Flyers Limp Into Newark; Devils Open Home Ice at Prudential

The Philadelphia Flyers arrive at Prudential Center on Thursday night already in a hole, sitting at 0-1-0 after dropping their season opener. New Jersey, meanwhile, gets its first taste of 2026-27 action at home, entering the night with a clean 0-0-0 slate and something to prove.

There's an asymmetry to this matchup that matters before a single puck drops. Philadelphia is already chasing — one game in, one loss logged — while the Devils step onto their home ice for the first time this season with no baggage and a crowd ready to set the tone. Playing your home opener against a team that's already stumbled is about as favorable a scheduling spot as you can ask for, and New Jersey gets exactly that on October 1st.

In net, Joseph Woll is expected to start for the Flyers, tasked with steadying a Philadelphia side that couldn't get the job done in Game 1. On the other side, Jake Allen is projected in net for New Jersey, making his first appearance of the season in front of a Prudential Center crowd that will be loud and expectant. Goaltending will be the axis this game turns on — both starters are stepping into early-season pressure situations where first impressions carry weight. Woll needs a bounce-back performance to keep Philadelphia's confidence from eroding further. Allen needs to validate his role as the Devils' answer between the pipes.

As for a model read on tonight's outcome — there isn't one we can stand behind with confidence. The sample size is razor-thin, one game of data for Philadelphia and zero for New Jersey, and projecting results this early in an NHL season is more guesswork than analysis. What we can say plainly: the Devils own the structural advantages tonight — home ice, a rested roster, and an opponent already on its back foot. Whether that translates to two points is a question the ice will answer at 7:00 PM ET. Catch it on Disney+, ESPN+, or Hulu.