Buffalo Sabres v. Philadelphia Flyers - By the Numbers

by David Oleksy on Dec 8, 2011 9:02 AM EST in Game Recaps

Another home game, another tough loss to swallow for the Sabres and their fans. The Sabres stormed out to an early 3-0 lead but the Flyers capitalized on a turnover and scored with one second left in the first period. That late goal turned the momentum of the game and the Sabres struggled to recover.

The second period has haunted the Sabres all season and tonight was the same old story. The Flyers scored three unanswered second period goals and took a 4-3 lead. The Flyers momentum seemed to come after Nathan Gerbe was taken into the boards by Marc-Andre Bourdon and Matt Ellis responded by challenging him. Ellis was assessed a minor and a 10 minute misconduct for instigating. The penalty not only meant the Sabres would not have a power play but they would be without Ellis for the remainder of the second period.

With Gerbe unable to return because of the injury and Ellis resigned to watching the rest of the period, the Flyers took control of the game.

The Flyers played an almost flawless third period but Drew Stafford tied the score with only 1:35 remaining to help the Sabres salvage at least one point in what amounted to another epic collapse.

The Stats

Shift Charts

Head-to-Head Ice Time

Corsi/Fenwick Numbers

Scoring Chances - after the jump

Team	Period	Time	Note	BUF						Opponent
PHI	1	15:40	Van Riemsdyk	9	10	17	21	30	63	21	27	30	41	46	93	5v5
BUF	1	11:18	Hecht	10	17	30	42	55	78	17	24	25	30	43	48	5v5
BUF	1	10:30	Pominville	4	10	26	29	30	55	21	27	30	41	44	93	5v5
BUF	1	10:19	Roy	4	9	26	29	30	81	5	21	27	30	46	93	5v5
BUF	1	9:44	Leino Goal	9	23	30	44	54	72	5	14	24	30	44		5v4
PHI	1	7:34	Giroux	9	24	30	42	44	78	5	19	28	30	44	68	5v5
PHI	1	6:05	Simmonds	10	24	29	30	55		17	28	30	44	68	93	4v5
PHI	1	5:45	Voracek	10	24	29	30	55		17	28	30	44	68	93	4v5
BUF	1	5:17	Roy	9	21	30	44	81		19	21	24	25	30	48	4v5
PHI	1	4:01	Jagr	17	26	29	30	55	81	25	28	30	41	68	93	5v5
BUF	1	1:05	Kassian Goal	17	23	30	44	54	72	24	25	28	30	43	68	5v5
BUF	1	0:23	Vanek Goal	9	10	23	26	29	30	5	27	28	30	44		5v4
PHI	1	0:01	Talbot Goal	10	24	30	37	42	78	21	25	27	30	43	93	5v5
PHI	2	19:31	Voracek	10	17	26	29	30	55	5	21	27	30	44	93	5v5
PHI	2	18:00	Simmonds	10	23	30	63	72	81	17	19	25	28	30	43	5v5
PHI	2	16:25	Van Riemsdyk	10	17	26	29	30	55	5	21	27	30	44	93	5v5
PHI	2	14:43	Read Goal	10	23	30	54	72	81	5	17	24	28	30	44	5v5
PHI	2	5:15	Hartnell Goal	10	23	30	63	78	81	17	19	28	30	43	44	5v5
BUF	2	2:24	Adam	23	30	44	54	72	81	19	28	30	41	46	68	5v5
PHI	2	2:12	Jagr Goal	23	30	44	54	72	81	5	19	28	30	46	68	5v5
PHI	3	12:57	Carle	17	23	26	30	44	54	19	25	28	30	41	68	5v5
BUF	3	3:41	Stafford	9	10	17	21	29	30	5	14	17	24	30	44	5v5
BUF	3	1:35	Stafford Goal	10	17	21	26	29	55	21	25	27	30	41	93	5v5
BUF	3	0:53	Stafford	9	21	24	30	44	63	5	17	19	25	28	30	5v5
PHI	4	2:58	Hartnell	10	17	23	29	30		5	19	25	27	30		4v4
PHI	4	2:23	Giroux Goal	9	10	17	29	30		19	25	28	30	41		4v4

