Despite 2 more injuries, Flyers deliver big response with 40-save shutout from Elliott originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
The Flyers avoided a second straight loss Tuesday night.
But they may have suffered two more losses in the personnel department.
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Alain Vigneault's club rebounded from its worst home loss since the head coach was hired in April 2019 by blanking the Sabres, 3-0, at the Wells Fargo Center.
Following an 11-goal outburst in a pair of wins over the Penguins, the Flyers scored only four goals in their back-to-back set with Buffalo. However, considering the 6-1 thumping they took Monday from the Sabres, a split will look like a steak dinner to the Flyers as they head on their first road trip.
Travis Konecny, Jakub Voracek and Kevin Hayes (empty-netter) provided the goals Tuesday night, while Brian Elliott was superb in his first start of the season.
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The victory may have come at a cost as Philippe Myers and Morgan Frost both exited with apparent injuries and did not return.
The Flyers (3-1-0) have not lost consecutive games at home since Nov. 13-23, 2019, when they lost three straight at home, all after regulation. The Sabres (1-3-0) had a chance to change that but were quieted by Elliott.
• Elliott has been so valuable to the Flyers and Carter Hart as a veteran backup. With the Flyers having some trouble preventing shots against the top-heavy Sabres, Elliott delivered a 40-save shutout.
He was clutch in spelling Hart during two critical junctures last regular season.
More impressive stuff from the reliable 35-year-old on Tuesday night.
• Give credit for the Flyers for the way they tightened things up defensively. Pitching a shutout a night after being blown up for six goals is a big-time response early in the season.
• The Flyers have been outshot in all four of their games, with three of them by double-digit margins.
But they were substantially better Tuesday night in their get-after-you, compete-oriented, possession-based system. They also played two periods with five defensemen and the third period with 11 forwards.
Some good resolve and timely execution.
• Konecny broke loose on a breakaway when he scored his fourth goal in four games to hand the Flyers a 1-0 edge late in the second period.
Oskar Lindblom sprung him with a beautiful bank pass. Massive goal as the Flyers had fallen in a mini offensive spell and just lost Frost moments before the play.
• Voracek's goal was huge and Hayes found him on the play before the center iced the game.
The Flyers are 24-0-1 in games that Hayes scores a goal, including both the regular season and playoffs.
• The Flyers hit the road for the first time this season when they face the Bruins in Boston on Thursday (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP) and Saturday (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP).
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