UPDATE 12:30 p.m.
Per the Flyers newspaper beat writers covering the morning skate in Buffalo, Braydon Coburn is back in the Flyers lineup tonight, while Andrew MacDonald (back with the team after the death of his grandmother) is a healthy scratch. Michael Raffl, as expected, is back in the lineup and will center the third line. Lineups are updated below.
PREVIEW: FLYERS @ SABRES
In the final match of a four-game road trip, Craig Berube's Philadelphia Flyers (23-22-10) are in New York State to take on Ted Nolan's Buffalo Sabres (16-36-3) on Sunday night. Game time at First Niagara Center is 7:30 p.m. EST. The game will be televised locally on CSN Philadelphia.
This is the second of three meetings this season between the teams, and the second and final one in Buffalo. The season series concludes on Thursday in Philadelphia. On Jan. 17, the Flyers downed the host Sabres in regulation, 4-3.
The Flyers were last in action on Friday night in Columbus. They return home on Tuesday for a rematch with the Blue Jackets before the Sabres come to town on Thursday. The Sabres last played on Tuesday, hosting the Ottawa Senators. After this game, the Sabres head to Newark to play the Devils on Tuesday and to Philly.
Flyers outlook
The Flyers have taken 13 of a possible 16 points (5-0-3) in their last eight games. Philadelphia is is 1-0-2 thus far on the road trip and has lost back-to-back games in overtime despite holding third period leads. Prior to the start of the trip, the Flyers were unable to protect a 2-0 lead in a 3-2 shootout loss to the New York Islander. On the road, the Flyers are 8-15-6 this season.
Philadelphia enters this game coming off a bitterly disappointing 4-3 overtime loss in Columbus. The Flyers entered the third period leading 2-1 against a Blue Jackets team that came into the game with an 0-20-0 record when trailing after two periods. The Flyers added to the lead early in the third period but then watched it slip away.
Wayne Simmonds scored his 20th and 21st goals of the season in the Columbus game, once at even strength on an odd-man rush and, later, on a power play rebound. His goals were sandwiched around a second-period assist on a Sean Couturier goal. In goal, Ray Emery played much better than his stat line suggested (four goals against on 33 shots).
After the Columbus game, Flyers coach Craig Berube made no secret of his displeasure with the recent play of the Flyers top line trio of Claude Giroux, Jakub Voracek and Brayden Schenn. During the game, the coach also slashed the ice time of defenseman Nicklas Grossmann to 15:26 (the player's lowest ice time total of the season, with the exception of a January game in which he got injured).
The Flyers made a roster move on Saturday, returning rookie center Scott Laughton to the AHL's Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Forward Michael Raffl (flu) is expected to be available to play for the first time since the All-Star break. Raffl could switch places with Brayden Schenn and play on the top line left wing with Schenn centering the third line (Raffl's most recent role prior to his illnesses).
Flyers defenseman Andrew MacDonald missed Friday's game due to the death of his grandmother. He is expected to be available in Buffalo. Fellow efenseman Braydon Coburn, who has been out of the lineup since he sustained a left foot injury on Jan. 12, is questionable for this game. If both Coburn and MacDonald are available, Carlo Colaicovo and another player will be healthy scratches.
Number one Flyers goaltender and ex-Columbus starter Steve Mason will be out of the lineup for another couple weeks after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery on his right knee.
Kimmo Timonen (blood clot) has missed the entire season and has been skating on his own for the past week. Thus far, Timonen is said to be on track to join the team for the morning skate before Tuesday's game before engaging in full practices.
Zac Rinaldo will serve the final game of an eight-game NHL suspension for charging/boarding Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang on Jan. 20. He is eligible to return for Tuesday's home game against Columbus.
Sabers outlook
Buffalo is pretty much a lock to land either Connor McDavid or Jack Eichel with the first of their two remaining first-round picks in the 2015 NHL Draft. The Sabres have 35 points in 55 games, while the Western Conference cellar-dwelling Edmonton Oilers have 41 points in 57 games.
As part of their long-term rebuilding effort, the Sabres made a major trade this week. The club acquired minutes-eating but injury prone defenseman Zach Bogosian and controversial left winger Evander Kane (out until next season with a shoulder injury from the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for gifted but erratic defenseman Tyler Myers, forward Drew Stafford, prospects Joel Armia and Brendan Lemieux and a 2015 first-round pick (the lower of the picks originally belonging to the New York Islanders or St. Louis Blues).
Buffalo also made a trade with the Dallas Stars, swapping Swedish goaltenders Jhonas Enroth and Anders Lindbà¤ck. The latter underachieved in Tampa Bay and Dallas prior to the trade, but has fared well against the Flyers in his career.
The Sabres have picked off regulation wins in February against the Montreal Canadiens (3-2) and Dallas Stars (3-2). In the Dallas game, Buffalo got off to a 3-0 lead and then clung to the lead the rest of the way. Since the Christmas break, the Sabres are 3-17-0. The team was winless in January, dropping all 12 games in regulation.
