Sabres flip the switch in 2nd, surge past Flyers

After a game with a bit of everything – lead changes, timely special teams, injuries and more – the Buffalo Sabres emerged with a 5-3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday at KeyBank Center.

Buffalo has built its first four-game winning streak of the season to climb above .500 (15-14-4) for the first time since early November.

Back in action after flying back from Seattle and installing Jarmo Kekäläinen as general manager, the Sabres looked a step behind in the first period. The Flyers led 12-4 in shots, controlled play and tied the game 1-1 less than a minute after Jack Quinn’s early goal.

“Our puck decisions in that first period were poor, to say the least, put us in a lot of trouble,” coach Lindy Ruff said. “I’ll give them some credit: they stayed on top of us, didn’t give us a lot of ice.”

But late in the second period, after two unproductive Buffalo power plays and a go-ahead goal for Philadelphia, the Sabres’ offense finally flipped a switch.

First, Rasmus Dahlin intercepted a pass in the offensive zone and passed between his legs to Tage Thompson, who delayed before burying his 17th goal of the season – and extending his goal-scoring streak to five games. Dahlin’s efforts yielded his 300th career assist.

Then Noah Ostlund put Buffalo ahead 3-2 with 30 seconds remaining in the period. That’s two goals in two games since returning from Rochester for the rookie, who scored this one on a well-screened wrister from long range. Very suddenly, the Sabres were carrying the momentum into the intermission.

“(Goaltender Alex) Lyon did a great job keeping it a close game for us, and I think we settled into it about halfway through the second, and then felt a rhythm and started to tilt the ice in our favor,” Thompson said. “Once our bench felt that, we just rolled with it.”

The Sabres led by one goal entering the third period, just as they had in Vancouver and Seattle. They again held on for the win, but Thursday’s version included drama of a new variety. Matching goals had Buffalo up 4-3 with 2:19 remaining when Mattias Samuelsson tossed a puck over the glass, setting up a 6-on-4 pressure cooker in the defensive zone.

“I was just like, ‘Hey, we’ve got you, we’ll take care of you,’” Norris recalled telling Samuelsson.

Indeed, Alex Tuch had a big shot block, Michael Kesselring had two, Bowen Byram cleared a loose puck and the Sabres survived. Samuelsson then battled a loose puck through the neutral zone to set up Ryan McLeod’s empty netter and secure the win.

Lyon made 24 saves for his fourth straight victory, but thanks to the defense in front of him, he didn’t see a shot during that late kill.

“When you find that next level of desperation to try to win games, ultimately for the guy next to you, I think that’s when good things happen – when you’re playing for the group,” Lyon said. “We have to continue to do that. Our work just doesn’t end now, so we can’t let up.”

“There’s just an energy on the bench,” added Thompson. “It’s calm, collected, and I think that’s why we’re finding ways to win.”

Power play keeps rolling

Buffalo expanded its third-period lead to 4-2 thanks to a Norris power-play goal, his first with the Sabres and ultimately the game winner.

The play offered a glimpse of why Norris has been so effective at 5-on-4 in his career. He found himself uncovered at the right circle and received a cross-slot feed from Zach Benson. He calmly held onto the puck while Flyers goalie Samuel Ersson scrambled out of position, then slipped a low shot through the five-hole.

The top unit managed to brush off its struggles from earlier in the game, and a 1-for-5 night has the Sabres’ power play operating at 28 percent (9-for-32) in the last eight. Not so coincidentally, that span began with Norris' return from injury.

“I think that’s what good power plays do: you go 1-for-3, 1-for-4, that’s a good night; you’re in the top of the league for power play,” Norris said. “So, that’s kind of our mindset: even if the first two or three don’t go how we want it, we think we can score on the next one. Big goal for us.”

Timmins, Kozak exit with injuries

Defenseman Conor Timmins broke his leg in the third period and is expected to miss 6-8 weeks, per Ruff.

And forward Tyson Kozak exited the game with an upper-body injury, ending his last shift with 8:59 remaining in the second period.

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Kesselring returns

Those late blocks capped off Kesselring’s return to the lineup after a 14-game absence. The defenseman hadn’t played since spraining his ankle Nov. 15 at Detroit.

He totaled three blocks and one hit in 14:07 of ice time, including 1:47 shorthanded. Kesselring, among others, will likely see larger roles on the penalty kill in the absence of Timmins, who’s averaged 2:59 of shorthanded ice per game.

Up next

The Sabres host the New York Islanders on Saturday at 5 p.m. MSG’s pregame coverage begins at 4:30.

Tickets are available here.