Devils–Flyers rivalry facts for kids
| First meeting | October 18, 1982 |
|---|---|
| Latest meeting | December 14, 2021 |
| Next meeting | October 13, 2022 |
| Statistics | |
| Meetings total | 253 |
| All-time series | 130–100–15–8 (NJD) |
| Regular season series | 116–86–15–8 (NJD) |
| Postseason results | 14–14 (tie) |
| Largest victory | PHI 8–2 NJD December 10, 1983 PHI 7–1 NJD November 4, 1986 November 20, 1988 NJD 7–1 PHI January 18, 2001 |
| Longest win streak | PHI W9 |
| Current win streak | PHI W1 |
| Postseason history | |
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The Devils–Flyers rivalry is a big competition between two ice hockey teams. Both teams play in the NHL's Metropolitan Division. This rivalry is very strong in New Jersey. People sometimes call it the "Battle of the Jersey Turnpike." This is because fans in northern New Jersey usually support the Devils. But people in southern New Jersey are mostly Flyers fans. South Jersey is very close to Philadelphia, where the Flyers play. The Flyers even practice in Voorhees Township, New Jersey. Many former Flyers players live in South Jersey.
From 1993 to 2013, these two teams won many division championships. Out of 19 titles in their division, they won 15 together. The Devils won 9 of these, and the Flyers won 6.
The Start of the Rivalry
Before the Devils moved to New Jersey, they were called the Colorado Rockies (NHL). In 1978, the Flyers played against the Rockies in the playoffs. The Flyers won both games easily.
The real rivalry between the Devils and Flyers began in 1995. This was after the Devils moved to New Jersey in 1982. They met in the playoffs during the 1994–95 season. The Devils won this series in six games. They then went on to win the Stanley Cup that year.
A key moment in that series was in Game 5. Claude Lemieux of the Devils scored a wobbly goal from far away. It went past Flyers goalie Ron Hextall with only 44 seconds left. This goal helped the Devils win. Many people were surprised by the Devils' win. The Flyers were a strong team that year. They had a star player, Eric Lindros, who won a major award. Lindros and Devils captain Scott Stevens often had intense matchups on the ice.
In 1999, the Devils were leading their division. But they had a tough time near the end of the season. This allowed the Flyers to take over and win the division title. The two teams met again in the playoffs in 2000. This time, the Flyers were ahead 3-1 in the series. But the Devils made a huge comeback. They won the next three games, including three games in Philadelphia. Game 7 of this series was the last game for Eric Lindros as a Flyer. He got a concussion from a hit by Scott Stevens. Many people believe this hit was a turning point for the Devils. The Devils then went on to win the Stanley Cup again. They beat the Dallas Stars in six games.
Rivalry in the 2000s and Beyond
The Flyers finally beat the Devils in the playoffs in 2004. They won 4 games to 1. The Flyers also defeated the Devils in the 2010 playoffs, again 4 games to 1. After that series, the Flyers made it to the Stanley Cup Finals. The 2010 series was a big surprise. The Devils had won their division and were a top team. The Flyers barely made the playoffs. In the 2009-2010 season, the Flyers had a great record against the Devils. They won 9 out of 11 games.
In 2006, Devils goalie Martin Brodeur broke a record. He earned his 48th win of the season against the Flyers. This broke the record of 47 wins held by Philadelphia legend Bernie Parent. Flyers fans booed Brodeur when he broke the record. The Flyers' announcer did not even mention it. However, Bernie Parent praised Brodeur for his achievement. Brodeur also got his 500th career win in Philadelphia in 2007. This time, the announcer did share the news, but fans still booed. On March 1, 2009, Brodeur also recorded his 100th career shutout against the Flyers. He stopped 27 shots in a 3-0 victory.
In 2010, the Devils had a tough season. They missed the playoffs for the first time in a long time. The Flyers, however, had a strong season. They won their division on the very last day of the season.
The teams met again in the 2012 playoffs. The Flyers were expected to win easily. They had just beaten a very strong Pittsburgh team. But the Devils surprised everyone. After losing Game 1, New Jersey won the next four games. They won the series 4-1. This win helped the Devils reach the Stanley Cup Finals. Game 4 of this series was on Martin Brodeur's 40th birthday. This meant he had playoff wins against the Flyers in his 20s, 30s, and 40s! The Devils' strong offense and defense shut down the Flyers' star players. The Devils then beat the New York Rangers in the next round. However, they did not win the Stanley Cup that year. The Los Angeles Kings defeated them.
The 2012–13 season was the first time both teams missed the playoffs. From 1982 to 2011, the Devils missed the playoffs eight times. The Flyers missed them six times. But they had never missed them at the same time until then.
Beyond the NHL: Minor League Rivalries
The rivalry between the Devils and Flyers also extended to minor league hockey. The Flyers had a team in Trenton, New Jersey, called the Trenton Titans. This was from 1999 to 2006. In 2006, the Devils bought the team. They changed its name to the Trenton Devils and made it their own affiliate. The Devils hoped this would make more fans in southern New Jersey support them. But it actually upset many fans in central New Jersey. These fans mostly supported the Flyers. The Trenton Devils also didn't play very well. They missed the playoffs often and had low attendance. Because of this, the team stopped playing in 2011. A week later, the team was brought back. It went back to being the Trenton Titans and became a Flyers affiliate again.
Another minor league rivalry involved the AHL. The Philadelphia Phantoms, a Flyers affiliate, moved to New York in 2009. They became the Adirondack Phantoms. In 2010, the Albany River Rats moved. They were replaced by the Albany Devils, a Devils affiliate. This created a new rivalry between the Adirondack and Albany teams. This rivalry was important because of their parent NHL clubs. This continued until 2014, when the Phantoms moved again.
