Sabres at Flyers
Two days after having their nine-game point streak snapped, the Philadelphia Flyers host the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday with hopes of continuing their recent dominance in the all-time series. Philadelphia rallied to erase a two-goal deficit against Columbus on Tuesday before ultimately dropping a 5-2 decision for its first regulation loss since Jan. 19 against the New York Islanders. The Flyers look to begin another run and complete their second straight sweep of their three-game season series with the Sabres, who suffered a 2-1 loss to Philadelphia at home on Sunday.
Michael Raffl returned from a seven-game absence due to pneumonia to snap a tie with 7:15 remaining in the third period as the Flyers posted their fifth victory in a row over Buffalo. The Sabres went on to fall 2-1 in a shootout at New Jersey on Tuesday, their fourth straight defeat (0-3-1) after winning two of three to begin the month. Buffalo has been limited to one goal in three consecutive games and fewer than three in each of its last eight setbacks.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, MSG (Buffalo), CSN Philadelphia
ABOUT THE SABRES (16-37-4): Michal Neuvirth is winless since topping Toronto on Nov. 15, going 0-10-1 in that span. The 26-year-old Czech is just 3-15-2 in 21 games this season and hasn't posted a shutout since recording three with Washington in 2011-12. Tyler Ennis scored the lone goal for Buffalo against the Devils, raising his season total to 14 and forging a tie with Zemgus Girgensons for the team lead.
ABOUT THE FLYERS (24-23-10): Philadelphia apparently has liked what it has seen from Nick Schultz this season. The Flyers, who inked the veteran defenseman as a free agent in July, announced they have signed Schultz to a multi-year contract extension. The 32-year-old, who has appeared in 935 NHL contests with Minnesota, Edmonton, Columbus and Philadelphia, has recorded two goals and 11 assists in 55 games this season. Former captain Eric Desjardins will be inducted into the Flyers Hall of Fame during a pregame ceremony.
OVERTIME
1. Flyers RW Wayne Simmonds is riding a five-game point streak during which he has collected four goals and three assists.
2. Tuesday's contest marked Buffalo's first shootout since Dec. 27, when it edged the Islanders 4-3.
3. Philadelphia C Vincent Lecavalier is mired in an 18-game goalless drought, captain Claude Giroux has gone nine contests without a tally and RW Jakub Voracek has scored once in his last 14 games.