Couturier’s 2-Goal Game Sends Flyers to Bye on 3-Game Win Streak

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 

With one game left before the Flyers go on their bye week, they had a chance to go into the break on a high note with another afternoon game on Sunday.

After a slow start, they didn't disappoint.

Sean Couturier led the charge again, scoring twice in the Flyers 4-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday at Wells Fargo Center.

The early part of the first period was dominated by penalties. The Flyers took two in the first 3:47 of the game, but successfully killed off both. The Flyers also had a power play in the first 10 minutes of the period and failed to score despite holding possession in the attacking zone for almost the entire two minutes.

The Sabres, however, controlled most of the period, especially at 5-on-5. They outshot the Flyers, 12-5, in the opening 20 minutes with no score between the two teams.

The Flyers started the second period very much like the first, going to the penalty kill early. This time, they weren't able to stop the Sabres from making them pay.

Ryan O'Reilly ripped a shot from the left circle high over the shoulder of Michal Neuvirth and in to give the Sabres the lead.

The Flyers did have a quick answer to the Sabres goal, as Shayne Gostisbehere finished on a nice passing play off a rush by the Flyers to even the score at one. It was Gostisbehere's ninth goal of the season.

Less than four minutes later, the Flyers found themselves on the power play and made quick work of the Sabres penalty. Some quick passing by the Flyers from Jake Voracek to Claude Giroux behind the net allowed them to get the puck centered to Couturier waiting for it at the left face-off dot. Couturier fired a one-timer past Robin Lehner to make it a 2-1 game at 7:17. Couturier continued to build on his career year, marking his 22nd goal of the season.

The Flyers really dominated the period after allowing the Buffalo goal on the power play. Shots in the period were 18-11 Flyers, evening things up at 23 apiece after 40 minutes.

Shots were at a premium in the final 20 minutes as the two teams struggled to generate chances. The Sabres outshot the Flyers, 8-6, looking for the tying goal. Neuvirth stood tall, making a couple of saves through traffic and keeping the puck out on a chance in the crease.

With the Sabres net empty, Couturier put the game away with his second goal of the game and 23rd of the season with 1:15 left. The Sabres pulled the goalie again in the final minute and Ivan Provorov found the empty net for his eighth goal of the season.

Neuvirth made 30 saves in his first start in over a month, picking up just his third win of the season. Lehner made 25 saves on 27 shots faced in the loss.

The Flyers finish the season series with the Sabres with a 2-1-0 record.

The Flyers will return to action on Saturday night when they travel to face the New Jersey Devils. Game time is at 7 p.m.

Box Score

  1 2 3 T
Sabres 0 1 0 1
Flyers 0 2 2 4

Scoring Summary

1st Period

  • No Scoring

2nd Period

  • BUF Ryan O'Reilly (10) PP (Jack Eichel, Rasmus Ristolainen) 1:50
  • PHI Shayne Gostisbehere (9) (Scott Laughton, Jori Lehtera) 3:42
  • PHI Sean Couturier (22) PP (Claude Giroux, Jake Voracek) 7:17

3rd Period

  • PHI Couturier (23) EN (Voracek, Michael Raffl) 18:45
  • PHI Ivan Provorov (8) EN (Wayne Simmonds, Andrew MacDonald) 19:27

Game Statistics

  Sabres Flyers
Shots 31 29
Power Plays 1/3 1/3
Hits 25 21
Faceoff % 51.5% 48.5%
Giveaways 8 6
Takeaways 3 4
Blocked Shots 11 11
Penalty Minutes 8 8
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