Flyers edge Devils in Game 81, keep playoff hopes alive originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
A couple of days ago, with three games left, John Tortorella said he wanted the Flyers to keep it interesting despite having dwindling playoff hopes.
They have kept it interesting.
The Flyers, in must-win territory again Saturday, picked up a 1-0 victory over the Devils at the Wells Fargo Center.
They have one game to go and their postseason push is still alive. After the win, they blasted “The Gambler” by Kenny Rogers in the locker room.
“It’s nowhere near a playoff atmosphere, but it’s our step that we’re taking to playing these type of games at the end of the year to get in,” Tortorella said. “We’re close, so I think it’s a great process for us. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but we’re just going to go out and play hard and see where we are at the end Tuesday night.”
Travis Konecny scored the game’s only goal for the Flyers (38-32-11), who have won two straight after losing a season-worst eight in a row.
“Guys are excited to play for one another right now,” Konecny said. “We’ve got one left to try to get it done.”
The Flyers went 2-1-1 against the Devils (38-38-5) in their four-game regular-season series.
New Jersey was without 22-year-old star Jack Hughes, who was shut down this week because of a shoulder injury.
• Before the game started, the Flyers’ only path to the playoffs became the Eastern Conference’s second wild-card spot.
The Islanders picked up a point with a 3-2 shootout loss to the Rangers, making it impossible for the Flyers to finish in third place of the Metropolitan Division.
The Flyers entered Saturday chasing the Islanders (third place) and Penguins (second wild card). They were a point back of the Penguins and tied with the Capitals and Red Wings. All four teams were in action Saturday and all four have played one fewer game than the Flyers.
“I might’ve had a game on today,” Scott Laughton said of the scoreboard watching. “We’ll see what happens. You can’t really control it. You control what you can do but, yeah, I’ll probably have the TV on tonight.”
After the Flyers won to jump the Penguins by a point, the Capitals beat the Lightning, 4-2, to take over the second wild-card position via the tiebreaker of fewer games played.
The Red Wings took down the Maple Leafs in overtime, 5-4, passing the Flyers via the tiebreaker of fewer games played.
By the end of the night, the Flyers stayed in front of the Penguins, who lost to the Bruins,…