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Flyers are a mixed bag as begin season 2-3, prepare to face winless Panthers

The Flyers (2-3) tightened their defense but couldn't finish their scoring chances Saturday as they fell to Vegas, 1-0. They have yet to score the first goal in any of their five games.

Flyers right winger Wayne Simmonds gets position in front of Vegas goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury in the Golden Knights' 1-0 win Saturday at the Wells Fargo Center.
Flyers right winger Wayne Simmonds gets position in front of Vegas goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury in the Golden Knights' 1-0 win Saturday at the Wells Fargo Center.Read moreYONG KIM

The Flyers suffered their third defeat in four games Saturday, but the mood in the losers' locker room was upbeat.

In their 1-0 home loss to Vegas, the injury-riddled Flyers outshot, outchanced, and outhit the Golden Knights while winning 63.2 percent of the faceoffs.

"We created some chances and we've got to stick to what we're doing. I mean, it's going to come," said center Sean Couturier, whose turnover led to a late goal that gave Vegas the hard-fought 1-0 win, ending a three-game skid. "We're going to score a few goals in the next game if we do the same thing. Offensively, it's good. Defensively, we're pretty tight, and the penalty kill did a good job. Just a little mistake at the end there that cost us big time."

"I thought we played with a lot more speed than we've been playing with through the neutral zone, carrying pucks, making plays, and just didn't come out on the right side of it," left winger Scott Laughton said. "I thought that was one of our quickest games of the year so far."

The positive spin aside, the Flyers are 0-2 at home, and they have allowed the first goal in all five games overall. That trend needs to stop.

The Flyers (2-3) will get a chance to even their record Tuesday when they host Florida (0-2-1). The good news: They won't have to face a goaltender like Vegas' Marc-Andre Fleury, who was sensational Saturday.

Oh, and the Panthers, who played so well down the stretch last season but barely missed the playoffs, are one of two NHL teams still looking for their first win. (Detroit is the other.) Florida has lost its last two games after twice blowing leads.

Florida is without its top goalie, Roberto Luongo, who is sidelined for two to four weeks with an injured right knee. James Reimer (3.62 goals-against average, .885 save percentage) has made the last two starts.

Brian Elliott (3.80 GAA, .883 save percentage), coming off his best outing of the young season, is expected to face Reimer on Tuesday.

Breakaways

The Flyers had no update on left winger Oskar Lindblom, who left Saturday's game midway through the third period when he was slammed into the boards by Vegas' Brayden McNabb. He did not return. The Flyers are already missing injured forwards James van Riemsdyk and Nolan Patrick. … Florida's power play is 0 for 12 this season, while the Flyers' is clicking at 22.7 percent, which was 15th in the NHL heading into Sunday. The Flyers' penalty kill was ranked 24th, one spot ahead of Florida's. … Laughton and Wayne Simmonds lead the Flyers with three goals apiece. … Ivan Provorov, who shared the NHL lead among defensemen with 17 goals last season, has no points and is minus-3.