Another shootout victory for Florida Panthers

Just days removed from playing in the longest NHL regular-season game in history, Roberto Luongo was ready to do it again.

Florida’s 2-1 shootout victory over the Flyers on Thursday didn’t exactly go 20 rounds but with the Panthers, even their overtime goes to overtime these days.

The Panthers got a goal from Dave Bolland in the sixth round, and Luongo stopped Sean Couturier to lift Florida to its second consecutive win.

Florida beat Washington by the same score — after a 20-round shootout — Tuesday in Sunrise.

“Once we got past four or five, I figured let’s just do it all over,’’ said Luongo, who made 25 saves and then five more in the shootout.

“We had the lead, I wasn’t able to shut the door but the second time around I wanted to win it for the guys.

“We all see how close things are.’’

Florida came out looking sharp against a Philadelphia team that has hit the skids. The Panthers at one point had a 12-3 shot advantage in the opening period and could have been up by a few goals.

Instead, the Panthers led only 1-0 in the first after former Flyers winger Scottie Upshall charged the net and knocked a puck in.

The play was reviewed in Toronto — Florida already had one waved off on Sean Bergenheim’s high stick — but the goal stood.

“It was a fun game, a lot of energy,’’ said Upshall, who hadn’t scored in 11 games against his old team before Thursday.

“It was a big win for us. We came here with one purpose, and that was to start this road trip off with a win. It was good.’’

Philadelphia woke up late in the first and came out flying in the second, tying the score on Jakub Vorachek’s 12th goal of the year.

Luongo felt he was interfered with as Zac Rinaldo made contact as Vorachek’s shot came through, but nothing was called.

“It’s a tough call for the ref to make right there,’’ Luongo said. “The player skated through my knob [end of his stick] at the same time the puck was coming, and I couldn’t really get to it. It happens quick, and it’s tough for those guys to see something like that. That’s why we should have video review I think.’’

The Panthers went to overtime — for a league-high 13th time this year — and needed some huge saves from Luongo to force yet another shootout.

Florida has played in eight shootouts this season. The Flyers remain winless in five.

“They probably should have won it in overtime, but [Luongo] made three key saves,’’ coach Gerard Gallant said.

“I thought we played a solid game — not a great game — but we got two points out of Philly, which has been tough for us.’’

Brandon Pirri, who was scratched and thereby was one of the few Panthers to not shoot Tuesday, went first and scored off a slick goal.

The Panthers had a chance to win it, but Vorachek’s bacckhander beat Luongo in Round 3 to extend things.

Florida wouldn’t score again until Bolland’s wrister found a home, but the Flyers didn’t score at all.

The Panthers have won three consecutive shootouts dating to their wild victory in Detroit last week.

“As I’ve said before, they would all even out,’’ said Gallant, whose team started 1-4 in shootouts.

“We’ve been in so many, we should be getting good at them.’’

BOYES OUT

Winger Brad Boyes missed his first game this season with an undisclosed “upper body’’ injury that flared up during the morning skate.

With Boyes out, Pirri was back in the lineup after being a healthy scratch Tuesday against Washington.

Pirri played wing on a line with Aleksander Barkov and Sean Bergenheim.

Gallant said Boyes’ injury wasn’t anything serious.

▪ Although the Panthers sent defenseman Shane O’Brien to the minors on Wednesday to bring their roster to one under the 23-man maximum, Shawn Thornton (groin) was not activated off the injured list and did not skate Thursday morning.

▪ The Panthers have now been involved in a one-goal game in 22 of 30 games this season and 10 of the past 11 (7-1-2).

Florida’s past four games have gone to overtime (3-1), and the Panthers have at least a point in seven of the past eight. The Panthers are 5-8 in overtime and 4-4 in shootouts this season.

“These are the kinds of games we’re going to be in down the stretch,’’ Luongo said. “We’re going to have to keep winning them like we’re doing.’’

This story was originally published December 18, 2014 at 11:35 PM with the headline "Another shootout victory for Florida Panthers."