Philadelphia Flyers Hold Players-Only Meeting

Two Panthers – left winger Connor Brickley and defenseman Alex Petrovic – were charged with roughing, as was Flyers right winger Wayne Simmonds. The Flyers sealed off passing and shooting lanes Monday, something they didn’t do on Saturday when the Panthers scored three times.

“The one reason we had that meeting was because of our past”, captain Claude Giroux said.

Michal Neuvirth pitched a shutout in his first start with the Flyers, who skated away with a 1-0 win in front of an energized, sold-out crowd.

According to Elias Sports Bureau Smith is the fifth player to score two goals in his Panthers’ debut, including Mark Parrish (1998), Pavel Bure (1999), Ivan Novoseltsev (1999) and Marty Reasoner (2010).

Michael Neuvirth stopped 31 shots for his first shutout in more than 31/2 years, leading the Philadelphia Flyers to a 1-0 victory over the Florida Panthers on Monday night.

Defenseman Mark Streit snapped the Panthers’ string of five consecutive goals to start the game by converting a power-play chance 3 1/2 minutes into the second period.

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) – The Florida Panthers hope their season opener is a sign of good things to come. Meanwhile, following its seven-goal eruption Saturday, Florida (1-1-0) went quietly Monday, missing out on what would have been its first 2-0-0 start since 2005-06. It was another solid game however for Roberto Luongo who had 32 saves.

The 43-year-old Jagr is the NHL’s all-time leader in opening day points with 39 on 13 goals and 26 assists. “If they get a goal or maybe two goals, I think it would change the whole aspect of the game and we were able to kill it and get momentum out of it”.

“We just ask that you respect his privacy”, general manager Ron Hextall said of Mason, whose four goals allowed in South Florida represent a franchise record for the fastest four goals given up in Flyers history, and is an National Hockey League record for fastest four goals to start a season.

“It should leave a pretty sour taste for everybody”, Flyers coach Dave Hakstol said. Both Gagner and Sean Couturier had assists on the goal, which gave the Flyers the lead just under six minutes into the game.

“It couldn’t have gone better”.

“It’s sad news but you’ve got business to do”, Neuvirth said. The Panthers were already enjoying a four-goal lead in their home opener and itching for more. Jokinen shot from center ice and Mason blocked it, but Trocheck grabbed the rebound and poked it in. Bjugstad’s shot from the left circle got past Mason’s glove at 4:55 and Smith scored from in front at 5:46. But the Flyers were still physical despite Thornton’s presence, and the entire fourth line for the Panthers was generally ineffective. The goalie attempted to clear the puck from behind the net but it went right to Trocheck in the right circle.

“I thought we were just as desperate; we don’t want to be a. 500 team”. “I put everyone behind the eight ball and am disappointed”. He logged 18:37 of ice time in the game, more than any Flyers forward, and 4:01 of it came on a PK that saved the night.