Flyers blow early lead and fall to the Buffalo Sabres, 4-3

BUFFALO, N.Y. — The 2021-22 Flyers and leads are just like oil and water. They simply don’t mix.

After scoring the first two goals in the first period against the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday night at KeyBank Center, the Flyers gave up four goals in the second period and ultimately fell, 4-3. Although the Flyers didn’t win the puck-possession battle in the first period and still managed to score twice, they weren’t able to sustain any momentum in the second period.

The Flyers attempted a resurgence in the third period, outshooting the Sabres, 10-2. Additionally, the Flyers drew three minor penalties in the third period. However, the Flyers went 0-for-4 on the power play through 60 minutes and couldn’t claw their way back to a win.

“We didn’t play well enough,” interim coach Mike Yeo said. “That’s the bottom line. In a number of different areas. I think you saw our execution. A number of missed passes, the decision-making at different times. I also felt that we played very easy — tried to play an easy game, a lot of poke-and-hope and swinging in our game against a team that has an awful lot of skill in their lineup.”

The Flyers have lost their last four games, blowing multi-goal leads twice in that span.

» READ MORE: Joel Farabee searching for strong finish to turbulent season

The Flyers held a 2-0 lead going into the second period thanks to goals from wingers Joel Farabee and Owen Tippett. However, the Flyers didn’t appear to have the same focus as the first period, as a wildly disjointed team played on their heels for 20 minutes and allowed four Sabres goals from Kyle Okposo, Rasmus Dahlin, Vinnie Hinostroza, and Tage Thompson. The Flyers were outshot, 18-4, in the second period.

With the game tied, 2-2, 14 minutes into the second period, the Flyers’ Travis Konecny scored off the rush to regain the lead. However, just a minute and a half later, the Flyers resumed playing on their heels and allowed Hinostroza and the Sabres to tie the game again. The Sabres emerged with a 4-3 lead after the second period. This season, the Flyers have been badly outscored in the second periods, 94-66.

“We’re just not working as a unit,” Konecny said. “We’re kind of spreading out the ice and not working together. And it just makes everything harder. Harder on the D, harder on the forwards. And then it just kills momentum.”

Since the beginning of the month, the Flyers’ penalty kill had been trending in the right direction, ranking 13th in the league with a 87.5% success rate. That marks a substantial improvement over their season-long rate, where they have ranked 23rd in the league (76.33%).

The Sabres’ 18th-ranked power play sought to take advantage when the Flyers gave Buffalo the man-advantage three times in the first two periods. Two of the Sabres’ four goals came on the power play: Okposo’s goal down low by the post and Thompson’s tally from the left dot. The Flyers regrouped in the third period, not allowing a single shot on goal on a Sabres power play. In total, the Sabres capitalized on two of their four power play opportunities.

“It is difficult [to build momentum on the penalty kill], but at the same time, they gave us the same opportunity they got,” Konecny said.

In his first three games with the Flyers, winger Bobby Brink has shown why he was a Hobey Baker Award finalist and a 2022 national champion with Denver. His offensive talents helped get the Flyers on the board in the first period. Less than two minutes after puck drop, Brink finessed a breakaway in transition, attempting to shoot the puck between goalie Craig Anderson’s skate and the right post. While Brink was unsuccessful, Farabee crashed the net behind him and scored on the rebound to put the Flyers up, 1-0.

“Just tried to get [the defender] going one way and go back the other,” Brink said. “Had some time on the breakaway, so I could kind of slow down a bit and make that move. [Farabee] made a really nice play following it up and finishing off for me.”

While the Flyers’ power play hasn’t been very formidable, ranking last in the league since March 1 (9.5%), Brink continued to look sharp in his role on the flank. At the end of the Flyers’ lone power play in the first period, Brink entered the offensive zone with control — an area where the Flyers have struggled — and registered the only shot on goal of the man-advantage. Brink finished with an assist, two shots on goal, and 17:30 minutes of ice time.

The Flyers return home to the Wells Fargo Center on Sunday for the second night of a back-to-back against the Sabres at 5 p.m.