The Philadelphia Flyers (19-20-5) salvaged a win in a three-game season series versus the Florida Panthers (25-16-3) at the Wells Fargo Center. In 2024-2025, the Flyers are 1-1-1 versus the Panthers.
Stealing extra possessions at the faceoff circle paid off for Philadelphia. That was a strength heading into this clash on home ice. Noah Cates was the weapon in the faceoff circle. He won 11/17 (64.7%), the lion’s share of responsibility. Overall, the Flyers won 55.6% of the faceoffs.
Philadelphia found structure as the game continued. Travis Sanheim set the tone, blocking five shots. Morgan Frost created offense, including some powerplay magic. The Flyers were the more disciplined team, proving critical in the comeback.
John Tortorella is getting what he wants out of Sam Ersson. Ersson earned his second win in three consecutive starts. At a glance at the updated, current NHL Standings, Philadelphia earned its first win against a team ranked in the top half of the NHL since November 7th, 2024, against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
“We’re trying to win two in a row. We haven’t done it in quite a while. [We] played at a speed; I don’t know what speed we were playing at in the first period. Give them credit. They rebounded and found a way to get involved. At this time of the year, after a good win [like] we had the other night, playing against one of the top teams in the league, and to come back against them, it gives you a little bit of juice as we push forward.” – John Tortorella; 1/13/2025
First Period
Shots: 7-7
Score: 2-0, Panthers
Sergei Bobrovsky had to be on his toes early. Sean Couturier gained position in front of the net, creating a rebound for Matvei Michkov. Bobrovsky stood his ground in the crease.
Aleksander Barkov served a minor for high-sticking. Jamie Drysdale sent an off-target pass along the blue line to Travis Konecny, forcing the Flyers to retreat. Sam Reinhart recovered the puck, shook free of Konecny, and waited for Ersson to make the first move. Reinhart scored the shorthanded goal, 1-0, with 12:01 remaining in the first period.
Uvis Balinskis extended the lead, 2-0, with 10:26 remaining in the first period. He accepted a neutral zone pass from Evan Rodrigues and scored from the top of the faceoff circle. Cam York got into position to defend Balinskis, and Ersson possibly didn’t see the release point of the shot.
AJ Greer served a minor for embellishment. Couturier served a minor for slashing. Philadelphia and Florida went head-to-head at four-on-four hockey. Konecny stripped Bennett on the forecheck, then nearly stuffed a scoring chance inside the post on Bobrovsky.
Egor Zamula served a minor for tripping. Scott Laughton cleared the defensive zone to help alleviate the pressure on Ersson.
Rodrigues served a minor for interference. Cates had a stellar set-up from behind the net to Bobby Brink, but Bobrovsky made the save.
Second Period
Shots: 21-13, Flyers
Score: 2-1, Panthers
Couturier began the second period with another burst. On a breakaway, Bobrovsky denied Couturier another high-danger scoring chance. Moments later, Cates and Tyson Foerster were in close on Bobrovsky. Niko Mikkola made Foerster pay for his scoring opportunity with a clean hit.
Garnet Hathaway looked to center the puck to Ryan Poehling, but Nate Schmidt seemed to deflect the puck past Bobrovsky, 2-1, with 12:09 remaining in the second period. At first, Poehling earned credit for the goal, but the rightful scorer is Hathaway.
“We talked in between periods and we need to get more involved. That line [Laughton-Poehling-Hathaway] comes out and bangs around a little bit; they end up scoring a goal. That’s part of their role and I thought they did a good job of that tonight.” – John Tortorella; 1/13/2025
Jesper Boqvist served a minor for hooking. Bobrovsky denied the two shots he faced on the powerplay from Frost and Owen Tippett.
Nick Seeler created a rebound for Michkov, but Bobrovsky flashed the pad. On the other end, Ersson denied Eetu Luostarinen as the Panthers had a brief rush.
Third Period
Shots: 29-23, Flyers
Score: 4-3, Flyers
Barkov served a minor for tripping. Bobrovsky robbed Frost of a rebound after a shot by Drysdale. However, Rasmus Ristolainen cycled the puck to Sanheim to take a shot. Cates scored the rebound, 2-2, with 17:59 remaining in the third period.
Couturier served a minor for hooking. Matthew Tkachuk centered a pass to Reinhart for a quick release, 3-2, with 16:25 remaining in the third period. The Flyers finished 1/2 (50%) on the penalty kill. Reinhart scored in each facet of special teams.
Dmitry Kulikov served a minor for tripping. Frost drew the penalty, then secured the powerplay goal, 3-3, with 14:01 remaining in the third period. Drysdale walked the blue line to create a shooting lane on the powerplay. Michkov was along the post, effectively working as a backboard to the shot by Drysdale. Frost completed the scoring play, and Philadelphia finished 2/5 (40%) on the powerplay.
“We’re trying to play in the blue. We’re trying to keep it simple. If you look at one of the powerplays, we just make the puck work. We just pass the puck. We don’t hold on. We don’t dust it off. When we start being deliberate with it, it’s a turnover. It just doesn’t work. The thing I liked about the second one was the patience of Jamie [Drysdale]. He went lateral, Mich [Michkov] is hiding on that post, and he makes a play through the seam. [We] talked about it today, he needs to see those types of plays. I thought he held onto it nicely, let things open up, waited, and found Mich. Did Frosty [Frost] bang it in? Yeah. Puck movement and keeping it simple; getting to the net is what’s going to help us.” – John Tortorella; 1/13/2025
Cates drove on Bobrovsky after Gustav Forsling took a shot from the point on Ersson. Foerster tipped the puck off the rebound to the neutral zone, and Cates was off to the races. A backhanded finish solved Bobrovsky for the eventual game-winner, 4-3, with 5:51 remaining in the third period.
“Look at his [Cates] second goal. Look what he does. A year ago, he’s going to his backhand [and] he’s throwing into the pad. That’s the level of confidence the kid’s playing with. I just hope it keeps on going.” – John Tortorella; 1/13/2025
Ersson had to finish strong, facing a fast sequence of shots from Luostarinen and Anton Lundell. Frost turned the puck over in the defensive zone, and Ersson made back-to-back-to-back saves to maintain the lead and record a win for the Flyers.
“During the third period, he [Ersson] makes a couple of big saves, and then at the end, I don’t know what the hell Frosty’s [Frost] is doing, but he makes two or three great saves. Enough’s enough with goaltending. Enough’s enough. We need to be better, and I hope Ers is trying to make a statement.” – John Tortorella; 1/13/2025
Up Next
Next, the Philadelphia Flyers visit the Columbus Blue Jackets at 7:00pm/ET.
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