#	Player	EV			PP			SH
4	J. FINLEY	10:01	2	0	0:00	0	0	0:00	0	0
9	D. ROY	18:15	3	3	1:56	2	0	0:37	1	0
10	C. EHRHOFF	24:45	4	9	3:00	1	0	1:33	0	2
17	M. GRAGNANI	19:33	4	7	2:28	0	0	0:02	0	0
21	D. STAFFORD	15:35	3	1	2:28	0	0	0:37	1	0
23	V. LEINO	15:18	2	6	1:58	2	0	0:00	0	0
24	R. REGEHR	18:12	1	2	0:02	0	0	1:31	0	2
26	T. VANEK	18:21	3	4	2:36	1	0	0:00	0	0
29	J. POMINVILLE	19:01	4	5	2:36	1	0	0:51	0	2
30	R. MILLER	55:55	7	13	4:26	2	0	2:00	1	2
37	M. ELLIS	5:09	0	1	0:00	0	0	0:32	0	0
42	N. GERBE	4:10	1	2	0:00	0	0	0:32	0	0
44	A. SEKERA	22:43	3	3	1:24	1	0	0:27	1	0
54	Z. KASSIAN	13:46	2	3	1:50	1	0	0:00	0	0
55	J. HECHT	19:22	3	3	0:00	0	0	0:51	0	2
63	T. ENNIS	16:57	1	3	0:00	0	0	0:00	0	0
72	L. ADAM	12:37	2	3	1:50	1	0	0:00	0	0
78	C. TROPP	7:34	1	3	0:00	0	0	0:00	0	0
81	B. MCNABB	17:15	2	5	0:02	0	0	0:27	1	0

Period	Totals		EV		PP		5v3 PP		SH		5v3 SH
1	7	6	4	4	2	0	0	0	1	2	0	0
2	1	6	1	6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	3	1	3	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4	0	2	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Totals	11	15	8	13	2	0	0	0	1	2	0	0

Head-to-Head Scoring Chances

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Comments

I still think it was the right thing to do for Ellis there. All things considered I’ll take the point, the Flyers were the better team for most of the night.

by Frank Reich Revolution on Dec 8, 2011 10:26 AM EST reply actions

Finley

Why is Finley playing 5 minutes a night when we have Morrisonn? This has been bothering me.

It can’t be because of cap space, with the players on IR (Myers, Boyes, etc.)

If it is because of re-entry waivers, why not take the risk? The team needs another NHL defenseman.

If it is because ‘if Morrisonn gets injured while playing in Buffalo he can’t be sent down and will create cap issues,’ I would argue that if his injury was long-term he can be placed on IR and no longer count against the cap. If his injury was day-to-day then it would certainly be a shorter-term injury than Myers’ and Weber’s injuries, meaning we would have enough cap space to keep him until they return…. so again, what is the risk?

Why not call him up?

by lassathrax on Dec 8, 2011 10:30 AM EST reply actions

that's a great question.

Finley and McNabb each had some bad moments last night, Grags needs to see the pressbox, and Ehrhoff looked drained last night and needs somebody to take some of his minutes.

by lgbfromoregon on Dec 8, 2011 12:57 PM EST up reply actions

Sekera

seems to have responded well to monster-minutes. That’s a good sign, at least.

P.S. your head-to-head chart lists Szczechura instead of Kassian.

by lassathrax on Dec 8, 2011 2:39 PM EST reply actions

Thanks for the heads up. I probably should have checked that before I pasted it. I will have it fixed for the next game. All these stupid numbers in the 50’s and I get confused.

D.O.
www.diebytheblade.com - An SB nation destination for Sabres fans everywhere

by David Oleksy on Dec 8, 2011 7:09 PM EST up reply actions

So how many games will Leino get?

I’m guessing two.

by Frank Reich Revolution on Dec 8, 2011 5:35 PM EST reply actions

considering that Boyes got 2 during the preseason..

"If we needed any more motivation to win a Cup sooner than later, we've got one now," Black said. "I really want to listen to the game that RJ calls when he finally gets to shout out, 'Buffalo wins the Stanley Cup.'"

by FloridaBuffalo on Dec 8, 2011 5:42 PM EST up reply actions