Flyers win 4th time in 5 games, top Sabers – Hockey Writer – Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers scored three quick goals in the first period to easily beat the Buffalo Sabers 5-2 on Wednesday night at Xfinity Arena for their fourth win in five games.
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After jumping out to an early 1-0 lead, the Flyers fought back with speed and ferocity, beating the Sabers with quick hits to turn the game around. Philadelphia responded to Buffalo’s offense while extending its goal advantage. The Sabers also suffered a major blow as they lost captain Rasmus Dahlin after he was penalized for inappropriate conduct during the game.
game review
The Flyers flew right out of the gate and dominated their offensive zone. Trevor Zegras fired a wrist shot from Emil Andrae, and Colten Ellis put the puck on the former and blocked the latter’s shot. The tables turned quickly as the Sabers won a power play due to a delay. Buffalo took full advantage of the man advantage, with Josh Doan passing from behind the net and Jason Zucker scoring his first goal of the night to give the Sabers a 1-0 lead.
Less than a minute later, the Sabers got another power play opportunity after the referee deemed an interference call against Philadelphia. The Sabers came up empty on second-man advantage, and consecutive penalties worsened Buffalo’s situation. Ellis made a timely save at a 5-on-3 deficit, the penalty kill held its own, and Ryan McLeod knocked the puck away on a Flyers pass attempt.
Next came Philadelphia’s offensive onslaught. The Flyers got the puck back after the Sabers failed to clear the puck. Travis Konecny and his teammates screened in front of the net and scored, tying the score at 1-1. Buffalo head coach Lindy Love believed a Philadelphia skater made contact with Ellis; therefore, he questioned the goal call. The Flyers continued their power struggle after the challenge was deemed unsuccessful.
Travis Sanheim found Trevor Zegras in the right faceoff circle, and his shot was deflected by the Sabres’ legs. After the last possession, Buffalo handed the ball to Noah Cates and Bobby Brink. Noah Cates and Bobby Brink made a strange rush. The latter buried the rebound of the former’s shot and scored the third goal in 59 seconds, extending the lead to 3-1.
The Sabers tried to counterattack with a cross-ice pass from Noah Ostlund to Alex Tuch, then handed the puck to the striding Doan, who fired but was deflected by Samuel Ersson. Both teams were awarded free throws one after another. Buffalo failed to capitalize on the manpower advantage, and Philadelphia’s power struggle continued into the next period.
Despite not taking advantage of the man advantage, the Flyers took advantage seconds after the power play and scored another goal to give themselves a comfortable 4-1 cushion. The Sabers came out with all their strength and increased the offensive pressure. Their persistence paid off after Bowen Byram’s nearside rebound put Buffalo back in the game at 4-2.
Once the Sabers gained momentum, Philadelphia closed the door on any hope of a comeback. Owen Tippett took the puck from the frontcourt and fired a shot that bounced off the net and ended up in the back of the net, shifting the advantage back to the Flyers. The Flyers kept the pedal to the metal the rest of the way until the final frame. Zach Benson’s backhand goal was overturned due to an offside call, giving Philadelphia a win.
What’s next?
The Sabers continue a six-game road trip against the Winnipeg Jets on Friday. The Flyers, on the other hand, will get over the hump on Sunday at home against the league-leading Colorado Avalanche.
