Flyers notebook: Radko Gudas says flying hit was no reason to jump to conclusions

NEWARK, N.J. >> Radko Gudas leaped from the ice Thursday and leveled unsuspecting New Jersey Devil Kyle Palmieri.

In the moment, it was enough to start a series of brawls in what would be a 4-3 Flyers loss to the New Jersey Devils. And in the viral-video, short-clip hockey world, it likely will be enough for Gudas to be re-cast as a violent villain.

But the Flyers defenseman, who had not had a penalty for 21 games, insists he was trying to avoid contact with teammate Wayne Simmonds and collided with Palmieri by accident. Since Simmonds was in Gudas’ path, and since there was no context, real or invented, for such a fly-by, blind-side assault, Gudas at least made a reasoned postgame defense.

“I was getting out of the way of Simmer, and all of a sudden he showed up in the middle there,” said Gudas, of the collision in the Flyers’ zone. “I didn’t see him at all. I was just trying to get back to my position.”

Gudas was penalized for interference, then was tracked down by Travis Zajac for a fight shortly after being freed from the box.

“I didn’t expect that from him,” Gudas said. “But I think it was a pretty good fight.”

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With Brian Elliott still on injured reserve and Michal Neuvirth having reported stomach distress during a meltdown the night before in Washington, Alex Lyon made his first NHL start in goal. The 25-year-old, who’d relieved Neuvirth against the Capitals, was excellent in spots, but stopped just 18 of 22 shots and wasted a 3-2 third-period lead.

“Alex played a solid game,” Dave Hakstol said. “He gave us some solid saves at different times. I thought he gave us a good hockey game.”

Lyon was less inclined to nominate himself for a game star.

“It was unfortunate at the end,” he said after Nico Hischier scored the game-winner at 18:33 of the third. “That’s the main thing. You’ve got to find a way to get a point or two points or something. So I was disappointed.”

Lyon, who had been playing for the Phantoms, may have done enough to win future opportunities.

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Taylor Leier, who had not played in nine of the previous 10 games, was in the lineup. Tyrell Goulbourne was scratched.

“I’ve said it before with Taylor,” Hakstol said. “He’s played well each of the last two games that he’s been in. He’s kind of been a victim of circumstance in some of these cases. Recently, Tyrell has gone in and played extremely well and done his job, so we’ve left the roster the same. For Taylor, he just has to go in and play with pace, play with tenacity, do the things that he does and he can help our team tonight with the pace of his play.”

Leier responded with an assist on Shayne Gostisbehere’s goal, good for a 3-2 lead at 7:01 of the second.

“It’s a unique situation that I’ve really been in,” Leier said. “And I don’t think there is any way other than to approach it very professionally and keep my head high and to be ready to play again.”