Florida Panthers right wing Reilly Smith (18) scores a goal against…
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The 43-year-old continued to fluster Philadelphia by scoring three goals and setting up two others in three meetings last season to increase his career total to 116 points (45 goals, 71 assists) in 93 contests.
“It was very special, ” Jagr said. “We got good bounces, scored four goals, the momentum was on our side”.
The Philadelphia Flyers are in a new year with the same old problems that aren’t getting any better.
“When you give up a goal in the first minute or two of each period, that’s a pretty deep hole to dig in each period let alone in the game”, Hakstol said.
The Panthers struck quickly again in the second period when 33 seconds in Aleksander Barkov spoon-fed Jagr for a one-time slot shot past relief goalie Michal Neuvirth. Jagr is now just seven goals behind Marcel Dionne for fourth place on the NHL’s all-time list.
Smith capped off the historic opener with a one-time, power-play goal (5-on-3) at 7:55 of the third.
“Yeah, ” Voracek said, “it’s a good thing we don’t have a week off”. Until tonight, everything about him suggested he was dialed in on the season and ready for big things.
“To have that many fans in a sold-out arena to see how loud they were, a change of pace, we definitely feed off that”.
The Panthers took a 1-0 lead on Trocheck’s goal 1:23 in.
One minute later Jokinen joined the red-light brigade when Trocheck intercepted Mason’s horrendous clearing pass and flicked it toward the vacated net where the newly named alternate captain stuffed it home.
Nick Bjugstad and Jussi Jokinen also scored goals for Florida and Roberto Luongo made 39 saves. At least we saw a few history tonight: The Panthers’ four goals in the first 6:46 marked the quickest four-goal deficit in franchise history.
Philadelphia finally got on the board at 3:34 courtesy of a power-play goal. I better make the most of it, drink it in, ” Thornton said after morning skate. “I put everyone behind the eight ball and am disappointed”.
If the start of their 2015-2016 season is any indication, then the Florida Panthers are in for one enjoyable ride.
“To get back in two days, I think that should be a real challenge and a real benefit for us”, he said. However, he has fared well against the Panthers throughout his career, as evidenced by a 1.48 GAA and. On Thursday, Philadelphia lost on the road to the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 in overtime. But it’s worth noting that the Flyers bailed on their head coach just a few games into the season previous year and there is enormous pressure for the winning ways to return to Philly sooner rather than later.
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Philadelphia Flyers center Ryan White (25) and Florida Panthers right wing Shawn Thornton (22) fight during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, October 10, 2015, in Sunrise, Fla.
