Sloppy Play Negates Fast Start By Florida Panthers, Fall to Flyers

Philadelphia, PA – The Florida Panthers got out to a fast start Monday against the Philadelphia Flyers. However, penalties and sloppy play from the Panthers allowed the Flyers to stick around and get a win on a late goal from Noah Cates. The Panthers are one game closer to getting their ‘A’ defenseman, Aaron Ekblad back from injury. However, it won’t happen until they return home from this quick back-to-back against Philadelphia and the New Jersey Devils.

Sloppy Play

Aleksander Barkov had an uncharacteristic night. The typically disciplined center was called for two penalties against the Flyers. Coming into Monday, he had six penalty minutes all year and often finds himself at the bottom of that leaderboard each year. 

The Panthers were therefore forced to go through two penalty kills without one of their best killers. They did well on the first kill, even getting a shorthanded goal from Sam Reinhart. However, on the second Flyers’ power play early in the third period, being without Barkov cost them. Noah Cates buried a rebound to tie the game at 2-2.

But it wasn’t all on Barkov. Defensive breakdowns were the dagger for the Panthers late in the game. After each team scored over the next few minutes to even the score at 3-3, Cates put the Flyers ahead for good with a breakaway goal.

It began when Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling fired a shot in the offensive zone and then cheated up further toward the net. The Flyers were able to gain possession on the rebound and make a pass to Cates. He was positioned behind the play and had nobody in his way to go down to the other end of the ice. Barkov came off the bench during the rush. However, he overskated toward Cates and wound up going past him, allowing Cates to get an open shot on Sergei Bobrovsky.

Efficient start

The Panthers were on the right side of efficiency to begin Monday’s game. Part of what sank them against the Boston Bruins on Saturday was bad puck luck and allowing Bruins goals on the few shots that got to the net. 

Two of Florida’s first three shots against Philadelphia found the back of the net. The first was a Sam Reinhart shorthanded goal, his fifth of the season and tenth for the Panthers as a team. The second was an Uvis Balinskis from the top of the right faceoff circle that went five-hole against Flyers goaltender Samuel Ersson. 

According to Natural Stat Trick, the Panthers generated zero high-danger scoring chances in the first period, with 0.55 expected goals.  

Reinhart Continues to Excel On Special Teams

Sam Reinhart dominating the special teams game is one thing that has remained consistent for two seasons. It doesn’t matter if it’s on the power play or the penalty kill. Reinhart is dangerous when the ice opens up for either team.

Reinhart's second of the game pic.twitter.com/n65L33Fqr0

— Rob Darragh (@darraghfla) January 14, 2025

On Monday, the winger had a goal on the man advantage and the penalty kill. His 46 special teams goals are the most since 2023-24, which is 18 ahead of second-place goalkeeper, Leon Draisaitl.

It was Reinhart’s second consecutive two-goal game, and his fifth in three games.