NEWARK, N.J. – Ron Hextall was a tad upset about how some of the shenanigans unfolded Thursday night during the 4-0 spanking his Flyers took from the Devils.
Everyone knew the Devils were gunning for someone, anyone, after seven straight losses and then their general manager Ray Shero calls them out and more or less demands they show him some fight.
Which they did. Yet every time the Devils initiated, it seemed the Flyers kept picking up the extra minors as New Jersey had six power plays.
The worst incident came as the horn sounded ending the first period when Mike Cammalleri engaged Nick Cousins in a fight, got him down on the ice and began punching a defenseless player.
That's a no-no in hockey.
"I don't like to comment on stuff like that," Hextall said. "I thought some of the scrums, they talked about starting them and we seemed to get the penalties. That was a little backwards."
Cousins said Cammalleri apologized for hitting when he was down while they were in the box in the second period.
"He sorted apologized in the box," Cousins said. "It is what it is. It's hockey. Things get emotional. He said he didn't mean to hit me when I was in a vulnerable position.
"He wanted to go on the power play rather than sit in the box for five minutes … good trade off for us. But we had no energy tonight for any of us. We'll go right back at it when Christmas is over."
The Flyers go into the break 11-2-1 over their last 14 games.
Loose pucks
Mark Streit (left shoulder) missed his fifth consecutive game. … Goalie Michal Neuvirth (left knee) missed his 20th consecutive game. … Nick Schultz was a healthy scratch for the 21st consecutive game. ... The Flyers 16 shots on goal was their lowest total in just over two years. Their last game of 16 shots or fewer was Dec. 6, 2014 when they had 16 in a 2-1 win at Los Angeles. ... This was the first time the Devils have shut out the Flyers since Nov. 7, 2013. That was the last of 12 shutouts Martin Brodeur had against the Flyers. ... The 50 PIM the Flyers had are the most they've had in a game since Jan. 20, 2015 vs. Pittsburgh (59) and is the most they've had in a road game since Jan. 13, 2004 at Buffalo (51). It's the most they've had in a game against New Jersey since they had 65 in a 4-2 win at the Spectrum on April 12, 1994.
