PHILADELPHIA — In an exciting display of skill, Matvei Michkov netted two goals for the second consecutive game, and Samuel Ersson saved 17 shots as the Philadelphia Flyers triumphed over the Buffalo Sabres with a 7-4 victory on Saturday.
Noah Cates, Owen Tippett, Tyson Foerster, Ryan Poehling, and Jakob Pelletier contributed to the Flyers’ scoring spree. This marks the team’s second win in a row following the dismissal of head coach John Tortorella on Thursday.
For the Sabres, Jack Quinn also scored twice, joined by goals from Alex Tuch and John-Jason Peterka. The Sabres’ defeat snapped their three-game winning streak during the first match of their three-game road series. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen managed 25 saves during the game.
Michkov initiated the scoring around the six-minute mark with a wrist shot assisted by Travis Konecny and Yegor Zamula. His second goal, courtesy again of Konecny, came through a backhand shot with 9:24 remaining in the second period. With this impressive performance, the 20-year-old has amassed 24 goals and 32 assists across 73 games.
Takeaways distributed among the Flyers showcase their dynamic offensive play, similar to their 6-4 win against Montreal where they matched them with 30 shots and outshot Buffalo 32-21 in this matchup.
The Sabres, struggling at the bottom of the 16-team Eastern Conference standings, now hold a 6-4-0 record over their past ten games.
One pivotal moment occurred when the Sabres closed the gap to two goals with Tuch’s short-handed effort at 15:05 in the third period. However, the Flyers quickly regained a three-goal lead a mere 29 seconds later with Poehling’s ninth goal of the season.
A crucial statistic to note is Philadelphia’s resurgence after enduring a six-game losing streak prior to Tortorella’s firing. Since then, they have scored 13 goals while conceding just eight against Montreal and Buffalo combined.
Looking ahead, the Sabres are set for back-to-back action against Washington on Sunday, while the Flyers will face off against the Nashville Predators at home on Monday.