FLYERS 7, SABRES 2: Wayne Simmonds and Max Talbot scored two goals apiece and All-Star Claude Giroux recorded five assists as Philadelphia hammered visiting Buffalo.
All-Star Scott Hartnell, who also had three assists, put the game out of reach when he finished off a 2-on-1 with rookie Matt Read at 9:25 of the third period. It was his team-leading 27th goal of the season.
Jakub Voracek and Talbot scored 31 seconds apart earlier in the frame to make it 6-2. It was Talbot’s second of the night and 16th of the season.
Talbot’s first goal started a four-goal outburst for the Flyers in the second period.
Simmonds tallied the next two - his 19th and 20th of the season – with identical efforts to give the Flyers a 3-2 lead. Parked in front of the net, Simmonds swept a rebound past a helpless Jhonas Enroth, who was replaced by Ryan Miller after giving up three goals on 18 shots.
Rookie Erik Gustafsson completed the outburst with his first career NHL goal.
Thomas Vanek and captain Jason Pominville gave Buffalo a 2-0 lead after the first period.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Earlier on Thursday, the Flyers acquired D Nicklas Grossman from the Dallas Stars for a pair of draft picks. ... Suffering from the flu, Jaromir Jagr did not play. ... Buffalo forward Ville Leino returned to Philadelphia for the first time since being traded in the offseason. ... Philadelphia's Danny Briere left the game in the first period with an upper-body injury.
Buffalo | Philadelphia | |
Jason Pominville 1 | Points | Claude Giroux 5 |
Jason Pominville 1 | Goals | Wayne Simmonds 2 |
Tyler Ennis 1 | Assists | Claude Giroux 5 |
N/A | Power Play Goals | Wayne Simmonds 2 |
N/A | Short Handed Goals | N/A |
Jhonas Enroth .833 | Save Percentage | Ilya Bryzgalov .931 |
Jhonas Enroth 15 | Saves | Ilya Bryzgalov 27 |
Team | Shots | Goals | Power Play | Penalty Kill | Penalty Mins | Face Offs Won |
Buffalo | 29 | 2 | 0-6 | 1-3 | 13 | 35 |
Philadelphia | 35 | 7 | 2-3 | 6-6 | 19 | 36 |