ID 12245461 | Florida Hockey © Michael Ludwig | Dreamstime.com

Rodrigues Seals the Deal with Game-Winning Goal

Evan Rodrigues emerged as the hero of the night, delivering the decisive goal in the fifth round of the shootout, propelling the Florida Panthers to conquer the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3 on Saturday night. This victory marked the Panthers’ seventh straight win. Alongside Rodrigues’ pivotal performance, Sam Bennett, Dmitry Kulikov, and Nate Schmidt contributed goals during regulation play.

Rodrigues wasn’t just a shootout star; he also provided two assists during the main game. Sergei Bobrovsky, Florida’s goalie, showcased his defensive prowess by deflecting five shots during overtime. This triumph pushed Bobrovsky’s career wins to 404, catapulting him past Grant Fuhr to sit 12th on the all-time list.

Efforts from the Flyers

Not to be overshadowed, Philadelphia Flyers’ players Anthony Richard, Joel Farabee, and Garnet Hathaway each netted a goal, with Scott Laughton assisting twice. Aleksander Barkov added a tiebreaker goal for Florida, while Owen Tippett did the same for Philadelphia. Despite a valiant effort, the Flyers’ record now stands at 1-9-1 when conceding three or more goals in a game. Samuel Ersson, the Flyers’ goalie, concluded the game with 28 saves.

Panthers’ Second Period Scoring Spree Continues

The Panthers demonstrated their scoring prowess in the second period for the second consecutive game, hitting the net thrice. They maintain a perfect record of 6-0-0 this season whenever they manage to score at least three goals in any period.

Key Moment

The Panthers continued their unique pregame tradition of wearing robes — a souvenir from their recent trip to Finland. The team has donned the robes for four successive games, with the intention to continue this quirky ritual until their winning streak concludes.

Key Stat

The game marked a significant milestone for the Panthers’ coach, Paul Maurice, as it was his 2,000th game as an NHL coach, including postseason games. Maurice joins the elite company of Scotty Bowman, a Hockey Hall of Famer who coached 2,494 games.

What’s Next?

The Flyers will host the San Jose Sharks on Monday, inaugurating a series of six out of seven games at home. Meanwhile, the Panthers will welcome the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday to kickstart a two-game series.

Richard Hayes is the go-to writer for all things soccer at 21Sports.com. His international perspective and in-depth knowledge of the game have made him a trusted voice in the industry. Richard’s experience covering major leagues around the world allows him to offer unique insights that resonate with both casual fans and die-hard enthusiasts. When not covering matches, Richard enjoys coaching youth soccer in his community.