PHILADELPHIA – Claude Giroux and Cam Atkinson scored for the Flyers to give them a 2-1 lead in the second period on Saturday night.
It just wasn’t enough to defeat the Florida Panthers who kept their perfect start to the season intact with a 4-2 win.
“I thought the whole game we competed well,” Giroux said. “We played a good game there. They’re a pretty good team, and it was a good test to see where we stand. They’re rolling pretty good right now, but that game was there for us to win.”
Sergei Bobrovsky made 27 saves in the win.
Jonathan Huberdeau scored twice for the Panthers.
“Obviously, every day we want to win, and especially we know the start is really important,” Huberdeau said. “Having five wins now, it’s huge for us, and I think really good start, we’ve played some good teams. Was a big test and I think we got over that hump, and it’s nice to have this start.”
Owen Tippett scored with 27 seconds left in the middle frame to tie the game, 2-2 for the Panthers.
“We played pretty strong throughout even when we got behind there 2-1 giving up the shorty,” Florida head coach Joel Quenneville said. “That could have turned the complexion of the game. Thought we finished that period well, got the break on the goal, now it’s anybody’s game and obviously getting the shorty back right at them, that’s the break of the night.”
Sam Reinhart added an empty-net goal late after Huberdeau had give Florida a 3-2 lead earlier in the final period.
“We have confidence in each other, and it shows, 1-0 to 2-1, we don’t panic on the bench,” Huberdeau said. “We know what we can do, we can come back, and that’s what we did. Huge goal at the end of the second by ‘Tip,’ and after that the third period we just play our game, and it worked out.”
Carter Hart made 27 saves in the loss.
“You give those guys a lot of power plays, they capitalize,” Atkinson said. “They’re going to gain momentum, and it kind of messes up rolling the lines and guys get out of sync.”
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