Thompson, Olofsson Lead Sabres to Season Sweep of Flyers

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 

Much like Saturday's game, the Flyers got off to another quick start on Sunday. An early goal put them in the lead at the start of another game. Unlike Saturday, it didn't take until the second period for the Sabres to take command.

Buffalo scored twice in the first and twice in the second to open up a two-goal lead going to the third. That was enough as the Flyers were dealt a season sweep from the Sabres in a 5-3 loss on Sunday afternoon at Wells Fargo Center. 

Just 1:16 into the game, the Flyers were on the board. Kevin Hayes got the puck in the slot and went to make a move. After losing control briefly, he regained control and scored on a backhand to make it 1-0 with his ninth goal of the season.

Buffalo tied things up on the power play at 8:36, as Victor Olofsson fired a one-timer that beat Felix Sandstrom to make it 1-1. With 2:26 to go in the period, Anders Bjork finished on an opportunity on a break to make it 2-1.

Through 20 minutes, shots were 17-10 Flyers.

Early in the second period, the Flyers were back on the board. Play was whistled down as the puck was covered in the crease by a Buffalo defenseman, resulting in a penalty shot for Travis Konecny. But after review, the puck actually crossed the goal line on an attempt by Noah Cates, resulting in a goal.

Buffalo went back in front at 9:43 on another power-play goal for Olofsson. Less than four minutes later, Tage Thompson scored his 35th of the season to make it a 4-2 game.

Through two periods, shots were 25-24 Flyers.

With 5:53 left in the third, the Flyers cut the lead to one. Oskar Lindblom was chopping away at the puck in the crease after a centering pass from Travis Sanheim, but it was Zack MacEwen who pumped it home to make it a 4-3 game.

That was as close as things would get, as Thompson iced the game for Buffalo with his second of the game into an empty net in the final minute.

Dustin Tokarski made 32 saves on 35 shots in the win. Sandstrom made 35 saves on 39 shots in the loss.

In addition to multi-goal games for Thompson and Olofsson, Peyton Krebs, Rasmus Dahlin, and Jeff Skinner each had two assists. Hayes and Cates each had a goal and an assist.

The Flyers return to the ice to face the Toronto Maple Leafs on the road on Tuesday night at 7 p.m.

Box Score

Scoring Summary

1st Period

• PHI Kevin Hayes (9) (Noah Cates, Ivan Provorov) 1:16
• BUF Victor Olofsson (19) PP (Rasmus Dahlin, Peyton Krebs) 8:36
• BUF Anders Bjork (5) (Dahlin) 17:34

2nd Period

• PHI Cates (3) (Travis Konecny, Hayes) 1:20
• BUF Olofsson (20) PP (Dylan Cozens, Krebs) 9:43
• BUF Tage Thompson (35) (Jeff Skinner) 14:22

3rd Period

• PHI Zack MacEwen (3) (Oskar Lindblom, Travis Sanheim) 14:07
• BUF Thompson (36) EN (Skinner, Mattius Samuelsson) 19:28

Game Statistics