In their most recent game, the Sabres dropped a 2-1 regulation decision to Ottawa. In their respective Buffalo swan songs, Myers' game-tying power play goal in the third period stood as the lone Sabres tally while goaltender Enroth stopped 24 of 26 shots.
Buffalo enters this game with the dubious distinction of being both the lowest scoring team in the NHL (averaging a scant 1.76 goals per game; even 29th-ranked Carolina averages 2.15 goals) and the most scored-against club the league (3.46 GAA; 29th-ranked Edmonton has a team 3.30 GAA). These numbers are unlikely to improve over the remainder of the current season.
As a matter of fact, befitting of their record, the Sabres rank in the basement of the NHL in every major team category: worst at even strength, worst on the power play, worst on the penalty kill and worst in the faceoff circle.
Oddly enough -- and perhaps speaking to just how contrary shootouts are to the team nature of actual hockey as well as the lack of pressure on the current Sabres to win games-- Buffalo has won six of seven shootouts this season. Only the New York Islanders (7-1, including 2-0 against the Flyers) have a higher winning percentage this season in the bonus point postgame skills competition.
Young Latvian center Zemgus Girgensons, who was voted into the NHL All-Star game and had a very strong game against the Flyers the first time the two teams played this season, is second in scoring on the Sabres with 26 points in 55 games. Tyler Ennis (13 goals, 18 assists) leads in overall scoring with 31 points. Girgensons paces the team with 14 goals.
Buffalo has given a pair of 2013 first-round picks, defensemen Rasmus Ristolainen (four goals, nine points, minus-26, 19:29 average ice time in 52 games) and Nikita Zadorov (two goals, 12 points, minus-12, 19:12 average ice time in 39 games), baptisms of fire in their rookie NHL seasons. This is not typically the ideal way to develop teenage defensemen into NHL players, but both youngsters have shown flashes of high-end potential along with the expected growing pains.
Veteran defenseman Josh Gorges has been off the ice since Wednesday. He did not practice on Saturday, in what was deemed a maintenance day. His status for Sunday's game is unknown. Cody McCormick is on injured reserve with a blot clot in his calf. Veteran power forward is questionable due to illness.
Key team stat comparisons (NHL overall ranking)
Non-shootout goals per game: Flyers 2.67 (19th), Sabres 1.76 (30th) Non-shootout goals against per game: Flyers 2.82 (24th), Sabres 3.46 (30th) Even strength Goals For/Against Ratio: Flyers 1.01 (18th), Sabres 0.59 (30th) Power play efficiency: Flyers 23.7% (3rd), Sabres 11.8% (30th) Penalty killing efficiency: Flyers 75.8% (28th), Sabres 73.5% (30th) Faceoff percentage: Flyers 51.3% (T-10th), Sabres 45.1% (30TH)
Projected lineups (Subject to change, will be updated)
FLYERS
10 Brayden Schenn - 28 Claude Giroux - 93 Jakub Voracek 24 Matt Read - 14 Sean Couturier - 17 Wayne Simmonds 25 Ryan White - 12 Michael Raffl - 18 R.J. Umberger 76 Chris VandeVelde - 78 Pierre-Edouard Bellemare - 40 Vincent Lecavalier
55 Nick Schultz - 32 Mark Streit 15 Michael Del Zotto - 22 Luke Schenn 8 Nickla Grossmann - 5 Braydon Coburn
29 Ray Emery [65 Anthony Stolarz]
Scratches: Carlo Colaiacovo (healthy), Andrew MacDonald (healthy), Zac Rinaldo (suspension), Kimmo Timonen (LTIR, blood clots), Steve Mason (right knee).
SABRES
80 Chris Stewart - 28 Zemgus Girgensons - 63 Tyler Ennis 26 Matt Moulson - 17 Torrey Mitchell - 12 Brian Gionta 82 Marcus Foligno - 65 Brian Flynn - 19 Cody Hodgson 44 Nicolas Deslauriers - 37 Matt Ellis - 36 Patrick Kaleta
61 Andre Benoit - 47 Zach Bogosian 51 Nikita Zadorov - 55 Rasmus Ristolainen 6 Mike Weber - 41 Andrej Meszaros
34 Michal Neuvirth / 35 Anders Lindbà¤ck
Scratches: Josh Gorges (questionable, undisclosed injury), Andre Benoit (healthy, could start if Gorges is unavailable), Tyson Strachan (healthy), Chris Stewart (questionable, illness), Evander Kane (IR, shoulder surgery), Cody McCormick (IR, blood clot).
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PHANTOMS GET BONUS POINT IN MIDDLE GAME OF WEEKEND GAUNTLET
One night after sustaining a 3-2 home loss in regulation to Binghamton, Terry Murray's Lehigh Valley Phantoms (23-21-4-1) captured a bonus point via shootout in a 5-4 road final against the Wilkes Barre/Scranton Penguins on Saturday night. The Phantoms, who are six points out of the final playoff spot in the AHL's Eastern Conference, are back in action on Sunday in Springfield.
