Flyers Quick Start Leads to Win Over Buffalo

(Photo: Kate Frese)

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 

It was a range of emotions for the Flyers in the last several hours, from the jubilation of a dramatic win in the Stadium Series on Saturday to bidding farewell to a longtime teammate on Monday.

On Tuesday night at Wells Fargo Center, no comeback was needed. A hot start paced the Flyers to a 5-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres.

The Flyers wasted little time getting on the board. After a power play that didn't generate much for over 90 seconds, the second unit got some extended time on the ice after the penalty expired. Oskar Lindblom got things started by jamming a chance in over the arm of Carter Hutton for the 1-0 lead at 2:48.

Jake Voracek kept things going for the Flyers, scoring another goal at 7:52 on a rebound off a shot by Claude Giroux. Phil Myers also earned an assist on the goal for his first NHL point.

Buffalo got on the board with a power-play goal at 12:08. Off a failed clear, Jack Eichel got time and space and picked his spot on his 22nd goal of the season. 

After 20 minutes, the Flyers had a 19-6 lead in shots. 

For most of the second, the Flyers and Sabres traded chances, but not goals. Finally, the Flyers got the important next goal with under five minutes to play in the period. A point shot by Robert Hagg was tipped by James van Riemsdyk for his 17th of the season to make it a 3-1 game.

The two-goal lead was short-lived, as Buffalo came right back in the final three minutes of the period. Using speed to get through the neutral zone, Evan Rodrigues made a move at the blue line to effectively create a two-on-one down low. He centered for Casey Mittelstadt, who finished to cut the lead back to one.

Buffalo had 16 shots in the second period to cut the shots advantage for the Flyers to 30-22 after 40 minutes.

Just 46 seconds into the third, the Flyers restored the two-goal lead. Off a rush, Sean Couturier set up Travis Sanheim, who was the trailer, and he beat Hutton for his sixth goal of the season. The assist for Couturier was his 200th career assist.

Late in the period, Giroux sealed the victory for the Flyers with an empty-net goal with 2:55 remaining.

Brian Elliott was excellent in the third, making 14 saves to preserve the lead. He finished the game with 34 saves. Hutton stopped 40 of 44 shots in the loss.

Giroux was the only Flyer with a multi-point game, scoring a goal and adding an assist. He was one of 12 Flyers to pick up a point in the game.

The win vaulted the Flyers above the Sabres in the standings. With the help of a regulation win by Pittsburgh over Columbus, the margin to the final playoff spot was cut to six with 19 games to play.

The Flyers next game comes on the road against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday night at 7 p.m.

Box Score

Scoring Summary

1st Period

• PHI Oskar Lindblom (12) (Travis Konecny, Nolan Patrick) 2:48
• PHI Jake Voracek (17) (Claude Giroux, Phil Myers) 7:52
• BUF Jack Eichel (22) PP (Jeff Skinner, Rasmus Dahlin) 12:08

2nd Period

• PHI James van Riemsdyk (17) (Robert Hagg, Radko Gudas) 15:13
• BUF Casey Mittelstadt (9) (Evan Rodrigues, Conor Sheary) 17:53

3rd Period

• PHI Travis Sanheim (6) (Sean Couturier) 0:46
• PHI Giroux (19) (Raffl) 17:05

Game Statistics