Instant Replay: Panthers 3, Flyers 1

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SUNRISE, Fla. -- All point streaks have to come to an end at some point.

And the Flyers' seven-game point streak (6-0-1) ended Monday night here in overcast but warm South Florida.

Craig Berube’s team lacked for energy and seemed to be second on the puck the entire night, expending too much time in its own end.

Florida looked, at times, on a perpetual power play as 39-year-old goalie Tim Thomas looked like he was going to get his first shutout of the season during a 3-1 victory at BB&T Center.

The Flyers came into Monday undefeated in their last five games in this arena, but they simply didn’t look very sharp with the puck, especially passing it.

They missed a ton of shots on Thomas through 40 minutes and squandered a critical five-on-three power play that would give way to two Panther goals. Thomas had 38 saves in the game.

Florida’s difference maker in this one was Sean Bergenheim. He scored Florida’s first two goals. His first goal saw him simply outwork the Flyers behind the net, grab a puck off Jay Rosehill, then get two chances off a wraparound rebound.

Bergenheim then had a nifty redirect in the paint during a Panthers' power play off a shot from Marcel Goc to make it 2-0.

Wayne Simmonds scored on a power play rebound at 7:06 to make it a one-goal game and that seemed to give the Flyers some juice. Though they carried the play the rest of the way, Erik Gudbranson sealed it late with an odd deflected goal.

Last time
So when did the Flyers last trail 2-0 in a game? That would be Nov. 7 at Wells Fargo Center when they lost 3-0 to New Jersey. The Devils made it 2-0 at 3:01 of the third period. That game saw the Flyers hold a team meeting after the game. A day later, club chairman Ed Snider said the effort was “pathetic.” Next game, the Flyers defeated Edmonton to begin their point streak.

Chances
Simmonds couldn’t lift a shot over a prone Thomas in the first period and shot it off the goalie's helmet. Minutes later, Gudbranson had a diving breakup of Matt Read’s semi-breakaway deep in Florida’s zone. Jakub Voracek flubbed his shot late in the second period on a partial open net. Sean Couturier, who had zero shots through two periods, put one off Thomas’ pad late in the third that could have caught the inside of the post but missed.

Long time, no score
Gudbranson had not scored a goal in 100 games. Bergenheim had not scored a goal since Game 6 of Florida's playoff series vs. the Devils in 2011-12. He had been injured this year, as well.

The goalies
Steve Mason had a nice save on Jonathan Huberdeau’s deflection in the crease during the first period. Thomas was very strong through two periods but benefited from eight blocked shots and a number of botched shots by the Flyers. Thomas had a nice glove save on Zac Rinaldo from the left circle in the third period.

Special teams
The Flyers had a great chance on their only power play of the opening period with Simmonds trying to convert a cross-crease pass from Claude Giroux for a tip-in attempt. Simmonds didn’t get the puck fully on his stick and the shot was wide. The Flyers were 1 for 4 on the power play in the game. Florida was 1 for 2.

Five-on-three
The Flyers failed to take advantage of such a situation early in the second period, although they had three shots during the two-man advantage. Thomas had good stops on Vinny Lecavalier and Kimmo Timonen. Giroux tried a stuffer but Thomas had the left post locked up with his pad. Overall, there were too many passes during that power play. Not scoring was critical, too, because the kill gave Florida momentum and the Panthers scored off the PK on Bergenheim’s first goal.

Fights
Perhaps the best bout of the season -- longest, too -- between Florida’s Krys Barch and Rosehill with six minutes left. Give the victory to Rosehill.

Scratches
Same as usual. Defensemen Hal Gill (eight games) and Andrej Meszaros (eight games), plus forward Michael Raffl (five games).

Loose pucks
The Flyers will practice Tuesday afternoon in Tampa Bay. The team will hold a media availability at noon for Lecavalier’s return. A large turnout of media is expected. … The Flyers will return home after the Bolts’ game in time for Thanksgiving, then welcome Winnipeg for Black Friday’s rare 11:30 a.m. matinee at Wells Fargo Center.

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