Philly Flyers at Buffalo Sabres 12/22/17

[jsb]

Surging Flyers visit slumping Sabres

ESPN Preview

 

http://www.espn.com/nhl/preview?gameId=400962142

 

 

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- After sinking in November, the Philadelphia Flyers and Buffalo Sabres have headed in different directions.

The two teams will meet on Friday in Buffalo before each travels on Saturday for one final game before the Christmas break.

The Flyers (15-12-7) won just two games in November (2-5-6) but have been much improved of late. Philadelphia has just two losses in December (7-2) and is back in the playoff hunt. Heading into Thursday night's action, the Flyers were two points out of the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

The Sabres (8-19-7), meanwhile, have continued to sink. Buffalo lost 10 of 13 games in November (3-8-2) and have remained on the losing side as of late. Even with a stretch of points in four straight games, the Sabres have a December record of 2-4-3.

Helping to lead the way for Philadelphia is captain Claude Giroux. The 29-year-old has bounced back from a down 2016-17 season and is second on the team in scoring with 39 points (13 goals, 26 assists) in 34 games. Last year, he had 58 points (14 goals, 44 assists) in 82 games.

Giroux recently said that he felt the criticism from outside sources but that it only served as motivation to turn things around.

"It got a little personal, yeah," Giroux said. "I try not to read too many things but obviously there wasn't a lot of positive articles out there this summer but you kind of take that as a motivation and you want to push yourself to be the best player you can be."

Giroux is now playing on the wing instead of center, which seems to have helped his game.

Philadelphia has received consistent contributions in net this year from both Brian Elliott and former Sabre Michal Neuvirth. Elliott has a save percentage of .912 in 27 games while Neuvirth's is .915 in eight games. With this being the first game in a back-to-back for Philadelphia, it would not be a surprise if Neuvirth gets the start against Buffalo -- most teams have been playing their backup goaltender against the struggling Sabres in recent weeks.

Buffalo is coming off yet another disappointing defeat. On Tuesday, the Sabres lost 3-0 to Boston. It was a lackluster effort from the Sabres, who were down 1-0 for much of the game before surrendering two empty-net goals late.

Sabres head coach Phil Housley has been frustrated by Buffalo's self-inflicted wounds, which have surfaced yet again following a stretch of decent performances.

 

"The disappointing thing for me right now is every time we sort of trend in a right direction ... we get away from the things we did well," Housley said. "In the first period (against Boston), you saw the execution was there, the decisions were there, the simple game was there. OK, we didn't score, but it's not a time now going into the second period where you change. You've got to stick to the game plan and eventually you'll break through. It just seems that sometimes we're taking things into our own hands and it just keeps coming back at us."

Evander Kane leads the Sabres in scoring with 31 points (14 goals, 17 assists) in 34 games. Robin Lehner has a save percentage of .914 in 26 games.

 

From the Philadelphia Inquirer

 

Breakaways

 

— Injured backup goalie Michal Neuvirth will make the trip to Buffalo and Columbus but probably isn’t ready to play, Hextall said. Hakstol wouldn’t say whether Alex Lyon will make his NHL debut in one of the back-to-back games but said he believed in the rookie. “His best practices have been over the last three or four days,” Hakstol said. “He’s a guy we have good confidence in.”

— Ivan Provorov, hit on the left hand and wrist while blocking Tomas Tatar’s shot on Wednesday, and Taylor Leier (upper-body injury) participated in practice.

— Couturier is on a 39-goal pace.

— Defenseman Brandon Manning, trying to work his way back from a hand injury, skated before practice. He has missed the last seven games

— Giroux has 11 points, including nine assists, in his last eight games

— Hextall praised the play of Phantoms left winger Oskar Lindblom, saying he’s “on an upper trend” after a slow start.

 

Nolan Patrick has had a bumpy rookie season, as he tries to make the gargantuan jump from juniors to the NHL. His summer workouts were slowed because of abdominal surgery, then a concussion forced him to miss nine games during the season.

But the 19-year-old center has shown some positive signs in the last few games. He put together one of his best performances of the season on Wednesday, as the Flyers outlasted Detroit, 4-3, to capture their seventh win in the last eight games.

“I’m getting some confidence, and my body’s been cooperating,” Patrick said after an optional practice Thursday in Voorhees. “Just having fun out there and trying to enjoy it.”

“Patty has been building the last few games,” said Hakstol, whose team will play in Buffalo on Friday. “I thought throughout the game he was a solid, effective player. … It’s a process for him, and you’re seeing consistency from him the last three or four games.”

Playing for Brandon in the Western Hockey League, Patrick had 148 points over his last 105 games, including 61 goals. He has just two goals and seven points in his first 25 games with the Flyers. He said he’s been concentrating on his defense.

“It’s a hard league for every young player. I don’t care how mature you are, how good a player you are,” Hakstol said. “It’s a hard league to make an adjustment to, and I like the signs I’m seeing right now out of Patty’s game.”

General manager Ron Hextall also likes what Patrick has shown lately.

 

LETS GO BUFFALO

 

VS. 

 

 

Edited December 22, 2017 by JSBeersson

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Woodsie had a thread going and I had a great (?) post all set to go, but now it's gone.

 

Anyway, these guys are my second most hated team in a close race with the Bruins.

 

Just beat these guys.

 

GO SABRES!!

[darksabre]

I guess I'll watch. Gotta see if these guys are having fun out there. 

[woods-racer]

Woodsie had a thread going and I had a great (?) post all set to go, but now it's gone.

 

Anyway, these guys are my second most hated team in a close race with the Bruins.

 

Just beat these guys.

 

GO SABRES!!

 

Beer beat me!

