last game, all while missing 18 games earlier this season with a hand injury. Jesper Bratt leads the team in assists with 48.
Both Hughes and Meier enter tonight on three-game point streaks. Hughes has nine points (3G, 6A) over that stretch, while Meier has three points (1G, 2A).
In goal, Jacob Markström is expected to start for New Jersey. Markström is 23-18-1 this season with a 3.04 GAA and an .885 SV%. He is coming off a shutout on Sunday and has posted strong numbers against the Flyers historically, going 6-6-1 with a 2.30 GAA and a .925 SV%, including a shutout.
Injury Report: Philadelphia Flyers
- Nikita Grebenkin (Upper-body)
- Rodrigo Ābols (Ankle)
Injury Report: New Jersey Devils
- Arseny Gritsyuk (Upper-body)
- Brett Pesce (Lower-body)
- Stefan Noesen (Knee)
- Zack MacEwen (ACL)
Projected Lineup: Philadelphia Flyers
#71 Tyson Foerster – #46 Trevor Zegras – #74 Owen Tippett
#11 Travis Konecny – #22 Christian Dvorak – #94 Porter Martone
#20 Alex Bump – #27 Noah Cates – #39 Matvei Michkov
#52 Denver Barkey – #41 Luke Glendening – #14 Sean Couturier
#6 Travis Sanheim – #55 Rasmus Ristolainen
#8 Cam York – #9 Jamie Drysdale
#24 Nick Seeler – #36 Emil Andrae
#80 Dan Vladař
(#33 Sam Ersson)
Scratched: Garnet Hathaway, Carl Grundström, Garrett Wilson, Noah Juulsen
Projected Lineup: New Jersey Devils
#28 Timo Meier – #13 Nico Hischier – #91 Dawson Mercer
#63 Jesper Bratt – #86 Jack Hughes – #16 Connor Brown
#29 Lenni Hämeenaho – #12 Cody Glass – #72 Nick Bjugstad
#47 Paul Cotter – #21 Marc McLaughlin – #48 Brian Halonen
#71 Jonas Siegenthaler – #7 Dougie Hamilton
#43 Luke Hughes – #8 Jonathan Kovacevic
#5 Brenden Dillon – #17 Šimon Nemec
#25 Jacob Markström
(#34 Jake Allen)
Scratched: Dennis Cholowski, Evgenii Dadonov, Maxim Tsyplakov
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