Flyers beat defending champs with NHL-best 8th third-period comeback

Flyers beat defending champs with NHL-best 8th third-period comeback originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Flyers engineered their league-leading eighth third-period comeback Monday night in a 4-3 win over the Panthers at the Wells Fargo Center.

Noah Cates continued his eye-opening run with the game-winner, his second goal of the night.

Garnet Hathaway and Morgan Frost also found the back of the net. The fourth line drew the Flyers within 2-1 in the second period, while Cates and Frost each had game-tying, third-period markers on the power play.

The team’s man advantage went 2 for 5, giving it four over the last two games.

The Flyers (19-20-5) finished 2-2-0 on their homestand. They were able to build off their 6-0 rout Saturday night of the Ducks, a win that appeased a rowdy crowd with Cutter Gauthier in the building.

John Tortorella knew the defending champs would be a different test.

“This is team that we’re going to have to be ready because they’re balanced, they’re stiff,” the head coach said at morning skate. “They’re the Stanley Cup champions for a reason. I’m hoping we come back-to-back with a good effort. I’m not sure what the result is; you just never know what happens with results. I just want us to grow off our last game.”

Tortorella’s club won consecutive games for the first time since Dec. 10-12. Florida suffered its first loss when leading after two periods. It entered 16-0-0 in that situation.

The Flyers went 1-1-1 against the Panthers (25-16-3) in their three-game regular-season series. Last season, the Flyers took two of three from Florida.

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• Two days after pitching a shutout, Samuel Ersson struggled early against the Panthers.

But he was strong late to nail it down for the Flyers.

His team was in a 2-0 hole before the halfway mark of the first period. Florida’s second goal was super leaky for Ersson. It came on a shot from Uvis Balinskis, who entered with two career NHL goals. And no other Panthers were in the offensive zone, while two Flyers were back in coverage.

Florida struck first when the Flyers’ power play gave one up to Sam Reinhart. You could live with that one, but the Flyers needed a save on that second goal.

Reinhart struck again in the third period to regain the Panthers their lead at 3-2 on the power play. But Frost countered under two and a half minutes later.

Ersson converted 20 saves on 23 shots.

Florida netminder Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 25 of the Flyers’ 29 shots.

• Cates has 14 points (eight goals, six assists) in the last 16 games.

Frost has 12 (seven goals, five assists) in the last 16.

Good scoring down the middle of the ice, something the Flyers have needed.

• The Flyers are right back at it Tuesday when they visit the Blue Jackets (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP+).

Tortorella’s club is 1-6-0 in the second game of back-to-back sets.

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Tags: MLB