Flyers get first win for new head coach, down Panthers, 5-2

PHILADELPHIA – The Flyers earned their first win of the season and the first for their new head coach Rick Tocchet, a 5-2 win over the Florida Panthers.

“It’s great, that first win,” Tocchet said. “But I’m just happy the guys, the way they’ve been working, and working on the concepts. There’s some growing pains, but glad the way they hung in there. We get to enjoy tonight, then tomorrow back at it again.”.

The Flyers’ Sean Couturier hit for a double and four points on the night.

Dan Vladar made 24 saves for the win.

“They came out fast, they had a lot of jump to start the game and put some good pressure on us,” Panthers center Sam Bennett said. “I thought we actually played well in the third, we had a good pushback, and had a lot of chances. They capitalized, and we couldn’t get it back.”

The Panthers’ Sam Bennett had two points on one goal.

“We had no momentum at that time, and that gave us a bunch of life going into the end of the period there,” Bennett said. “That was a big-time goal, and it really motivated us for the third there.”

Tyson Foerster, Bobby Brink, and Christian Dvorak had single markers for the Flyers.

Bennett also scored for the Panthers.

“They’re a hard team to play against, so to hang in there against that team … ” Tocchet said. “Can we build confidence? Can we build an identity, a little bit of swagger? Hopefully this can help us catapult to the next level. We’ll see.”

Daniil Tarasov made 17 save om the loss.

Sam Reinhart #13 and Gustav Forsling #42 of the Florida Panthers celebrate a goal in the second period against the Philadelphia Flyers.

Sam Reinhart #13 of the Florida Panthers pursues the puck behind the Philadelphia Flyers net.

Daniil Tarasov #40 of the Florida Panthers makes a pad save.

Philadelphia Flyers players Noah Cates #27, Nick Seeler #24, Dan Vladar #80 watch the puck skip along, and avoid the goalmouth during a game Monday night against the Florida Panthers