 

I'll see if I can conjure it up again..

[jsb]

Dang and I usually end up 2nd in these. Nobody was in when I started so I'm obviously bored at work and needed to get busy

[woods-racer]

Time for the Sabres to go all Grinch like on the Flyers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robin appears to be in the spirit!

 

 

 

I look forward to tonight's game. Many fans may not be so generous. The new line combinations coupled with the perceived notion that it's do or die time for a few of these guys to see another NHL contract should lead to a chippy game, and many more.

 

It's time for the Sabres to bring the Grinch like Nasty!

Edited December 22, 2017 by skogslopp

[bunomatic]

I don't think they have it in them. Not a mean bone on this team. Lets have fun !

 

Loss.

[R_Dudley]

Yeah I sure will watch to see if the new favorite whipping boy can get back to Sam I am on the one of the top lines with more minutes. 

 

I would also like to see them be hard to play against at home and come away with a win for the home town. 

 

Go Sabres.   

[Brawndo]

Same lines as yesterday

 

Lines: 28 15 23. 67 10 29. 20 22 17. 9 90 21 6 55. 41 93. 4 82 19 47

 

Gorges and Wilson in over Rodrigues and Antipin.

 

I give up

 

Per Hoppe

[Swedesessed]

Sabres win 3-2 tonight. Sam with 2 points and a GWG

[Brawndo]

Lehner in net

[WildCard]

Same lines as elektrlyter posted, just a little easier to read

 

@BuffaloSabres

#Sabres game day lines:

Girgensons-Eichel-Reinhart

Kane-O'Reilly-Okposo

Pouliot-Josefson-Pominville

Wilson-Larsson-Nolan

Rodrigues extra

 

Scandella-Ristolainen

McCabe-Bogosian

Gorges-Beaulieu

Falk-Antipin

[SwampD]

I just want to see us score a goal.

[WildCard]

@BuffaloSabres

Coach Housley says the lineup will be a game-time decision. Healthier defense is making for tough decisions but also creates internal competition. #Sabres

[inkman]

@BuffaloSabres

Coach Housley says the lineup will be a game-time decision. Healthier defense is making for tough decisions but also creates internal competition. #Sabres

It has?

I just want to see us score a goal.

Edited December 22, 2017 by Borkman

[LTS]

I'm going to go out and drink and not watch the game... unless it's on where I am going.

 

Best of luck... the Flyers are locked in right now.  They are still suspect on defense but their offense is working.

[erickompositör72]

 

@BuffaloSabres

Coach Housley says the lineup will be a game-time decision. Healthier defense is making for tough decisions but also creates internal competition. #Sabres

 

 

As long as Falk isn't playing

 

OTOH, I've had no problem with Gorges's playing

[Taro T]

Same lines as elektrlyter posted, just a little easier to read

 

@BuffaloSabres

#Sabres game day lines:

Girgensons-Eichel-Reinhart

Kane-O'Reilly-Okposo

Pouliot-Josefson-Pominville

Wilson-Larsson-Nolan

Rodrigues extra

 

Scandella-Ristolainen

McCabe-Bogosian

Gorges-Beaulieu

Falk-Antipin

Wasn't planning on going tonight but some plans changed so just might go.

 

Might be the last chance to see Eichel & Girgensons together until February. Hope the roads are good & we're there by puck drop, or will probably miss it. ;)

[Thorner]

Same lines as elektrlyter posted, just a little easier to read

 

@BuffaloSabres

#Sabres game day lines:

Girgensons-Eichel-Reinhart

Kane-O'Reilly-Okposo

Pouliot-Josefson-Pominville

Wilson-Larsson-Nolan

Rodrigues extra

 

Scandella-Ristolainen

McCabe-Bogosian

Gorges-Beaulieu

Falk-Antipin

If I looked at this lineup before Game 1 of the regular season, I would have thought it looked quite serviceable, potentially ideally structured for who we have, and capable of several goals.

 

On December 22nd, I perceive it quite differently.

[WildCard]

If I looked at this lineup before Game 1 of the regular season, I would have thought it looked quite serviceable, potentially ideally structured for who we have, and capable of several goals.

 

On December 22nd, I perceive it quite differently.

Same here. I don't think any of us, except a few posters, really understood how garbage the depth is on this team until we saw it exposed in a real system

[Taro T]

Wasn't planning on going tonight but some plans changed so just might go.

Might be the last chance to see Eichel & Girgensons together until February. Hope the roads are good & we're there by puck drop, or will probably miss it. ;)

I will NOT be going to this game. If anybody wants a pair of seats for tonight, send me a PM.

 

They're in the 300's but in the 1st row. They're good seats & the price is you owe me a couple of beers if we're ever going to the same game.

 

1st (non-Phyers fan ;)) to request them will get them. I'll send a pdf that you can print to show at the gate.

 

Merry Christmas.

[LGR4GM]

I will NOT be going to this game. If anybody wants a pair of seats for tonight, send me a PM.

 

They're in the 300's but in the 1st row. They're good seats & the price is you owe me a couple of beers if we're ever going to the same game.

 

1st (non-Phyers fan ;)) to request them will get them. I'll send a pdf that you can print to show at the gate.

 

Merry Christmas.

Wish I could, but I gotta see about a girl.

[Taro T]

Wish I could, but I gotta see about a girl.

If she's worth half her salt, she'd jump at a chance to see the Sabres rout Filly live. ;)

[LGR4GM]

If she's worth half her salt, she'd jump at a chance to see the Sabres rout Filly live. ;)

Lol I'll tell her. And I'll buy you a beer.

[Taro T]

Lol I'll tell her. And I'll buy you a beer.

Well, if you want them send a PM so I know where to send them.