Final
Flyers try to rebound in Florida
Mar 15, 2011 - 3:11 PM (Sports Network) - The Flyers failed to hold a three-goal lead heading into the third period in their most recent outing for the first time in over 23 years. Of more concern is that they are losing their grasp on the Eastern Conference's top seed.Philadelphia aims to rebound tonight with a season-series win over the Florida Panthers at BankAtlantic Center.
The Flyers are still tops in the East with 91 points, but that is just one more than the streaking Capitals with two games in hand. Pittsburgh has also crept to within three of Philadelphia for first place in the Atlantic Division.
Two of Ville Leino's career-best three goals on Saturday versus the Thrashers came in the first two periods, but Atlanta scored four times in the third frame and then got the game-winner at 1:17 of overtime to stun the Flyers, 5-4. It marked the first time Philadelphia has blown a lead of three goals after two periods of play since Nov. 21, 1987 versus the Islanders.
"We didn't take care of the puck and we didn't make plays when we had chances. They were coming hard and we weren't ready for that," said Leino, who scored for the first time in eight games to extend his career-high goal total to 17 on the season.
Kimmo Timonen scored shorthanded and Mike Richards finished with three assists for the Flyers, who followed two straight victories with their fifth loss in seven games. Sergei Bobrovsky was tagged in defeat for five goals on 41 shots.
Defenseman Chris Pronger missed his second straight game due to a lingering hand injury originally suffered when blocking a shot on Feb. 24 and was listed as day-to-day. However, the Flyers announced on Monday that the blueliner will have surgery today to repair a fracture in his right hand and will miss 3-to-4 weeks. That could sideline him for the rest of the regular season.
Philadelphia has taken two of three from Florida this season, including a 4-2 triumph at Sunrise on Feb. 16 thanks to a goal and two assists by Danny Briere. The victory also snapped the Flyers' three-game slide at BankAtlantic Center.
Brian Boucher is likely to get the call in net tonight for his first start versus the Panthers this season, though he did stop 11-of-12 shots in 27 minutes of relief in a 5-0 home setback on Dec. 20. He is 1-3-0 with a tie and 3.35 goals-against average in his career versus Florida.
The Panthers have won just three of their last nine games and sit 11 points out of a playoff spot with 13 games to play. They squeezed out a 4-3 overtime victory over the Lightning on Saturday, with defenseman Jason Garrison scoring the game-winner with 16 seconds left before a shootout.
"It seems like, as of late, we've been on the losing side of these games," Garrison said. "Obviously, it's nice to get a win and we deserved it."
David Booth, Niclas Bergfors and Ryan Carter also scored for Florida, while Scott Clemmensen finished with 36 saves. The Panthers are 2-1-1 on a seven- game homestand.
Tomas Vokoun could return to the net tonight for the Panthers and is 7-7-1 with a pair of ties and a 2.63 GAA in his career versus the Flyers. He posted 26 saves in the shutout victory in December.
- PHILADELPHIA: 3
FLORIDA: 2
Final
Mar 15 9:57 PM - PHILADELPHIA: 3
FLORIDA: 2
End of 2nd
Mar 15 9:10 PM - Philadelphia Goal - Jeff Carter (32), from Danny Briere at 15:23.
Flyers 3, Panthers 2 2nd - 4:37Mar 15 9:01 PM - PHILADELPHIA: 1
FLORIDA: 2
End of 1st
Mar 15 8:12 PM - PHILADELPHIA: 0
FLORIDA: 0
1st Period - 20:00
Mar 15 7:38 PM
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