Flyers dominate Sabres but fall short in 5-2 loss

A trend is developing for the Flyers. For some of their fans most vocal about the Flyers’ need to rebuild for the future, it’s a good one. The team is outplaying and outworking many of its opponents, while earning no points in the standings in the process.

Wednesday night was the latest example.

After falling behind early, the Flyers dominated the visiting Buffalo Sabres for 40-plus minutes. They outshot them, 40-15, on the night. But the Sabres left the Wells Fargo Center with a 5-2 victory, handing the Flyers their fifth loss in six games.

At times, Wednesday’s game was a lot like Monday night’s loss to Carolina. The Flyers had plenty of chances to tie the game, take the lead, and even win.

“We’re getting chances,” winger Cam Atkinson said. “If we weren’t, that’s when you get frustrated. Our start was pretty bad the first 10 or 11 minutes there. I know the result wasn’t what we wanted, but I thought we played a pretty decent game.”

Adding to the defeat, Flyers goalie Carter Hart left the game in the first period with an injury.

» READ MORE: ‘It’s more than just a game’: Flyers executives eager for February Stadium Series experience

Hart left the game 10 minutes into the first period. He appeared to be injured after Buffalo’s Kyle Okposo fell on top of him five minutes into the game. He was seen by the trainer but remained in the game.

After Buffalo’s Brandon Biro beat Hart with his first NHL goal at the 10-minute mark — which gave the Sabres a 2-1 lead — Hart was forced into a butterfly position. He then left with what the Flyers called a “mid-body” injury and did not return.

Hart was off to a strong start for the Flyers. He entered Wednesday’s game with a 4-3-0 record, a 2.30 goals-against average, and .921 save percentage in seven appearances.

Backup goalie Sam Ersson, meanwhile, had been struggling, but the Flyers played well in front of him Wednesday and limited Buffalo’s chances. The Sabres registered just six shots on net in Ersson’s first 30 minutes of action, then four more in the third period, though they scored three times (once on an empty net).

The Flyers had been carrying three goalies on their 23-man roster until Tuesday, when they sent Felix Sandström to Lehigh Valley for a conditioning assignment.

Flyers coach John Tortorella did not have an immediate update on Hart’s status after the game.

Ersson will need to improve quickly if Hart is out for an extended period.

“He’s going to have to get sharp,” Tortorella said. “I’m not sure what Carter’s situation [is]. We’ll find out more tomorrow. Sam has showed us many times that he can bounce back.”

» READ MORE: Cam Atkinson finding early chemistry with new linemate Owen Tippett

No, they didn’t play their best game Wednesday night and have had a somewhat slow start to the season, but the Sabres are a good benchmark for what the Flyers could be a few years from now in their rebuild.

They are a young team aiming to turn the corner and make a run to the playoffs. They are led by a good mix of draft picks and players acquired in smart trades.

There is a big difference between the Sabres and Flyers, however, the Sabres had enough bad seasons and, in turn, top draft picks to add to their organization. Defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, who signed an eight-year, $88 million contract extension before the season, was the top pick in the 2018 draft. Defenseman Owen Power was the first overall pick three years later.

The 20-year-old Power scored the game-winner Wednesday.

Tage Thompson, a player the Sabres acquired in a major trade that sent Ryan O’Reilly to St. Louis in 2018, carried the puck across the blue line and cut to the middle, taking Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim with him. Thompson then laid the puck off for Power, who fired a shot high past Ersson to give the Sabres a 3-2 lead three minutes into the third period.

Thompson later put the game away with a goal to give Buffalo a 4-2 lead with 6 minutes, 32 seconds to play.

“Not much he could do on the last two there,” Flyers center Scott Laughton said of Ersson. “They were good shots by good players.”

Joel Farabee opened the scoring 55 seconds into Wednesday’s game with a bit of luck. His pass was redirected past Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka-Luukkonen, who was otherwise brilliant in making 38 saves on the night. ... Atkinson continued his hot start for the Flyers by tallying his sixth goal in 10 games. ... Biro, who played college hockey at Penn State, added an empty-net goal with 3 minutes, 8 seconds remaining.

Wednesday night wasn’t enough Flyers-Sabres action for you? The teams meet again Friday in Buffalo (7 p.m., NBC Sports Philadelphia), the first half of a back-to-back for the Flyers. They return to the Wells Fargo Center Saturday vs. the Los Angeles Kings (7:30 p.m., NBC Sports Philadelphia).

“What we need to do is just stay with it,” Tortorella said of another frustrating loss. “I think that’s the most important thing is to not overthink it and play the right way. I thought for a good portion of the game we did.”