Flyers hit a reality check as they lose to the Sabres 6-1
Well, that was kind of embarrassing.
After taking a 2-0 series sweep to start the season against the Pittsburgh Penguins at home, the Philadelphia Flyers were riding a high heading into Monday night’s game against the 0-2-0 Buffalo Sabres. However, the Flyers had no shot in this game as they fell to the Sabres 6-1 in ugly fashion.
There isn’t much to say about this game. When you can’t get through the neutral zone, you aren’t going to win a hockey game. Add double-digit giveaways into the mix with some poor defending overall, and it makes matters even worse.
Here’s tonight’s recap:
Period 1
The game started with a video tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the first African American player in the NHL Willie O’Ree. O’Ree played his first NHL game 63 years ago today. And of course, Lauren Hart sang the National Anthem. Then, we were under way!
The first penalty came 2:34 into the first period as Brandon Mountour was caught for hooking. The Flyers’ two-minute power play was killed off by the Sabres.
A crazy sequence happened midway through the first period as the Flyers gave up back-to-back-to-back turnovers. It just seemed like the Flyers didn’t want the puck. Thankfully, the Flyers have Carter Hart as their goalie as he made two clutch saves.
The Flyers defense was sloppy throughout the period. And finally, a goal was scored.
Curtis Lazar snuck a backhander past Hart for the first goal of the contest. Lazar took the puck from the neutral zone all the way off the post into the back of the net. The goal was unassisted.
The Sabres ended up on top after one. The Flyers only took four shots on goal and added in sloppy defense by the club. Sleeper of a period if I must say so myself.
Period stats:
Flyers: 4 Shots on goal, 4 hits, 11 faceoffs won, 0 penalty minutes.
Sabres: 11 shots on goal, 15 hits, 7 faceoffs won, 2 penalty minutes
After one, the Sabres ended up on top by a score of 1-0.
Period 2
The second period started out hot as the Kevin Hayes line came out with a good shift.
The first penalty call was in favor of the Sabres as Carter Hart was caught for tripping. Wait… Hart tripped? A ver questionable call as Hart was trying to make the save but the player tripped over his stick. Not intestinal, bad call.
The bad call would be costly as Sam Reinhart would score a powerplay goal to put the Sabres up 2-0. Assists went to Eichel and Hall. Hall missed a shot that went off the pad of Hart to the other side of the net. Reinhart got his stick on it and one-timed it off Hart’s arm into the net.
Just three minutes later, Reinhart scores again. He got a pass from Hall and Reinhart slaps it past Hart.
Now, this is getting ridiculous. The Sabres scored again. This time, Lazar gets the puck in front of the net after a Montour shot that was saved by Hart. Lazar shot it into an empty side of the net.
After the goal, the Flyers pulled Hart out of the net for Brian Elliot.
Another sloppy period as the Flyers seemed to be absolutely nothing except being sloppy on defense.
Period stats:
Flyers: 11 shots on goal, 1 hit, 10 faceoffs won, 2 penalty minutes
Sabres: 15 shots on goal, 8 hits, 14 faceoffs won, 0 penalty minutes
As you can see, bad period by Philadelphia, good period for Buffalo.
After two periods of play the score is 4-0 Sabres lead.
Period 3
It was a pretty losy period as not much was happening until 10:47 seconds into the final period as Erik Gustafsson capped off an awful night as he tipped the puck into his own net. The goal was credited to Henri Jokiharju. This is just how the night has been going.
Finally, after what felt like ages, the Flyers scored a goal. Nicolas Aube-Kubel snuck a dribbler into the net to give the Flyers their first and only goal of the night.
Aube-Kubel would immediately be sent to sit in the box for a high sticking double minor.
This led to a Victor Olofsson goal to give the Sabres the lead 6-1.
And that would be it.
Final stats:
Flyers: 22 shots on goal, 24, hits, 27 faceoffs won, 8 penalty minutes
Sabres: 36 shots on goal, 28 hits, 35 faceoffs won, 2 penalty minutes
The now 2-1-0 Flyers will not be going anywhere as they will play the Sabres, again, at home Tuesday night at 7:00 P.M. E.S.T.
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