Steve Mason stopped 38 shots to lead the Philadelphia Flyers to a 3-1 win over the Florida Panthers at the BB&T Center Tuesday night.
For the third time this season, the inconsistent Cats failed to add on to a two-game winning streak.
Florida outplayed the visiting Flyers during the opening twenty minutes, finishing with a 14-9 advantage shots, but went into the dressing room down a goal thanks to an even-strength goal from Wayne Simmonds.
Simmonds beat Roberto Luongo at the 11:11 mark after collecting a loose puck in his own end and carrying it all the way up the ice. Keith Yandle failed to corral the rubber disk after a Colton Sceviourface-off win, allowing Simmonds to break out 2-on-1.
The score remained the same until Philadelphia added to its lead with a power-play goal 13:03 into the second period. Dale Weise netted his first in a Flyer uniform when he knocked in Travis Konecny’s rebound with the second assist going to Brayden Schenn.
Nick Cousins put the game away with another man-advantage marker at 7:04 of the final frame. Cousins took a perfect pass from Simmonds and pumped the puck by Luongo before Jussi Jokinen could get back to defend. Schenn picked up his second assist of the night on the play.
The Panthers foiled Mason’s shutout bid with 1:51 left in regulation when Riley Smith notched his fourth of the season. After playing catch with Yandle at the blue line, Jonathan Marchessault drove the puck at the net and Smith was able to tip it home.
Smith’s goal was too little, too late for the Cats, who fell to 6-4 on home ice. They will break for Thanksgiving before getting a chance to add to that mark Saturday night when the Columbus Blue Jackets come to town.
Lift & Drag
- Nick Bjugstad made his 2016-17 season debut after missing the first 19 games of the season. Bjugstad registered two shots on goal, a hit and -1 rating in 11:18 TOI.
- Roberto Luongo, who finished with 25 saves, saw his personal four-game winning streak come to end.
- Aaron Ekblad delivered a strong performance for the Cats, leading all skaters with a whopping nine shots. Ekblad probably had a nightmare or two starring Steve Mason after the game.
- Keith Yandle played his 571st consecutive game, moving him past former Flyer Mark Recchi into 11th place on the NHL’s all-time iron man list.
- Tough guy Radko Gudas led Philadelphia with five hits, one less than Vincent Trocheck’s game-high six.
- Our friends at Broad Street Hockey have the other side of the first Cats – Flyers tussle of the season./