The Flyers got some good news before puck drop as Sabres superstar Jack Eichel would miss the festivities with an upper-body injury. He has points in 17 straight games, which I’m told is quite good.
The first power play chance would go to the Sabres with Morgan Frost off for a cross checking with around 12 minutes left in the frame. The Flyers would get the kill rather easily, however, leaving things scoreless still.
Taking advantage of a lengthy Sabres shot drought, the Flyers would strike first as Mikhail Vorobyev tipped one home to make it 1-0 with 6:56 left. It’s his first of the season, helpers to Philippe Myers and Travis Konecny.
Vorobyev, with a little help from Sheary! pic.twitter.com/PqUbwDadU0
— Broad Street Hockey (@BroadStHockey) December 20, 2019
A little over two minutes later the Flyers would double their lead as James van Riemsdyk scored another definitely hockey goal to make it 2-0. Really skillful goal from JVR there, too, just excellent moves on the finish.
JVR on the doorstep! pic.twitter.com/LL1k5u5xpK
— Broad Street Hockey (@BroadStHockey) December 20, 2019
Buffalo would try to challenge that very much skillful hockey goal for interference, but were wrong and the Flyers would make them pay for a failed challenge.
With Kyle Okposo serving the Sabres’ failed challenge, Matt Niskanen would extend the lead to 3-0 Flyers on a beautiful cross-ice feed from Kevin Hayes. Good to see Carter Hutton following this passing sequence in another county.
Hayes pulls Hutton out of position and Niskanen buries it! pic.twitter.com/6FbvVoNeWk
— Broad Street Hockey (@BroadStHockey) December 20, 2019
That’s just pretty hockey right there. All Flyers in the first stanza, gang.
The second period didn’t start too fast as the Flyers enjoyed their three-goal lead, but their power play would stay hot.
Armed with another opportunity a man up, Ivan Provorov would make it 4-0 with a wrist shot from the point through traffic with JVR setting up the screen.
Provorov scores with JVR providing a screen! pic.twitter.com/zgjz3Q6uL2
— Broad Street Hockey (@BroadStHockey) December 20, 2019
Tyler Pitlick got in on the fun a little while later, notching his third of the season as the Flyers had the doors wide-open with a 5-0 edge halfway through the second.
Pitlick makes it 5-0! pic.twitter.com/ZakVrCrYas
— Broad Street Hockey (@BroadStHockey) December 20, 2019
The Sabres scored on themselves again, lol. Credit JVR for another silky smooth finish. Someone really needed to tell Buffalo they should probably focus more on scoring goals on the Flyers’ net.
That’s ANOTHER own goal for the Sabres. It’s 6-0. pic.twitter.com/V5DtABgwCb
— Broad Street Hockey (@BroadStHockey) December 20, 2019
With a touchdown on the board already, the Flyers eased up on the gas a little in the third period. Also helping matters was the fact that Buffalo had just nine shots through two periods and weren’t threatening during large portions of the game.
Before the Flyers could add an extra point, the Sabres would break Carter Hart’s shutout bid as Victor Olofsson found the back of the net to make it 6-1 with 8:25 left in the game. Given the timing, that was about all that was left for the Flyers in this one as they were cruising towards a showdown with the Senators in Ottawa on Saturday evening.
Olofsson really sounds like a dude that played for one of those really crappy Devils teams the past few years but in fact he’s only played in Buffalo, and thriving on a line with Eichel this season. That’s cool.
Also cool: Flyers taking this one by a final of 6-1 as the final horn sounded on a resounding win for the Orange and Black powered by six unanswered goals in the first 40 minutes.
