The Philadelphia Flyers beat the Florida Panthers, 6-3, Tuesday night at the Wells Fargo Center.
John Tortorella was quick to halt a question pregame about playing spoiler against a playoff team. Mentioning “it’s b*llshit.”
Starting tonight against the Florida Panthers, the Flyers will play nine of their remaining thirteen games against a team in the playoff hunt.
After the first four minutes, you would have thought there would be no “spoiler” tonight for the Flyers. The Panthers were outshooting them 7-1 and had already taken a 1-0 lead.
But, the Flyers settled in, weathered the Panthers storm, and got to work.
Joel Farabee would tie the game shortly before the five minute mark of the 1st period. After going 26 straight games without a goal, Farabee now has goals in three straight games.
Travis Sanheim would give the Flyers a 2-1 lead midway through the 2nd period. It was the first of his two 2nd period goals.
Scott Laughton would make it 3-2 with 3:06 left in the 2nd period. Laughton’s goal would be the beginning of three goals in a 2:01 span for the Flyers.
Travis Sanheim made it 4-2 Flyers 1:11 after Laughton’s goal. Ivan Provorov would make it 5-2 Flyers 50 seconds later.
Joel Farabee Three Straight With A Goal
Joel Farabee has battled through an extremely tough season. One that started with offseason neck surgery and not his normal training ahead of the season.
But, to Farabee’s credit, was in the lineup on opening night.
Before breaking his goal-less streak on Friday, Farabee hadn’t scored in 26 games. Something that John Tortorella hoped would just end because it would do so much for his confidence.
Tonight, Farabee continued to grow that confidence with his third straight game with a goal.
Carter Hart Stands Tall
With the way the 1st period was going, the Flyers needed one player to be at his best tonight. That player, Carter Hart, was very much on his game tonight.
In the 1st period, Hart came up with every big save the Flyers needed to keep them in the game. Including stopping all nine shots on the power-play in the 1st period.
“Thought Carter 1st 3rd periods were terrific,” John Tortorella said postgame. “Made some great saves at the end of the game when we decided to just stick it in the corner instead of ending the game.”
Hart stopped 42 shots in route to his 19th win of the season.
Result : Flyers 6 – Panthers 3 , WIN
Record : 26 – 32 – 12
Next Game : Thursday 3/23 , Minnesota Wild , Philadelphia PA , 6:30pm
PHOTO CREDIT: Len Redkoles – Getty Images
