SUNRISE — The past couple of times the Florida Panthers have played John Tortorella’s Philadelphia Flyers, it appeared the ice was not just slushy, but muddy.
That’s sort of how both teams like it.
No, if you like offensive hockey, Thursday night was not for you.
The Panthers celebrated ‘2000s Night’ and it was certainly fitting with the lack of scoring.
In the end, however, Garnet Hathaway swept in a loose puck off a shot from Marc Staal to lift the Flyers to a 2-1 win.
The Philadelphia win ended Florida’s six-game winning streak; the Panthers had won four straight the last time they lost at home. That, too, came against Philadelphia.
After a scoreless first period, Philadelphia struck first after winning the opening faceoff with Ryan Poehling scoring 10 seconds in.
Florida tied it at 1 when Gus Forsling — the star defenseman who signed an eight-year contract with the Panthers earlier in the day — flew a shot from 35-feet out and beat Sam Ersson.
Ersson, one might note, was the last goalie to beat the Panthers in Sunrise as the Flyers won 2-1 on Feb. 6.
He did it again on Thursday — this time with 29 saves.
GOALS OF THE GAME
- Flyers 1, Panthers 0 (0:10, 2nd): Philadelphia wins the opening faceoff of the second period, Ryan Poehling walks in on Sergei Bobrovsky and goes top shelf.
- Panthers 1, Flyers 1 (7:12, 2nd): Gus Forsling’s magical day continues as Florida’s fourth line keeps the puck in the offensive zone and the newly-extended defenseman wrists one from 35-feet out and beats Sam Ersson.
- Flyers 2, Panthers 1 (19:38, 3rd): Garnet Hathaway knocked in a loose puck off a shot from Marc Staal and that was that.
FHN’S 3 STARS OF THE GAME
1. Sam Ersson, Philadelphia
2. Garnet Hathaway, Philadelphia
3. Gus Forsling, Florida
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