Sabres vs. Flyers Preview
PHILADELPHIA, PA – The road has been kind to the Buffalo Sabres early this season.
The Sabres seek to continue their success away from home Tuesday night when they visit the Philadelphia Flyers.
Oddsmakers from online sports book BroburySports.com have made the Flyers –125 money line favorites for Tuesday’s game against the Sabres. Current NHL Public Betting Information shows that 84% of more than 102 bets for this game have been placed on the Flyers -125.
Buffalo (3-5-1) is winless in five home games, but improved to 3-1-0 on the road Saturday night with a 6-1 rout of New Jersey to open a four-game trip.
“We’re still a little disappointed at the way we’ve played at home,” defenseman Craig Rivet told the team’s official website. “Guys seem to be a little bit more at ease when we’re playing on the road. We seem to kind of play a little bit of a different style (on the road). We’re going to be tested against a good team (Tuesday at Philadelphia).”
Thomas Vanek, who led the team with 28 goals in 2009-10, scored twice Saturday to lead Buffalo to its highest goal output in its first nine games.
“It was nice for (Vanek) to get a couple. That line is really starting to make some things happen. I like what they’ve done,” coach Lindy Ruff said.
Vanek’s three goals this season have all come in the last three games.
“I’ve just got to keep going,” he said. “Some nights it’s going to go in and hopefully I can keep scoring from here on out.”
Ryan Miller stopped 26 of 27 shots to earn the win against the Devils. Miller has won his last three starts against the Flyers – two of them in Philadelphia – to improve to 10-6-0 lifetime versus them.
Like the Sabres, Philadelphia is struggling at home, having dropped three of its last four at Wells Fargo Center.
The Flyers (3-4-1) lost on the road Monday night, falling 2-1 at Columbus. They’ve scored two goals or fewer five times in eight games.
“It’s completely frustrating,” coach Peter Laviolette said. “We got exactly what we deserved (Monday). You don’t show up to compete, you don’t execute, you don’t play the game with energy and emotion, you’re going to lose all the time.”
Ville Leino provided the Flyers’ only offense with his second goal of the season. Former Buffalo winger Danny Briere assisted, and is tied for the team lead with six points.
Briere, who had a career-high 95 points for the Sabres in 2006-07 and signed an eight-year deal with Philadelphia the following offseason, has two goals and two assists in six games against his former club since joining the Flyers.
Brian Boucher made 23 saves Monday, but dropped to 1-2-1 on the season as he continues to split time with rookie Sergei Bobrovsky.
The Flyers continue to struggle on the power play. They failed to score in two opportunities with the man advantage against Columbus and are 3 for 35 (8.6 percent) on the season.
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