Flyers lose their first regulation game of the season, 4-2 to the Panthers. The red-hot Florida Panthers (5-0-0) came into the City of Brotherly Love to challenge the Philadelphia Flyers (2-1-1). Neither team had been beaten so, something had to give.
GAME ACTION
Aaron Ekblad (1a) and Patric Hornquist (1a) set up Star of the Game, Jonathan Huberdeau (2g,1a) who fired a wicked wrist shot that beat Carter Hart. The tally came with 3:00 remaining in the opening period.
PERIOD TWO
Sean Couturier (1a) placed a perfect pass that Claude Giroux (1g) rifled past former teammate, Sergei Bobrovsky on the man advantage to tie things up, 1-1. Cam Atkinson added his 17th career short-handed goal on a breakaway. Just when it appeared Philadelphia was ending the period with a lead. Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar (1a) worked the puck to Owen Tippett (1g) who potted one behind Carter Hart with just 26.6 left in the stanza.
FLYERS COME UP SHORT
Philadelphia couldn’t generate much offense in the final stanza. Huberdeau buried a Sam Bennett (1a)pass on a pretty rush on a back-breaking short-handed marker. “Our execution was off on the power play and we wanted it to happen,” Huberdeau said. “We gave a shorthanded goal, but we got it back and that was huge for us.” Added Panthers Coach, Joel Quenneville: “Most guys are going to turn, come on back to the bench but he stuck with it and that was a pretty nifty play. That was a good pass originally on the play from Bennett and Huby was do. There he goes.” With Hart pulled, Sam Reinhart (1g) clinched the 4-2 Florida victory that keeps them perfect for the season.
BEHIND THE GAME
Ryan Ellis was a scratch with an undisclosed injury. Referee, Gordon Dwyer left in the first period and did not return.
Special teams clearly were the story in this one. 11 power plays revealed just two advantage goals. The Flyers went 1 of 4 with a shorty.
A question entering the season was the Flyers penalty kill. Well, they killed off 6 of 7 Panthers chances but, were burned with a short-handed goal. Philadelphia has killed 13 of 16 disadvantages. Bobrovsky stopped 27 of 29 Flyers shots with Carter Hart also turning aside 27 tries on 30 chances. In his three games, Hart has stopped 85 of 93 shots. Philly dominated from the circle with a 59% ratio. Flyers lose their first regulation game. Let us see if they can bounce back on the coming road trip.
Kevin has followed and promoted the game of lacrosse since May 19, 1974.
The same day the Philadelphia Flyers won the Cup, the Philadelphia Wings were introduced to Neibauer and Philadelphia.
Kevin has covered many sports, including baseball, football, basketball, and.. lacrosse. A former licensed football referee and baseball umpire, Kevin brings a unique insight to his game coverage.
A published writer in JustHockey Magazine, Kevin covered the American Hockey League as well as a monthly story on a pugilist where Kevin used the pen name, The Rink Rat. Neibauer turned his attentions to lacrosse for a few years and does his part, whether podcasting or writing to grow the game. Kevin branched out to his roots and currently provides insight for all Philadelphia teams for Edge of Philly as well as his full-time duties with LaxPhilly.
