SUNRISE, Fla. _ Steve Mason made a season-high 38 saves to highlight the Flyers' 3-1 win Tuesday over Florida, but the victory was tempered by the loss of second-line center Sean Couturier.
Couturier, the Flyers' best defensive forward, collided with Florida's Vincent Trocheck and had to be helped off the ice with 18 minutes, 20 seconds left in the second period. He seemed to be favoring his left leg and did not return to action at the BB&T Center.
The injury appears to be serious, and general manager Ron Hextall would only say he had a lower-body injury and would be re-evaluated Wednesday. Couturier was not taken to the hospital, a club spokesman said.
Couturier, who has five goals and eight points in 20 games, is also a valuable penalty killer.
Mason, making his fourth straight start, came within 1:51 of the Flyers' first shutout win of the season. Reilly Smith scored on a late tip-in to cut the deficit to 3-1.
Mason took a 7-3-2 career record against Florida into the game, along with a 2.03 goals-against average and a .935 save percentage vs. the Panthers.
Wayne Simmonds, Dale Weise, and Nick Cousins scored for the Flyers. The latter two goals were on the power play.
Using his backhand, Weise knocked in a rebound of Travis Konecny's shot, giving the Flyers a 2-1 lead with 6:57 remaining in the second. It was his first goal in 16 games with the Flyers, and it snapped the team's 0-for-10 power-play drought.
"It definitely feels good; it hasn't been a very good start for me," said Weise, who scored 14 goals with Montreal last season. "To get the first one, to get the monkey off your back, you instantly feel lighter and instantly feel better about yourself."
Dropped from the top line to the second unit, Simmonds (two points) didn't let it bother him. The right winger opened the scoring by using Konecny as a decoy on a two-on-one and beating Roberto Luongo high into the left corner, putting the Flyers ahead, 1-0, with 8:49 left in the opening period.
"The D took T.K., so I decided to shoot," Simmonds said after scoring his 10th goal, tops on the team.
Mason made 14 saves in the first period, including a point-blank stop on Jaromir Jagr with 1:20 to go in the stanza, and 14 more in a flawless second period.
If Couturier is sidelined for a while, the Flyers could elevate one of their lower-line centers (Cousins, Pierre-Edouard Bellemare) to fill his spot. Other possibilities: Moving Brayden Schenn back to center or recalling Scott Laughton or Jordan Weal from the Phantoms.
The Flyers will visit Tampa Bay on Wednesday and there is a chance goalie Anthony Stolarz makes his NHL debut. After an injury to Michal Neuvirth, Stolarz was recalled from the Phantoms on Nov. 14 for the seventh time in his career.
Mason's strong performance Tuesday, however, may keep Stolarz sidelined.
When he does play, Stolarz will be the 17th New Jersey-born player to play in the NHL and the first goaltender.
An AHL all-star last season, Stolarz was selected by the Flyers in the second round (45th overall) of the 2012 draft. Among their seven picks that year, the Flyers took Laughton in the first round and Shayne Gostisbehere in the third round.
The Flyers used a draft pick acquired from Florida, originally belonging to San Jose, to select Gostisbehere. It was acquired by the Flyers in a deal that sent Kris Versteeg to Florida.
