Preview (11:30 AM)
The Flyers (7-6-4) are about to get very busy after a four-day break in the schedule. Starting with tonight's road game against the Sabres (9-6-3), the Flyers play three games in the next four nights and six times in the next nine days. Former Sabre Martin Biron will get the nod in goal against Ryan Miller. Philly will be without ex-Sabre Daniel Briere and defenseman Ossi Väänänen tonight.
The Sabres are trying to snap a three-game losing streak and are 1-4-0 in their last five games, but have gotten the better of the Flyers in recent seasons.
Philly has a 3-6-3 record against Buffalo since the end of the NHL lockout, including a come-from-behind shootout win in Buffalo on the eve of the NHL trading deadline last season. All-time, the Flyers hold a 66-56 regular season lead, with 20 ties. The home team has usually won, with the Flyers holding a 41-20-12 mark at the Spectrum and the Wachovia Center but the Sabres owning a 36-25-8 lead at the Aud and HSBC Arena.
When teams come off long layoffs, it sometimes takes a period or so for players to get their legs going and passing touch in synch. A strong start will go a long way toward victory for the Flyers. Here's why:
* The first period has often been the Sabres' best this season. Buffalo has outscored opponents 22-18 in the opening period, while Philly has been outscored 19-14. The Sabres, however, have been outscored in the second (16-19) and third (13-14) periods, while the Flyers generally play their best hockey in the middle period (27-19) and have been up-and-down (15-15) in the final stanza.
* The Flyers own a 6-1-2 record when scoring first, but are just 1-5-2 when giving up the game's first goal. Buffalo is 6-3-1 when scoring the game's first goal.
Both clubs rank in the top one-third of the NHL in special teams. Philly has the NHL's third-ranked powerplay (22.7% success ratio), while the Sabres have the NHL's third-best penalty kill (85.7% overall, 81.8% at home). The Sabres' powerplay is ranked ninth (20.4%), and the Flyers' PK is 10th in the NHL (84.3%).
The Flyers will need to pay special attention to Jason Pominville tonight. He's scored goals in four straight games and has been a Flyer-killer (8 G, 15 PTS in 11 games) over the course of his career. Buffalo leading scorer Thomas Vanek (15 goals, 19 points) is always dangerous and is coming off a two-goal game against Boston, but has been relatively quiet (4 G, 8 PTS in 12 games) in past meetings against the Flyers. Ales Kotalik (hamstring injury)has done much of his damage this season in the powerplay, but will be out of the lineup tonight.
In response to Buffalo's recent struggles with turnovers and undisciplined penalties, head coach Lindy Ruff has said he will start benching or scratching players. Last game, Henrik Tallinder rode the pine (5:49 of ice time) after committing a bad giveaway that led to directly to a Boston goal. Both Tallinder and Maxim Afinogenov will be healthy scratches tonight.
Flyers-Sabres games rarely go by without at least one fight. Andrew Peters dressed in the Boston game, but if he's out of the lineup tonight, you could also see someone like Buffalo native Patrick Kaleta take on either Josh Gratton or Arron Asham. Tonight's referees are
Kevin Pollock and Eric Furlatt, linesmen are Steve Miller and Scott Cherrey.
FLYERS LINES AND SCRATCHES
Gagne - Richards - Knuble
Hartnell - Carter - Nödl
Upshall - Metropolit - Lupul
Gratton - Kalinski - Asham
Sbisa - Timonen
Coburn - Carle
Alberts - Kukkonen
Biron
[Niittymäki]
Scratches: Briere (groin), Väänänen (finger), Cote (LTIR, torn oblique) Powe (LTIR, concussion), Jones (LTIR, hip), Hatcher (LTIR, knee)
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