The Flyers are set to take on the Buffalo Sabres tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Wells Fargo Center in the first of 2 consecutive matchups between the two teams. The Flyers look to make it 3 wins in a row to start the season after 2 victories over the Pittsburgh Penguins in which they outscored their cross-state rivals 11-5.
The Flyers won both meetings against the Sabres last season. After a 6-1 blowout victory in December, the Flyers won a tightly contested 3-1 game that extended their longest winning streak of the season to 9 games on just 5 days before the NHL season paused.
Storylines to Watch For
The Flyers announced Saturday that they will be without top-line center and reigning Selke Trophy (top defensive forward) winner Sean Couturier in the upcoming stretch, creating a need for the Flyers to prove the legitimacy of their forward depth.
Morgan Frost will take Couturier’s spot in the lineup and see his first meaningful NHL action since February 2020. Frost, a highly touted 21-year-old prospect, posted 3 points in his first 2 games last season but finished with only 7 total points in 20 games played.
Carter Hart is expected to make his third consecutive start tonight after posting an impressive .925 save percentage in 2 games against Pittsburgh and earning the nod as the 2nd star of the game on Friday in a sloppy defensive effort from the Flyers skaters. Teammate Jakub Voracek pointed out, among other things, that Hart still has the potential to improve after 2 good performances.
Hart started both games against the Sabres last season. He followed a solid, 1-goal outing in the first game with a stellar performance in the second game in which he saved 38 of 39 shots and earned extensive post-game praise from his teammates.
Travis Konecny led the Flyers scoring spree with 5 points in the first 2 games, highlighted by his first career hat trick on Friday night. The 23-year-old winger, already in his fifth season with the team, is well on his way to becoming a top tier first-line winger and a fan favorite in Philadelphia
Scouting the Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres faced a tall task to compete for a playoff spot in the highly competitive East division entering the season, and they already sit 0-2 after consecutive losses to the Washington Capitals. The Flyers will look to capitalize on an opportunity to feast on one of the few division opponents that are not projected to finish in the playoff race.
The Sabres acquired former Hart Trophy winner (league MVP) Taylor Hall in the off-season to pair with Jack Eichel, the top-line center and franchise centerpiece. Eichel has been in desperate need of complementary players in the last few seasons. The hope is that newcomers Hall and veteran Eric Staal can fill the void. Tage Thompson, a skilled but inexperienced 6’5 winger, rounds out the first line with Eichel and Hall.
Hall has the lone power-play tally this season for the Sabres, which finished 20th in the NHL last season and has begun the season with just a 12.5% success rate in the first 2 games. The Flyers penalty kill is not unfamiliar with Hall’s skill having faced him with the New Jersey Devils in parts of 4 seasons.
The Flyers and Sabres met in 6 playoff series between 1997-2011, but the Sabres have now missed the playoffs in 9 consecutive seasons since losing to the Flyers in the opening round of the playoffs in 2011.
Projected Flyers Lineup
Forwards
Claude Giroux-Kevin Hayes-Joel Farabee
Oskar Lindblom-Morgan Frost-Travis Konecny
James Van Riemsdyk-Nolan Patrick-Jakub Voracek
Nicholas Aube-Kubel-Scott Laughton-Michael Raffl
Defensemen
Ivan Provorov-Justin Braun
Travis Sanheim-Philippe Myers
Robert Haag-Erik Gustafsson
Goaltenders
Carter Hart (starting), Brian Elliot (backup)