SUNRISE, Fla. – In a week when the Flyers will play four times between Tuesday and Sunday, the beginning of a two-day road trip got off to a dubious start.
Dave Hakstol’s club defeated the Florida Panthers, 3-1, at BB&T Center but the club suffered a major injury.
Flyers center Sean Couturier left the game two minutes into the second period with a lower-body injury after getting his leg tangled up with the Panthers’ Vincent Trocheck. He will be re-evaluated on Wednesday (see story).
Steve Mason had a season-high 38 saves (his previous high was 33) and lost a shutout in the final two minutes.
The Flyers led 2-0 going into the third period on goals from Wayne Simmonds and Dale Weise. The only other time they led by two goals going into the third period was the season opener in Los Angeles.
Gerard Gallant’s cats came into the game 4-1 in their last five games and 6-3-1 over their last 10 contests.
NHL
Wraparounds
The scouting sheet on Mason now is how vulnerable he is to wraparounds. Florida tried a few in the first period alone.
Notable goals
Weise’s power-play goal in the second period was his first as a Flyer and gave them a 2-0 lead.
Goalie report
Mason had a strong game and was tracking the puck well, especially in tight areas around the crease.
Power play
Weise’s power-play goal snapped an 0-for-10 skid over the previous three games. The Flyers had two power-play goals in the game.
Penalty kill
Pierre-Edouard Bellemare had two shorthanded chances on his first kill but they were at the net and sealed off by Roberto Luongo at the post.
Injuries
Trocheck collided with Couturier and fell on his left ankle/knee at 1:40 of the second period. Couturier was in pain, grabbing his left leg and had to be helped off the ice as he could not put weight on it.
Fights
Simmonds got into it with Derek MacKenzie early but neither had an actual fight.
Scratches
Defenseman Nick Schultz and Michael Del Zotto (both healthy), forwards Boyd Gordon (back spasms) and Roman Lyubimov (healthy), goalie Michal Neuvirth (left knee).
Up next
It’s back-to-back games for the Flyers before Turkey Day. They will meet the Lightning on Wednesday in Tampa.