Buffalo Sabres vs. Philadelphia Flyers [Game Thread]

by David Oleksy on Nov 21, 2008 7:00 PM EST

Philadelphia Flyers at Buffalo Sabres, Nov 21, 2008 7:30 PM EST

Game #19

Buffalo Sabres (9-6-3, 21PTS) vs. Philadelphia Flyers (7-6-4, 18PTS)

7:00 PM EST, HSBC Arena

TV: MSG-B (Buffalo)

Radio: WGR 550 (Buffalo), XM 208 (National)

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08-09 Series :0-0-0

Enemy Blogs: Flyers Goal Scored By

It's always interesting when the Buffalo Sabres and Philadelphia Flyers meet and I don't expect this game to be much different. Last season the games against Philly meant a little bit more because of ex-Sabres Martin Biron and Daniel Briere's presence on the ice. That has all but worn off now (and Briere isn't even playing) but the game is still very important.

Buffalo comes into this game searching for answers. This is a team that began the season by earning at least one point in each of their first eight games but they have lost three in a row and have allowed at least five goals in each of those three games. In the first couple of weeks of the season it was easy to find Ryan Miller and Patrick Lalime in the goalie leaders...they were one and two. It's not as easy to find those guys now...Ryan Miller is now 16th in goals against average and Lalime would be near the bottom of the league if he qualified.

The Flyers come from the other end of the spectrum (No pun intended). They are playing the best they have played all season. After struggling early in the season Martin Biron and Antero Nittymaki have both been lights out. Simon Gagne is back in the lineup after missing most of last season and he has really made his presence felt for the Flyers.

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2008 - Simon Gagne	16	11	11	22	8	8	2	4	0	0	40	27.5

Players to Watch

Buffalo Sabres

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2008 - Thomas Vanek	18	15	4	19	0	12	7	2	2	1	77	19.5

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2008 - Jason Pominville	18	8	8	16	1	4	2	0	1	1	55	14.5

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2008 - Clarke MacArthur	18	6	4	10	-3	20	3	0	0	0	23	26.1

Philadelphia Flyers

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2008 - Mike Richards	17	5	14	19	6	13	2	1	1	0	45	11.1

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2008 - Jeff Carter	17	11	3	14	-1	12	2	2	3	0	80	13.8

Goalie Matchup

Buffalo Sabres

	GP	MIN	W	L	T	EGA	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
2008 - Ryan Miller	15	851	8	4	2	1	37	2.61	405	368	.909	2

Philadelphia Flyers

	GP	MIN	W	L	T	EGA	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
2008 - Martin Biron	12	672	5	5	2	1	35	3.13	329	294	.894	0

Notes

Buffalo earned seven out of a possible eight points against Philadelphia last season.
Danny Briere scored the shootout winner in the only Flyers victory against Buffalo last season.
Mark Mancari was called up from Portland to replace Max Afinogenov in the lineup. He has 11 goals and 14 assists in 14 games and is leading the AHL in scoring.
Nathan Paetsch will be inserted into the lineup to replace Henrik Tallinder who has been ineffective and had a horrible giveaway that ended up as a goal on Wednesday against the Bruins.
This will be the second game that Thomas Vanek will play on a line with Jason Pominville and Jochen Hecht.
Jason Pominville has scored a goal in four consecutive games.
Buffalo has allowed 18 goals in last three games played, all losses of course.
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