Elias, Devils Top Flyers 3-1

PHILADELPHIA (AP) Patrik Elias scored two goals and Henrik Tallinder scored one to lead the improved New Jersey Devils to a 3-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday.

Johan Hedberg stopped 26 shots to give the Devils points in a season-high six straight games (5-0-1). Hedberg helped give the Devils a victory in a game between teams that entered the contest with the highest and lowest point totals in the NHL.

The Devils are buried in last place in the Eastern Conference but have been showing signs of life.

James van Riemsdyk scored the lone goal for the Flyers, who failed in their first attempt to become the first expansion-era team to hit 1,000 home victories.

Hedberg won a game after Martin Brodeur shut out the Penguins, keeping New Jersey's remote playoffs hopes alive.

The Flyers showed no sign of the potent offense that made them the only team with four players with 40-plus points. Brian Boucher was solid in the net, but it wasn't enough and the Flyers lost a four-game winning streak.

Hedberg preserved the win with a sensational, sprawling and sliding save to his left that denied Jeff Carter the tying goal with 2:40 left. Carter simply shook his head in disbelief as he watched the replay on the overhead scoreboard.

Hedberg, originally drafted by the Flyers in 1994, won for the first time since Dec. 31.

Tallinder and Elias staked him to a 2-0 lead in the first period that turned out to be all the offense the Devils needed.

Tallinder struck first with an unassisted slapper through traffic for his second goal of the season. Elias followed with his 11th goal of the season for a 2-0 lead.

Elias got a two-goal game when he poked in the empty-netter on the power play with 41.4 seconds left.

The Devils finished the game without defenseman Colin White after he was knocked out with a lower-body injury.

The Flyers made it 2-1 with 20 seconds left in the second period when van Riemsdyk redirected Claude Giroux's pass past Hedberg for his 12th goal of the season. Giroux, who was selected to the All-Star team, got his 24th assist.

Hedberg made up for a soft performance in Philadelphia two weeks ago when he allowed two quick goals and was yanked for Brodeur in a 2-1 loss.

Notes: Hedberg never played a game for the Flyers. ... This was the fifth of six games between the teams this season. They don't meet again until April 1.