Hart makes 48 saves to lead surprising Flyers past Panthers
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Farabee had a goal and an assist, Carter Hart made 48 saves and the Philadelphia Flyers defeated the Florida Panthers 4-3 on Thursday night.
Tony DeAngelo, Scott Laughton and Zack MacEwen also scored for the rebuilding Flyers, who are off to a surprising 5-2 start.
Gustav Forsling, Josh Mahura and Brandon Montour had goals for the Panthers.
Philadelphia turned the game with the only two goals of the second period to go in front 4-2.
MacEwen’s deflection of Nick Seeler’s long wrist shot midway through the period made it 3-2, and the Flyers went up two 72 seconds later when Farabee shot high over Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky from close range after Kevin Hayes’ pass from behind the net. Hayes just missed on a breakaway chance moments earlier, but he stayed with the puck to get his team-best eighth assist of the season.
Hayes and Travis Konecny were benched by first-year coach John Tortorella in the third period of the Flyers’ last game, a 3-0 home loss Sunday to San Jose. Both responded in a big way against Florida. Konecny assisted on both Philadelphia goals in the first period.
Montour scored on a backhand off a rebound 36 seconds into the third to pull Florida to 4-3. But the Flyers hung on, thanks largely to Hart.
Florida outshot the Flyers 50-22 overall.
Each team scored twice in an entertaining first period.
Konecny set up Philadelphia’s first goal with a beautiful backhand pass to DeAngelo, who finished it with a one-timer from the side of the net that tied it 1-all at 6:41. With 4:32 left in the first, Konecny passed to Laughton in front of the crease. Laughton corralled the puck with his skates before shooting under Bobrovsky for a power-play goal that tied it at 2.
Bobrovsky made 18 saves.
Forsling’s shot from the slot 3:41 into the game trickled past Hart to give Florida a 1-0 lead. After DeAngelo tied it, Mahura made it 2-1 by converting on a rebound from a sharp angle.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Panthers: D Aaron Ekblad (groin) missed his fourth game in a row.
Flyers: James van Riemsdyk (broken finger) missed the first game of what is expected to be an absence of at least four weeks after getting injured blocking a shot Sunday. … F Owen Tippett (upper body) returned for the first time since getting hurt Oct. 13 in the season-opening win over the Devils. … D Rasmus Ristolainen (lower body) played for the first time this season.
UP NEXT
Panthers: Host Ottawa on Saturday afternoon.
Flyers: Host Carolina on Saturday night.
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