On Saturday, the Phantoms led early and took a 2-1 lead to the first intermission, despite getting outshot by a 14-7 margin. Rookie left winger Taylor Leier (12th goal of the season) and defenseman Adam Comrie scored even strength goals on either side of a Penguins' power play goal by veteran Tom Kostopoulous.
In the second period, the Phantoms got burned by a Conor Sheary goal in the opening minute to tie the game at 2-2. Seven minutes later, a Brandon Manning delay of game penalty was turned into a Bryan Rust power play goal as WB/S took its first lead of the game at 3-2.
With 8:01 remaining in the middle frame, Jason Akeson's power play goal forged a 3-3 tie. The goal was Akeson's 12th since clearing waivers and being reassigned to the AHL. Just 1:12 later, however, Bobby Farnham restored the lead for Pens at 4-3.
Midway through a third period in which the Phantoms outshot their opponent by a 13-6 margin, Akeson scored his second power play goal of the game and 13th tally of the season to tie the game again at 4-4. Nick Cousins, who set up the early Leier goal as well as both Akeson goals, finished with a three-assist night.
Overtime was scoreless, with a 6-4 Phantoms shot edge. In the ensuing shootout, first round shooter Petr Straka and fourth-round shooter Leier converted their attempts, while only second-round shooter Rust scored for the Penguins. Leier's goal stood as the game-winner.
Phantoms starting goaltender Rob Zepp, who also played on Friday, turned back 30 of 34 shots in regulation and overtime before stopping three of four in the shootout. Losing goalie Jeff Zatkoff stopped 35 of 39 shots in regulation and overtime and two of four in the skills competition.
Second-year defenseman Mark Alt made his return to the Phantoms' lineup on Saturday after a month-long absence due to a broken hand. Veteran forward Darroll Powe has also made his return to the lineup this weekend. Veteran forward Blair Jones remains out of the lineup while rookie defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere could return to the lineup in early March from surgery in November to repair a partially torn ACL.
Flyers prospects: Saturday game roundup
* QMJHL: The Rimouski Oceanic prevailed, 7-3, in a chippy game with Saint John that saw a combined 95 minutes worth of penalties. Flyers 2013 first-round pick Samuel Morin assisted on a mid-second period power play goal by Christopher Clapperton (a 2012 Flyers development camp invitee, now a Florida Panthers prospect).
Morin was also heavily involved in the latter-game rough stuff with the score already lopsided; the Oceanic led 5-1 by the second intermission. Morin took a late second period roughing penalty and early third period high-sticking penalty that resulted in St. John power plays. At 6:48 of the third period, Morin was ejected with a game misconduct after receiving a checking from behind penalty. The 6-foot-7 Morin fought Spencer Smallman in the ensuing multi-fight fracas.
* WHL: Flyers 2014 first-round pick Travis Sanheim took three minor penalties in the Calgary Hitmen's 2-1 win on Saturday over the Medicine Hat Tigers. He finished the game without a point and was an even plus-minus. Teammate Radel Fazleev, the Flyers' 2014 sixth round point, was plus-one without a point.
* WHL: Flyers 2013 third-round pick Tyrell Goulbourne finished with a point or penalty in Kelowna's 7-3 win over Victoria on Saturday. He was plus-one.
* SHL: Flyers 2014 fifth-round pick Oskar Lindblom started on the third line for Brynà¤s in Saturday's road game in Göteborg against Frölunda. BIF sustained a 4-0 loss. Lindblom had two shots on goal and was minus-two in 10:16 of ice time.
* NCAA (WCHA): Flyers 2014 third-round pick, Bowling Green freshman defenseman, was minus-one with one shot and zero points in his team's 3-2 overtime loss to Ferris State on Saturday.
* NCAA (NCHC): Coming off a two-goal game on Friday, Flyers 2010 fifth-round pick and North Dakota senior right winger Michael Parks did not record a point in Saturday's 4-3 shootout loss to Denver. He had two shots on goal and was minus-one in the game. Parks shot first for UND in the shootout and did not convert his attempt.
* NCAA (ECAC): Flyers 2012 fifth-round pick and Cornell junior defenseman Reece Willcox was absent from the lineup in Saturday's 3-3 tie with Harvard. He had recently returned from a two-game injury absence.
* NCAA (ECAC): Flyers 2013 fifth-round pick and Clarkson freshman defenseman Terrance Amorosa dressed in Saturday's 4-1 loss to Quinnipiac one night after scoring his first collegiate regular season goal. He did not register a point, shot or penalty in Saturday's game and was an even plus-minus on Clarkson's third defense pair.
* NCAA (Hockey East): Flyers 2013 seventh-round pick and UConn freshman defenseman David Drake was minus-one with one shot in his team's 6-1 blowout loss to Northeastern on Saturday. Drake was minus-five in Friday's 9-0 thrashing at the hands of Northeastern.
* NCAA (Hockey East): Flyers 2010 sixth-round pick and Vermont senior defenseman Nick Luukko had three shots on goal and was minus-one in Saturdays 6-5 loss to Boston College.