Sabres at Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers and Buffalo Sabres have answered disastrous stretches over double-digit games with promising results in the last four contests. The two Eastern Conference foes will look to continue their recent good fortune at the other's expense on Thursday when they meet at the Wells Fargo Center.
Sean Couturier matched his career high with his 15th goal on Monday, a go-ahead tally that lifted Philadelphia to a 4-2 triumph over Toronto. "I think I'm shooting the puck more. ... This year, I'm trying to focus on just shooting the puck as quick as I can," said the 25-year-old Couturier, who has eight points (three goals, five assists) in his last nine games. While Philadelphia has answered a 10-game skid (0-5-5) with a four-game winning streak, Buffalo has secured at least a point in a season-high four straight games (2-0-2) after dropping 11 of its previous 12 (1-9-2). Robin Lehner has turned aside 149 of 159 shots during the last four games for the Sabres, although he was gashed for six goals in last season's meeting with the Flyers to drop his career mark to 1-3-0 with a 4.02 goals-against average and .871 save percentage versus Philadelphia.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, MSG-B (Buffalo), NBCSN Philadelphia
ABOUT THE SABRES (8-17-6): Evander Kane continues to produce despite being shuffled to the third line in a bid by coach Phil Housley to have a more balanced attack an offense that is generating a league-worst 2.2 goals per game. The 26-year-old Vancouver native added to his team-leading goal (14) and point (28) totals with a tally in Buffalo's 3-2 win over Ottawa on Tuesday to extend his point streak to five (two goals, three assists). Kane's power-play goal marked the third straight game that Buffalo scored with the man advantage after going 0-for-29 in its previous 10 contests.
ABOUT THE FLYERS (12-11-7): Captain Claude Giroux matched Couturier by scoring and setting up a goal versus the Maple Leafs, marking his third multi-point performance in his last three games. The 29-ear-old Ontario native referenced the team's successful trek through Western Canada as perhaps a turning point in its season. "I think our identity kind of changed a little bit with that road trip," Giroux said. "We're excited right now in the room. We played a lot of good hockey games when we lost, but we didn't get the results and now were playing some good hockey and we're getting the results, so we've got to keep building on this."
OVERTIME
1. Buffalo RW Kyle Okposo has scored a goal in two of his last three games after mustering one in his previous 12.
2. Philadelphia fourth-line C Scott Laughton scored three times during the team's win streak after recording just six points (two goals, four assists) in the previous 26 games.
3. Sabres C Jack Eichel has one goal and four assists in his last five games.