The choice of Dan Vladar in goal to start the 2025-26 season was certainly a surprising one, but one that was rewarded. Vladar stood on his head for most of the game, as the Flyers tried to survive the onslaught of the Florida Panthers.
Vladar did his part, but the Panthers were able to outlast the Flyers, 2-1, on Thursday night.
The Flyers were out-shot, 13-6, in a scoreless first period.
At 5:29 of the second, the Panthers finally broke through on the power play. Anton Lundell scored off the rush to make it 1-0.
Late in the period, the Flyers tied things up. Noah Cates picked up a rebound from Tyson Foerster to score the first goal of the season with 2:12 remaining in the second.
Through two periods, shots were 25-15 Florida.
Just 2:19 into the third, the Panthers got the lead again. Brad Marchand threw a shot on goal from the boards that beat a screened Vladar, making it a 2-1 game.
The lead held up the rest of the way, as Sergei Bobrovsky finished with 19 saves on 20 shots in the win.
Vladar made 32 saves on 34 shots in the loss.
The Flyers are back on the ice on Saturday night against the Carolina Hurricanes at 7 p.m.
