Flyers Fall To Sabres, 4-1
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Evander Kane scored to cap a three-goal second-period surge in leading the Buffalo Sabres to a 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday night.
Sam Reinhart had a goal and two assists in extending Buffalo's point-streak to 3-0-1 — the team's best run of the season. William Carrier and Marcus Foligno, with an empty-net goal, also scored for the Sabres.
Goalie Anders Nilsson stopped 39 shots and had his shutout bid foiled by Brayden Schenn's power-play goal with 2:07 left.
Nilsson started in place of Robin Lehner, who was sidelined by an illness.
Steve Mason finished with 23 saves for the Flyers, who dropped to 2-6-3 in their past 11. It's a stretch during which they've been outscored 33-18. The slump immediately followed 10-game winning streak that ended with a 3-1 loss at Dallas on Dec. 17.
The Flyers also extended their road losing streak to 0-5-2 — their longest since an 0-5-4 skid from Feb. 24 to March 21, 2015. Philadelphia hasn't won a road game since a 4-3 win at Colorado on Dec. 14.
This time the Sabres made a 3-0 third-period lead stand up against the Flyers. In the two teams' previous meeting, Buffalo squandered a 3-0 third-period lead in a 4-3 shootout loss at Philadelphia on Oct. 25.
The Sabres took control in the second period when Reinhart and Carrier scored 3:24 apart.
Reinhart opened the scoring 5:15 in when he was set up at the left of the post by Rasmus Ristolainen's hard low pass from the point. In one motion, Reinhart stopped the puck with his skate, kicked to up to his stick and snapped it into the open side.
Reinhart's goal came with Flyers center Brayden Schenn off for holding and marked the first power-play goal Philadelphia has allowed in eight chances spanning five games.
Carrier's second goal of the season was set up by defenseman Taylor Fedun, who blasted a shot from the right point. Mason kicked out his right pad to stop it, but was unable to control the rebound. The puck caromed directly to Carrier in the left circle, where he snapped it in just before the goalie could get across.
Carrier returned to the lineup after missing two games because of an illness.
Kane then capped the second-period surge by scoring with 9 seconds remaining. Zach Bogosian started the play by blocking a Flyers clearing attempt at the left point, and then fed a pass across to Reinhart. Driving up the right side, Reinhart's shot was blocked by a Flyers defender, and the puck bounced into the high slot to Kane, who beat Mason just inside the left post.
Though Nilsson was busy, he was solid in not allowing the Flyers many second chances.
Following a turnover in the Buffalo zone with seven minutes left, Nilsson stopped Wayne Simmonds shot from the right circle, and trapped the puck in his body with Schenn parked alone in front seeking to convert a rebound.
NOTES: Simmonds was named a first-time NHL All-Star game selection earlier in the day. GM Ron Hextall credited Simmonds' perseverance by noting the player was not drafted in the first year he was eligible before being selected by Los Angeles in the second round of the 2007 draft. ... Sabres C Jack Eichel played in his 100th career game. ... The Sabres placed C Derek Grant on waivers to free up a roster spot in calling up G Linus Ullmark from AHL Rochester to fill in for Lehner.
UP NEXT
Flyers: Host Vancouver on Thursday night.
Sabres: Open two-game road trip at Tampa Bay on Thursday.
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