Flyers hope to stay sharp versus Sabres
PHILADELPHIA -- The Philadelphia Flyers seem to have regained their identity with back-to-back lopsided wins on home ice.
The Buffalo Sabres are still trying to find an identity not associated with losing.
Philadelphia will try to extend its winning streak to three games while Buffalo looks to snap a three-game winless streak when they meet Sunday afternoon.
The Flyers scored six goals for the second straight game in a 6-3 victory over the St. Louis Blues on Saturday, closing out the first half of their season with an 18-15-8 record and 44 points.
"It's huge," Flyers center Sean Couturier said of Sunday's meeting with the Sabres. "I mean, every two points, every night is important and (Sunday) is not different even if they're a lower team in the standings. They're still a good team, we gotta be ready for them from the start."
The Sabres dropped a 4-3 decision in Winnipeg on Friday night and are 2-5-3 in their last 10, 4-9-5 in their last 18 and concluded the first half of their season with a 10-22-9 record for an Eastern Conference-low 29 points.
Backup goaltender Chad Johnson took the loss for the Sabres in Winnipeg, falling to 1-7-3 this season. He's given up at least four goals in four straight games.
"In this league, you're evaluated off your results," Johnson told the Buffalo News. "You can play like garbage and everybody who doesn't watch the game can think you're playing great based off statistics. All things aren't equal when it comes to goalie statistics. A lot impacts that.
"It obviously hasn't gone my way from the start, from the first game of the season. I've been in a lot of tough games that I just haven't been good enough."
Brian Elliott earned the win for the Flyers on Saturday, improving to 16-10-7. He has started 16 straight games in front of backup Michal Neuvirth, who could get the call Sunday, the Flyers' final game before a mandatory four-day off period.
"I am not thinking about (starting Sunday)," Elliott said. "I'm thinking about getting a win out there."
Flyers center Sean Couturier scored his 20th and 21st goals of the season on Saturday, passing his career high (39) for points in a season. He netted 39 points in 2013-14 and 2015-16. Couturier is the first Flyer to reach the 20-goal mark 41 games or fewer into a season since Danny Briere posted 21 goals in the first 41 games of the 2010-11 season.
Claude Giroux has five points in his last two games and has 51 points in 41 games this season.
"Being able to have that chemistry with (Couturier) makes my job a lot easier," Giroux said. "He is really an underrated player. Defensively he is really smart. We communicate well together. Having (Travis Konecny) on the line now we just have a good chemistry going. We know we can play better but we have to keep communicating."
Rookie Tyrell Goulbourne made his NHL debut Saturday, playing 5:23. He led the Flyers with four hits, the first of which set up the Flyers' first goal.
"Everybody is excited for a young guy to go out and have success on his first shift," Flyers coach Dave Hakstol said. "I think for him to go and have that type of shift is important. It empowers him and for sure it's a shot in the arm for the entire bench."
