Flyers Edge Panthers

The Florida Panthers played their only home game in a two-week stretch on Tuesday night at the Bank Atlantic Center, but they lost to the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 in a shootout. The Panthers took charge on their first power play. Following two close range shots by Stephen Weiss, Brian Campbell passed from the left point to Mikael Samuelsson who fired a slap shot from the right side through traffic at 2:49. It was his third goal this season. The Flyers came back with their own power play goal at 10:35 when a shot by Brayden Schenn from the slot rolled over the back of Scott Clemmensen and into the net to tie the game. Philadelphia Flyers increased their lead on a give-and-go play at 17:59. Jakub Voracek skated across the blue line, passed off to Tom Sistito to his right and redirected the return pass in the slot area. In the second period, Florida evened the game 2-2 when they got a two-on-one breakaway. Kris Versteeg streaked through the right circle and skated by Sergei Bobrovsky in the crease area. He then placed a blind backhand pass to the trailer, then Tomas Fleischmann followed with a backhand shot into the open net at 15:40. Neither team scored in the third period, however Fleischmann hit the left post on a left circle shot during the Panthers second power play with just over six minutes left. Only one person scored during the shootout and it was Flyers center Claude Giroux. He scored on the second attempt for Philadelphia as he faked the backhand shot and changed to the forehand for the winner. The Panthers drop out of first place in the Southeast Division as the Washington Capitals now hold the top spot. Florida is now in seventh place in the Eastern Conference as they head to the All-Star Game break.