NEWARK, N.J. (AP) - Keith Kinkaid is certainly taking advantage of some extra work with the New Jersey Devils out of the playoff picture yet again.
The 27-year-old might even be convincing coach John Hynes and management that he can be more than an occasional backup to No.1 goaltender Cory Schneider.
Kinkaid made 35 saves in posting his first shutout of the season and John Moore scored 59 seconds into overtime as the Devils snapped a six-game losing streak with a 1-0 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday night.
“That was always my thing, when I got up here, was to be consistent,” Kinkaid said after the Devils won for only the third time in 21 games (3-14-4). “I definitely feel I’ve been doing a good job with that.”
In his last three starts, Kinkaid had given up four goals. He has appeared in eight of the last 14 games, including one in which he missed because of an injury.
“Keith was awesome tonight,” said Taylor Hall, who set up Moore’s game winner . “When you see guys get into a No. 1 roll and start rolling, that’s when they really shine. We’ve seen it lately when Keith has been able to get some consistent starts and has really played well. It’s good to see that down the stretch.”
Moore’s fourth-overtime game winner came after he took a cross-ice pass on a 2-1 break and beat Steve Mason with a shot from low in the right circle to end a game between two teams ending their seasons this week.
“We were able to catch them in a change,” Moore said. “That’s a big-league pass by Hallsy. That’s an easy one to put in. I’m the beneficiary of some high-end skill by him.”
The loss was the second straight for the Flyers, but they showed character playing in their first game since being eliminated from playoff contention.
“I think it’s important for everybody,” said Mason, who had 26 saves. “You have to have pride in your game, regardless of the situation. You just can’t pack it in with two games remaining. You have to be professional about it.”
Philadelphia outshot New Jersey 28-18 in the first two periods and only Kinkaid kept them off the scoreboard. He made six stops on Shayne Gostisbehere in the opening 40 minutes, had good saves on Brayden Schenn and Jakub Voracek on power-play chances in the second period.
Kinkaid also had some luck as Colin McDonald missed an open net in the first period.
“Sometimes you just have it. I was in a zone, feeling good,” Kinkaid said..
Mason didn’t have as much work but he made two in-close saves on Mike Cammalleri in the second period and barely kept a middle-period wrap-around chance by Stefan Noesen out of the net. A replay showed it inches away from being a goal.
Both teams had chances in the third period with Kinkaid stopping Voracek on a late power-play chance and Mason stopping Cammalleri on a tuck-in chance in the waning seconds.
NOTES: C Mike Vecchione, a Hobey Baker candidate from Union College, and 6-foot-6 defenseman Samuel Morin, made their NHL debuts for the Flyers. … The Devils recalled forwards Luke Gazdic and Ben Thomson from Albany (AHL) for the game, with Thomson making his NHL debut. … Devils won the season series 4-1.
UP NEXT
Flyers: Host Columbus Saturday afternoon.
Devils: Host Pittsburgh on Thursday night.
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