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Wrap: Flyers Mauled by Panthers, 5-2

November 19, 2019, 10:16 PM ET [261 Comments]
Bill Meltzer
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • RSSArchiveCONTACT
The Philadelphia Flyers (10-7-4) had a frustrating night in Sunrise on Tuesday night, as they fell by a 5-2 score to the Florida Panthers (11-6-5). The Flyers held a short-lived early lead but Florida led by the end of the first period and pulled away.

A poor second period, and two turnovers at the attacking blueline in particular, proved to be the Flyers' undoing and turned a manageable deficit into a cavernous deficit.

Carter Hart had an uneven, and abbreviated night in goal for the Flyers. He made a host of tough early saves but also gave up two goals he'd wish to have back, and was pulled at 10:23 of the second period after yielding four goals on 18 shots. Brian Elliott took over and stopped all seven shots he faced. The final Florida tally was an empty-netter.

Aleksander Barkov had a goal (7th) and assist (20th) for the Pathers, as did Brett Connolly (8th goal, 7th assist). Jonathan Huberdeau scored his 10th goal, Colton Sceviour got his 2nd and Mike Hoffman rounded it out with an empty-netter (9th). Evgenii Dadonov had two assists (9th and 10th) but was denied on a breakaway right after the third Florida goal.

For the Flyers, Travis Sanheim scored his 2nd of the season and Morgan Frost notched his first NHL goal in his NHL debut. Phil Myers (2nd assist), Kevin Hayes (4th) and Travis Konecny (12th) earned an assist apiece. Hayes' helper on the first goal ended a 10-game point drought but it was another night that did not end well for him, getting his pocket picked on the sequence ending in Hoffman's empty-netter.

The Flyers went 0-for-2 on the power play and 4-for-4 on the penalty kill.

Hart was tested early and often. All three goals in the first period -- one for the Flyers, two for Florida -- were strange plays. Travis Sanheim blasted home a rolling puck from inside the left point after a blocked Justin Braun attempt bounced out long. Flyers winger Andy Andreoff accidentally deflected a Sceviour shot into the net as Florida tied the game. Then, after a failed clearing opportunity, Brett Connolly scored from along the boards just below the goal line. Hart, sealing off the short side and leaning forward, had the puck go off the side of his mask, over his left shoulder and inside the far-side of the net.

The Sean Couturier line buzzed throughout the first period in particular and segments of the latter part of the game but couldn't buy a bounce. Oskar Lindblom came up empty on five shots, three of which were from prime scoring range.

Florida began to dominate as the second period progressed. A bad turnover in the neutral zone by Farabee did not permit a needed line change, and a fat rebound allowed by Hart on a long shot by Dadonov was pounded into the net by the deadly -- and unchecked -- Barkov.

Hart's night ended early at 10:23 of the second period as Huberdeau top-shelved a shot into the short-side corner from just below the dot off a pass by Barkov. Frost's goal provided some energy for the Flyers late in the period. Huberdeau, ducking his head while yapping and cross-checking with Phil Myers, ended up with a bloody mouth and a four-minute power play for his team.

Farabee was moved down in the third period, with Voracek moving to the line with Couturier and Lindblom. James van Riemsdyk was dropped to the 4th line. After killing the Myers penalty, the Flyers had a lot of attack zone time (14-5 shot edge) and several good scoring chances in the period but couldn't narrow the gap.

Finally, on a 6-on-5 attack, Hayes lost the puck at center ice to Mike Hoffman, and Hoffman scored into the empty net to seal the outcome.

The Flyers are in Raleigh on Thursday to play the Carolina Hurricanes.
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