Philly Leader

John Tortorella's Philadelphia Flyers will face Lindy Ruff's Buffalo Sabres at the Wells Fargo Center on Saturday evening. The game, starting at 7:00 p.m. EST, will be broadcasted on NBCSP and aired on 97.5 The Fanatic with an online simulcast available through Flyers Radio 24/7.

This marks the first of three encounters this season between the two teams, with subsequent games scheduled for March 29 in Philadelphia and April 5 in Buffalo.

The Flyers come into this matchup following a franchise record of four consecutive games decided beyond regulation time. Their recent victory was a 5-4 overtime win against the Ottawa Senators, achieved after overcoming a two-goal deficit in the third period. Currently, the Flyers have secured three regulation victories, one overtime win, and two shootout wins for the season.

Samuel Ersson, the primary goaltender for the Flyers, sustained a lower-body injury during practice and is expected to miss some upcoming games. Ivan Fedotov will take his place as goaltender against the Sabres. Fedotov has previously stepped up when needed, notably securing a win against Tampa Bay earlier this month.

Flyers rookie Matvei Michkov returned to form after missing games against Tampa Bay and Florida. Michkov scored critical goals in recent matches against San Jose Sharks and Ottawa Senators. He currently leads NHL rookies in goals and points.

Discipline remains crucial for both teams entering Saturday's game. The Flyers were penalized multiple times in their last match but remain strong on penalty kills overall. Their power play performance has waned recently but still ranks above that of Buffalo’s special teams.

The puck possession battle will also be key; while Buffalo excels at maintaining possession during even strength play, Philadelphia has struggled to keep control outside their defensive zone consistently.

Buffalo comes into this game having won four out of their last five matches despite dealing with inconsistency issues throughout November. They are managing several injuries among key players like Tage Thompson and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen who are unavailable for Saturday’s clash.

Forward Jordan Greenway’s participation is uncertain due to physical issues aggravated during practice; forward Jiri Kulich has been recalled from AHL’s Rochester Americans as cover.