Devils beat Flyers 3-2 in OT on Jack Hughes’ great goal

Dustin Judge
Jack Hughes celebrates in a 2026 photo; the Devils star scored as the Devils beat Flyers 3-2 in overtime

The Devils beat Flyers 3-2 in overtime on Thursday, Oct. 1, as Jack Hughes scored 3:23 into the extra period to win the season opener at Prudential Center. New Jersey trailed twice in regulation before forcing overtime.

How the Devils beat Flyers

Rasmus Ristolainen put Philadelphia ahead at 11:12 of the first period. Dougie Hamilton tied it on an unassisted goal at 17:58 of the second, and Travis Sanheim made it 2-1 at 5:33 of the third. Luke Hughes tied it again later in the third on a feed from Luke Evangelista, according to NHL.com’s game recap. All four regulation goals came from defensemen.

In overtime, Jack Hughes stole the puck behind the Devils’ net, traded passes with Jesper Bratt and tucked in the winner. “That pass was a bit of a grenade that I sent his way,” Hughes said of Bratt’s give-and-go. He then tossed his stick into the crowd.

Goalies, shots and the Flyers’ tough turnaround

New Jersey outshot Philadelphia 44-25. Flyers goalie Joseph Woll made 41 saves, while Devils goalie Jake Allen stopped 23 of 25 shots. Sanheim had a goal and an assist for Philadelphia.

The Flyers were playing the second game of a back-to-back after a 7-0 home loss to Pittsburgh on Sept. 30. Woll said Philadelphia was “opportunistic” with its chances, according to NHL.com. Our Flyers vs. Devils preview looked at how the Flyers would respond to that loss.

What it means and what is next

New Jersey opens 1-0-0, and Philadelphia falls to 0-1-1. When the Devils beat Flyers, it also gave Hamilton and Luke Hughes a quick offensive start from the blue line.

The Devils visit the New York Islanders on Saturday, Oct. 3, according to the team schedule, and the Flyers host Carolina the same day. For more local hockey, see our Islanders vs. Maple Leafs preview.

Devils beat Flyers sources: NHL.com and The Sports Leader game report.

Dustin Judge is the Founder and CEO of Total Apex Media, bringing more than 20 years of writing and editorial experience to the company's growing network of digital publications. He specializes in sports, sports betting, fantasy sports, and digital publishing, with a focus on producing accurate, timely, and engaging content for readers. Dustin oversees editorial strategy, content development, and publishing operations across Total Apex Media while remaining actively involved in sports, betting, and fantasy sports coverage.