By DAN GELSTON
PHILADELPHIA — Sean Couturier’s second objective of the sport with 4:10 remaining snapped a tie and despatched the Philadelphia Flyers to a 5-2 win over the Florida Panthers on Monday evening in Rick Tocchet’s dwelling teaching debut.
Bobby Brink and Christian Dvorak added late empty-netters for the Flyers.
The Flyers captain, Couturier grew to become the longest-tenured athlete in Philadelphia sports activities as soon as Eagles defensive finish Brandon Graham retired on the finish of final season.
The Flyers misplaced their first two video games of the season on the highway however acquired a wanted carry on a throwback evening at dwelling. Tyson Forrester scored within the first interval and Couturier adopted together with his first of the season within the second for a 2-0 lead.
Sam Reinhart and Sam Bennett rallied the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers with targets however they misplaced for the primary time in 4 video games.
Tocchet simply obtained the loudest cheers from followers throughout pregame introductions forward of the house opener. The Flyers employed the previous fan favourite as coach in hopes his return would push them out of an prolonged rebuild and into playoff rivalry. Tocchet, who performed greater than a decade with Philadelphia in separate stints initially and finish of his profession, is initially of his fourth head-coaching job after time with Tampa Bay, Arizona and Vancouver.
Tocchet took over months after the Flyers fired John Tortorella with 9 video games left in one other shedding season for a franchise that hasn’t reached the playoffs since 2020.
Philadelphia, as soon as a mannequin franchise within the league, has one of many longest championship droughts within the NHL.
The Flyers have did not win the Stanley Cup since going again to again in 1974 and ’75. These Broad Road Bullies groups have grow to be a cherished a part of the franchise’s previous but in addition a reminder of how a lot time it has been for the reason that Flyers gained: They final performed within the closing in 2010.
The Flyers opened with a somber nod to these Bullies groups with a tribute for the late Corridor of Fame goalie Bernie Dad or mum. Dad or mum, who died in September at 80, gained Conn Smythe and Vezina trophies in back-to-back seasons for the Stanley Cup champions. The Flyers painted his retired uniform quantity “1” behind every internet and selected to bypass a second of silence for followers to as a substitute “present the identical ardour he lived for with a standing ovation.” They may put on a “1” jersey patch this season.
Up subsequent
Panthers: Play Sunday at Winnipeg.
