Panthers waste early 3-goal lead, rally with 3 goals in final minutes to top Flyers 7-5

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Sam Reinhart scored the go-ahead power-play goal with 1:59 left in the game to help the Florida Panthers overcome a blown three-goal lead and beat the Philadelphia Flyers 7-5 on Thursday night.

Matthew Tkachuk added an empty-netter in the final seconds to seal the win. Tkachuk also had four assists for his fourth career five-point game, tying his dad, Keith Tkachuk, for the sixth-most in NHL history.

The Flyers got rolling when Owen Tippett scored consecutive goals and Garnet Hathaway pounced on a rebound in the crease to give them a 5-4 lead. Gustav Forsling tied the game at 5 with just over five minutes left after the Panthers wasted 3-0 and 4-2 leads.

Evan Rodrigues and Niko Mikkola scored in the first period, and Aleksander Barkov scored a power-play goal three minutes into the second for the 3-0 lead.

Flyers coach John Tortorella pulled goalie Ivan Fedotov after he gave up two goals on seven shots in the first and replaced him with Aleksei Kolosov. Kolosov saved 16 of the 20 shots he faced.

Panthers waste early 3-goal lead, rally with 3 goals in final minutes to top Flyers 7-5 | iNFOnews.ca
Florida Panthers’ Niko Mikkola, left, and Philadelphia Flyers’ Joel Farabee battle for the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Tyson Foerster and Nick Seeler cut the lead to 3-2 in the second, but Carter Verhaeghe answered for Florida and made it 4-2.

Flyers rookie Matvei Michkov had three assists in his first career three-point game.

Takeaways

Panthers: Florida rebounded from a loss at Pittsburgh to win for the fourth time in five games.

Flyers: Philadelphia snapped a three-game winning streak.

Panthers waste early 3-goal lead, rally with 3 goals in final minutes to top Flyers 7-5 | iNFOnews.ca
Philadelphia Flyers’ Owen Tippett reacts after scoring a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Florida Panthers, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Key moment

Tippett was off to a slow start for the Flyers this season until he scored twice in 23 seconds in the final moments of the second period and tied the game at 4. Michkov set up Tippett with an assist. His 22 points lead all NHL rookies.

Up next

The Panthers host the Sharks on Saturday, and the Flyers play the Bruins also on Saturday.

Panthers waste early 3-goal lead, rally with 3 goals in final minutes to top Flyers 7-5 | iNFOnews.ca
Philadelphia Flyers’ Owen Tippett reacts after scoring a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Florida Panthers, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Panthers waste early 3-goal lead, rally with 3 goals in final minutes to top Flyers 7-5 | iNFOnews.ca
Philadelphia Flyers’ Nick Seeler, right, and Tyson Foerster celebrate after Seeler’s goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Florida Panthers, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Panthers waste early 3-goal lead, rally with 3 goals in final minutes to top Flyers 7-5 | iNFOnews.ca
Philadelphia Flyers’ Morgan Frost, right, collides with Florida Panthers’ Anton Lundell during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Panthers waste early 3-goal lead, rally with 3 goals in final minutes to top Flyers 7-5 | iNFOnews.ca
Florida Panthers’ Gustav Forsling, left, and Philadelphia Flyers’ Travis Konecny chase after the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Panthers waste early 3-goal lead, rally with 3 goals in final minutes to top Flyers 7-5 | iNFOnews.ca
Philadelphia Flyers’ Tyson Foerster (71) scores a goal against Florida Panthers’ Spencer Knight (30) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Panthers waste early 3-goal lead, rally with 3 goals in final minutes to top Flyers 7-5 | iNFOnews.ca
Florida Panthers’ A.J. Greer, right, collides with Philadelphia Flyers’ Owen Tippett during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Panthers waste early 3-goal lead, rally with 3 goals in final minutes to top Flyers 7-5 | iNFOnews.ca
Florida Panthers’ Carter Verhaeghe, right, and Philadelphia Flyers’ Egor Zamula reach for the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Panthers waste early 3-goal lead, rally with 3 goals in final minutes to top Flyers 7-5 | iNFOnews.ca
Florida Panthers’ Spencer Knight, left, blocks a shot as Philadelphia Flyers’ Sean Couturier tries to redirect during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Panthers waste early 3-goal lead, rally with 3 goals in final minutes to top Flyers 7-5 | iNFOnews.ca
Florida Panthers’ A.J. Greer, left, and Philadelphia Flyers’ Cam York chase the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

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