RECAP: Flyers 4, Panthers 3

PHILADELPHIA – Unable to hold on to an early 2-0 lead, the Florida Panthers surrendered three goals in the third period of a 4-3 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Arena on Monday.

With the loss, Florida now sits at 25-16-3.

“We just got away from our game,” said Evan Rodrigues. “Stopped being physical. I feel a little bit too cute and definitely just let them back in the game.”

Getting the Panthers on the board, Sam Reinhart bowled over a defender and then patiently waited out Philadelphia’s netminder Samuel Ersson before roofing a shorthanded goal to make it 1-0 at 7:59 of the first period.

The goal was Reinhart’s league-leading fifth shorthanded strike and 26^th goal overall this season.

Per NHL Stats, Reinhart also became the second player in the last 20 years to score five or more shorthanded goals in consecutive seasons, joining former Flyers star forward Mike Richards.

Quickly adding another to make it 2-0 at 9:34, Uvis Balinskis caught the Flyers in a line change and snapped a wrister through a defender’s legs and past Ersson for his second goal of the season.

A back-and-forth first period, the Panthers and Flyers each had seven shots in the frame.

Cutting Florida’s lead in half and giving the Flyers some life in the second period, Ryan Poehling found the back of the net to bring the score to 2-1 at 7:51.

After recording just four scoring chances in the first period, Philadelphia had 11 in the second.

Evening the score at 2-2 early into the third period on the power play, Noah Cates put in a rebound at 2:03.

Answering right back with their own power play goal, Reinhart lit the lamp for the second time to put the Panthers back up 3-2 at 3:35.

For the second time this season, Reinhart netted a goal on both the power play and penalty kill.

“He’s been flat out great every night,” said head coach Paul Maurice.

With the Panthers getting into penalty trouble, the Flyers regained the lead not long after Reinhart’s go-ahead goal when Morgan Frost tapped in a loose puck in the crease to make it 3-3 at 5:59.

Completing the comeback for Philadelphia, Cates scored on a breakaway to make it 4-3 at 14:09.

“Not much (we want to take from this game into New Jersey),” said Rodrigues. “Our start was good. We were playing the right way, and then after that it kind of got away from us.”

With a chance to get right back in the win column, the Panthers will visit New Jersey on Tuesday.

THEY SAID IT

“When you win the Cup, you are on everybody’s calendar, it’s a big night” – Paul Maurice on getting opponent’s best every night

“Right spots at the right time, and trying to read the play and take advantage of some extra ice up there.” – Sam Reinhart on shorthanded goal success

CATS STATS

- Sam Reinhart’s 10th shorthanded goal with the Panthers passes Pavel Bure for fourth most in franchise history

- The Panthers led 26-25 in scoring chances.

- Sam Bennett won 61.5% of his faceoffs.

- Niko Mikkola recorded a team-high five hits.

- Gustav Forsling saw a team-high 23:04 of ice time.

- The Panthers led 36-23 in hits.

- The Panthers sent the Flyers to the power play five times.

WHAT’S NEXT?

Right back at it tomorrow.

Finishing the back-to-back, the Panthers will take on the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Join us at Funky Buddha for the official watch party of the game.

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