Flyers edge Sabres for fifth straight victory
PHILADELPHIA -- Valtteri Filppula scored the go-ahead goal late in the second period and Brian Elliott turned aside 19 shots to help the Philadelphia Flyers stretch their win streak to five games with a 2-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night.
Defenseman Travis Sanheim also netted his first NHL goal for the Flyers (13-11-7), who have won five straight games in regulation after stumbling through an 0-5-5 stretch from Nov. 11 through Dec. 2.
Ryan O'Reilly scored for the Sabres, who saw their modest four-game points streak (2-0-2) come to an end. Goaltender Robin Lehner made 25 saves for the Sabres (8-18-6), who have the NHL's second-worst record behind Arizona.
The Sabres have scored one or fewer goals in 12 of their 32 games this season and rank last in the NHL with 68 goals (2.1 per game).
Elliott was a big reason the Sabres didn't have more Thursday night. After a rocky start, he made several key saves in the third period, including two stops on Evander Kane to improve his career record against the Sabres to 12-1-2.
The Flyers entered the third period with a 2-1 lead, thanks to Filppula's eighth goal of the season with 2:33 remaining. The 33-year-old veteran took a nice feed from Jakub Voracek and roofed a shot over Lehner. It was only the fourth goal in the last 25 games for Filppula, who started the season with four in his first seven games.
It was also the 31st assist of the season for Voracek, who moved into the NHL lead in that category.
Elliott had trouble handling the puck in the opening period. His clearing attempt from behind his net was intercepted by Zemgus Girgensons, who quickly fed O'Reilly for an open netter. It was O'Reilly's eighth goal of the season and first in 13 games.
A few minutes later Elliott again gave the puck away, this time to Sam Reinhart, whose open-net attempt kicked off the skate of Flyers center Nolan Patrick. The Flyers quickly broke down the ice and Sanheim snapped a shot over the right shoulder of Lehner for his first NHL goal in his 28th NHL game.
NOTES: Sabres D Rasmus Ristolainen entered the game leading Buffalo in average ice time (27:07), hits (68) and blocked shots (44). Only Minnesota Wild D Ryan Suter has averaged more ice time per game (27:23). ... The Sabres return home to face the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday, the Boston Bruins on Tuesday and the Flyers on Dec. 22. ... LW Michael Raffl played in his 300th NHL game, all as a Flyer. ... Philadelphia continues its five-game homestand Saturday night against the Dallas Stars. They'll face the Los Angeles Kings on Monday and the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday before heading on a four-game road trip.