Flyers at Panthers
7 p.m. on Comcast SportsNet
The Flyers will wrap up their brief stop in Florida when they take on the Panthers at BB&T Center on Saturday night.
Here are five things to get you ready for the tilt:
1. Working overtime
Did you catch your breath yet?
Thursday’s season opener saw the Flyers and Lightning participate in a frenetic three-on-three overtime after ending regulation in a 2-2 tie. This past June, the NHL Board of Governors approved a format change to OT, which was previously four-on-four for five minutes, in hopes that the open ice would create more scoring and also limit the number of games being decided by the shootout.
The first three-on-three OT in NHL history did not disappoint, either. The Flyers and Lightning dazzled a sellout crowd at Amalie Arena, trading odd-man rushes and combining for eight shots in the extra frame before Jason Garrison beat Steve Mason on a breakaway at the 2:17 mark.
Rookie head coach Dave Hakstol elected to use a two-forward, one-defenseman strategy throughout the overtime. Claude Giroux, Jakub Voracek, Brayden Schenn, Matt Read and Scott Laughton saw time up front, while puck-moving defenders Mark Streit, Michael Del Zotto and Evgeny Medvedev alternated on the back end.
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The Flyers had a golden opportunity to steal the extra point from Tampa when the speedy Laughton drew a penalty shot 59 seconds into overtime. He failed to convert the attempt on Ben Bishop, however, as the puck rolled off his stick.
It’s unrealistic to think every three-on-three OT will offer the same entertainment value it did Thursday, but we did get a solid glimpse of its potential. It’s clear ill-advised pinches and errant shots off the rush will prove to be costly. Hakstol admitted the Flyers may have taken too many risks, but will use it as a learning experience (see story).
It sure did beat another lousy shootout loss though, didn’t it?
2. The other guys
It was a rare occurrence if Jakub Voracek or Claude Giroux’s names didn’t pop up on the box score last season. After all, the duo did combine for 47 goals and 107 assists while carrying the Flyers’ anemic offense.
We all know secondary scoring was a major problem. But in the season opener, the Flyers showed maybe, just maybe, things could be different this year. Matt Read and Brayden Schenn recorded the team’s two goals and often heavily-criticized veteran R.J. Umberger chipped in two assists.
That’s not to say Voracek and Giroux, along with linemate Michael Raffl, didn’t have a good game. They did. The trio had their chances — on the power play and at even strength — but the top line couldn’t overpower Bishop, who turned aside 23 shots. That happens.
The contributions from the other three lines, however, were a bright spot. Several of the Flyers said they were happy with the effort even though they couldn’t find a way to win. They should be. Earning a point against the defending Eastern Conference champs is something they can build off.
But it’s important for role players, like Umberger and Laughton, to maintain some sort of consistency. And Sean Couturier and Schenn need to show they can take the next step in their development. If they do, the Flyers should improve on last season’s 33-31-18 record.
3. Welcome to the show
Evgeny Medvedev’s NHL debut had its ups and downs.
The 33-year-old defenseman earned his first career NHL point when he was credited with an assist on Schenn’s power-play rebounder.
But Medvedev was also whistled for an untimely infraction toward the end of the second period which resulted in Ryan Callahan’s game-tying marker on the ensuing Tampa power play.
The penalty didn’t cost the Flyers the game, but it could have been avoided. He was caught with two sticks, including Luke Schenn’s broken twig, in his possession. Can't do that in the NHL.
Working together as a unit for the first time, Medvedev and Schenn seemed to gel nicely after a feeling out period early on. As pointed out by Ryan Gilbert of Sons of Penn, the pair boasted impressive advanced stats. Schenn finished with the top Corsi for percentage, which measures the shot attempt differential of a player while on the ice, at 63.64 percent. Medvedev was a close second at 60 percent.
4. Keep an eye on …
Flyers: You have to be impressed with how Read performed against the Lightning. The 29-year-old was all over the ice and showed some nice chemistry with new linemates Laughton and Umberger. He was slowed by a high-ankle sprain last season and finished with a disappointing eight goals in 80 games, so it was nice to see an active Read in the opener. The two-time 20-goal scorer was noticeably quicker, indicating he's 100 percent, and looked excellent on the penalty kill. Read is well-aware he needs to have a bounce back year. He’s off to a nice start.
Panthers: Let's check in on old friend Jaromir Jagr. The future Hall of Famer, who re-upped with Florida after being traded by the New Jersey Devils last February, is still going strong. He's needs just nine goals to pass Marcel Dionne for fourth-most all-time and 19 to pass Brett Hull for the third-place spot. He's also just 48 points behind Gordie Howe for No. 3 all-time in scoring. Skating with youngsters Aleksander Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau, it's entirely possible Jagr could reach those milestones in 2015-16. Plus, he's growing out his mullet again. How can you not root for this guy?
5. This and that
• The Flyers went 1-1-1 against the Panthers in 2014-15. Voracek led all skaters with two goals and three points in the season series.
• Roberto Luongo is 7-8-2 with a 2.97 goals-against average and .916 save percentage in 19 career games — 18 starts — against the Flyers.
• Steve Mason has given Florida fits. He's 7-2-1 in 10 career starts versus the Panthers with a 1.48 GAA and .953 save percentage.
• The Panthers' 198 total goals last season were the sixth-fewest in the NHL.
• Umberger had two helpers in the season opener. The veteran dished out just two assists in his final 33 games with the Flyers last season.