The Buffalo Sabres roared back to score five of the last six goals on Sunday afternoon to defeat the Philadephia Flyers 5-3 at Wells Fargo Center.
Oskar Lindblom broke the scoreless tie a little more than halfway through the opening period. The forward's sixth goal of the season made it 1-0 Philadelphia, Shayne Gostisbehere and Nicolas Aube-Kubel assisted on the goal.
The Flyers extended the lead to 2-0 over Buffalo thanks to a power play goal late in the first. Linus Ullmark could not freeze the puck in the crease, and Joel Farabee was able to gain position and slide the puck into an open net. Sean Couturier and Kevin Hayes were credited with the assists. The score came with Arttu Ruotsalainen in the penalty box for delay of game.
Ullmark made 14 saves in the first period, facing 16 shots overall. Carter Hart was a perfect 8 for 8 in shots faced by Buffalo in the opening period.
Buffalo was able to surprise the Flyers twice within a minute to tie the game at 2-2 nearly five minutes into the second period.
Sam Reinhart took advantage of a set play off of a face-off win by Jeff Skinner to the right of Hart to cut the deficit to 2-1. The goal was Reinhart's 14th of the season.
Just 46 second later Ruotsalainen scored his first career NHL goal to even the score 2-2.
Dylan Cozens made the pass that helped setup the goal, he was credited with the lone assist. It comes in the first game back for the rookie after dealing with an injury.
The Flyers re-claimed the lead early in the third period thanks to the second point of the day for Gostisbehere. The veteran defenseman scored his eighth goal of the season that made it 3-2 Philadelphia. Farabee and Philippe Myers were credited with the assists on the even strength tally.
Skinner's second point of the day was also his fifth goal of the season. The forward was locked up with a Flyers' player heading to the net and had the puck go off his skate before the net was dislodged. The goal tied the game at 3-3.
Also, 25 seconds later Rasmus Asplund's first goal of the day gave Buffalo a 4-3 lead with less than three minutes to go in regulation. It was the second time in the game that the Sabres scored two goals in under a minute.
Casey Mittelstadt added an empty net goal to cement the Sabres' comeback and defeat Philadelphia. The goal was Mittelstadt's sixth of the season, Kyle Okposo and Ruley Sheahan were given the assists.
Losi and Gangi Three Stars
1. Rasmus Asplund
2. Jeff Skinner
3. Shayne Gostisbehere
