PREVIEW (11:OO AM)
The Flyers (7-4-1) will face a tough test tonight when they go to Buffalo to take on the Northeast Division leading Sabres (9-2-1). The game will pit the NHL's highest-scoring team against the league's stingiest defense. The Flyers lead the NHL with an average 3.67 goals per game, while the Sabres have allowed just 24 goals in their 12 games. Ryan Miller shut out the Islanders in his last start.
The Flyers will need to dig deep to win tonight. They can't fall back on the excuse of a flu epidemic that has engulfed half the team and injuries that have removed Simon Gagne (hernias), Danny Briere (quad/groin) and Ryan Parent (groin) from the lineup.
A few seasons ago, the Sabres were an offensive juggernaut with five players who scored 30-plus goals. After the departures of Briere and Chris Drury, the club has remade itself as a team that relies first and foremost on shutting down the opposition defensively. That’s exactly what the Sabres did last night in avenging a 5-0 shutout loss to the Islanders with a 3-0 whitewashing of their own.
Strong team defense and excellent goaltending from Ryan Miller (1.69 goals against average, .941 save percentage) have been the backbone of the Sabres' outstanding start.
Excellent even-strength play and frequent puck possession have been the hallmarks of the Sabres through their first dozen games. In five-on-five play, the Sabres have the best offense-to-defense ratio in the NHL, scoring 1.7 goals to each goal allowed. That’s because Buffalo doesn’t give the opposition much skating room or many opportunities to dump in the puck and retrieve it. Miller gets a good look at most of the shots fired his way. The defensive pairing of Henrik Tallinder and Tyler Myers has been particularly effective.
The club is also fourth in the NHL in faceoff percentage. Against the Islanders, the Sabres dominated faceoffs to the tune of winning 39 of 47 draws. Derek Roy, who scored the game-winning goal on a first period power play tally, went a phenomenal 14-for-14.
Buffalo’s special teams were clicking in the Islanders game but have been middling for the most part. Apart from Roy’s man-advantage tally, the Sabres got a power play goal from Thomas Vanek. But for the balance of the season so far, the Sabres have been a middle-of-the pack club both on the power play (18.6%, 17th in the NHL) and the penalty kill (81%, 14th in the league). Most nights, the special teams play is a wash and the Sabres win on the strength of being the better five-on-five team.
What’s more, the Sabres know how to play with the lead and they know how to slam the door when they take a lead into the third period. In fact, the Sabres are still undefeated in regulation or overtime when leading after two periods. The Flyers can't afford to chase the game, especially on weakened legs.
FLYERS STARTING LINEUP (subject to change due to player illness)
Hartnell - Richards - Giroux
JVR - Carter - Laliberte
Carcillo - Betts - Laperriere
Powe - Pyorala - Asham
Carle - Pronger
Coburn - Timonen
Tollefsen - Syvret
Emery
[Boucher]
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Today's
Daily Drop at Versus.com takes a look at last night's Canadiens-Bruins game, which marked the 700th all-time meeting between the clubs. Along the way, the Bruins narrowly avoided setting a dubious team record, but the Habs had the last laugh.
*****
I will be doing book signings for the Pelle Lindbergh book on December 4 at the Chester County Book Company (starting at 7 PM), on the afternoon of Dec. 12 at the Barnes and Noble in Deptford, NJ and on Dec. 14 at the Barnes and Noble in Plymouth Meeting.
You can order
Pelle Lindbergh: Behind the White Mask online at
Barnes & Noble, via
Amazon or through
Middle Atlantic Press.
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • 
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