Mason, Flyers tame Panthers, 3-1

By Rob Riches, Sports Talk Philly contributor 

Wayne Simmonds and Brayden Schenn each posted two points for the Flyers, while Steve Mason turned in a steady effort in goal en route to a 3-1 win Tuesday over the Florida Panthers.

Mason turned away a season-high 38 shots, continuing his recent stretch of dominance. He was just 1:51 away from his first shutout of the season, but Reilly Smith's late goal prevented it from becoming a reality.

The Panthers had steadily applied pressure over all three periods, posting 14 shots in both the first and second periods, and 11 more in the third. However, Simmonds' goal over Roberto Luongo's shoulder at 11:11 of the first period put the Flyers ahead after the first 20 minutes.

Dale Weise followed suit midway through the second stanza, burying a rebound from a Travis Konecny shot for his first goal as a Flyer. Nick Cousins tallied a power-play goal in the third after a set-up from Simmonds, giving the Flyers a late 3-0 lead.

Schenn earned secondary assists on each of the Weise and Konecny goals, for his fourth multi-point game of the season. In total, the Flyers cashed in on both of their power plays, while killing all four penalties they took.

Mason's 38 saves are the most he faced since March 22, 2016, when he turned 51 shots away in a game against Columbus. Luongo recorded 25 saves between the Panthers' pipes.

As prolific as the Flyers' offense was in their win, they do face one looming concern. Sean Couturier left the game early in the second period with an apparent leg injury, after a collision with Vincent Trocheck. His status going forward is unknown, and he will undergo evaluation on Wednesday.

The Orange and Black next return to the ice Wednesday against Tampa Bay.

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