Box Score (from Flyers.NHL.com)
The dreaded shootout, a part of the game that the Flyers have struggled in for years, finally came out to haunt them for the first time this season.
The Florida Panthers scored on both of their shootout attempts, while the Flyers failed to convert on theirs, allowing the Panthers to leave Philadelphia with a 3-2 win.
Jonathan Huberdeau and Peter Mueller scored the Panthers' shootout goals.
Matt Read and Claude Giroux were the shooters for the Flyers' attempts, but failed to put the puck past Jose Theodore, who made 32 saves across regulation and the overtime period.
The Flyers had two good opportunities in the third to win in regulation with back-to-back penalties called on Florida's Mike Weaver and Dmitri Kulikov about three minutes apart from each other. But the Flyers couldn't get anything established on either power play, showing that their special teams unit is still inconsistent.
In the overtime period, the Flyers were in control. They took five shots and held the Panthers to none, but just couldn't score a goal. It cost them in the end.
Ilya Bryzgalov had another solid game in goal making 22 saves, but didn't make a save in the shootout. Although he has shown great improvement from last year, the shootout still seems to be a weakness.
Florida's Jack Skille (1, 10:52) opened up the scoring by firing a wrist shot past Bryzgalov for a 1-0 Panthers lead.
Less than a minite later, Jakub Voracek (2, 11:44) answered with his own wrister on the power play. The goal pt the Flyers on the board to tie it up 1-1.
The Flyers pulled ahead in the second when Matt Read picked up a rebound from Mike Knuble, who was trying to jam the puck past Theodore in front of the net.
Read (4, 2:42) scored on a shot that he placed top shelf to give the Flyers a 2-1 lead.
However, the one-goal lead wouldn't last.
In the third period, after Bruno Gervais went to the box for tripping, Florida's Stephen Weiss (1, 8:35) scored a power play goal to tie the game 2-2.
The Flyers (4-6-1) entered Thursday night's game with back-to-back wins against Carolina and Tampa Bay, but the Panthers (4-5-1) kept them from winning three straight for the first time this season.
The Carolina Hurricanes (5-4) will be in town for a Saturday afternoon game.
Extras: Matt Read has four goals in two games against the Panthers this season. Along with his one goal on Thursday night, he earned his first NHL hat-trick in a 7-1 win against Florida on January 27. Wayne Simmonds, who is still out with a concussion, didn't play in Thursday night's game. There is no word yet if he will be back for Saturday.
(Image from Flyers.NHL.com and Getty Images)
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