Flyers 4 - 3 Sabres
Final
  for this game

Flyers visit Sabres seeking to avoid 3rd straight loss

Jan 14, 2014 - 3:59 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Philadelphia Flyers will try to avoid their first three-game slide in over a month when they visit the last-place Buffalo Sabres for Tuesday's battle at First Niagara Center.

The Flyers had won seven of eight before dropping their last two outings on consecutive days over the weekend. Philadelphia was handed a 6-3 loss by the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday afternoon before dropping a 4-1 decision to the Rangers the following night in New York City.

Philadelphia dug itself an early 2-0 hole against the Rangers, as former Flyer Daniel Carcillo scored just 2:14 into the game and Rick Nash followed suit only 28 seconds later. New York would hold a 3-0 edge at the end of 20 minutes and pushed its lead to 4-0 in the second period.

Mark Streit's third-period tally was the lone offense for the Flyers, while Ray Emery allowed all four scores on 35 shots in defeat.

"We have to be more ready," Philadelphia head coach Craig Berube said. "You have to be as quick as them."

The Flyers haven't lost three in a row since an 0-2-1 slide from Dec. 7-11.

Philadelphia hopes to get back on track tonight in Western New York, where it has lost two straight. The Flyers did host the Sabres on Nov. 21 and recorded a 4-1 win to open the three-game season series. Philly has won two of three and six of the last eight overall meetings in this matchup.

The Sabres, who are in the basement of both the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference standings, are 2-0-1 over their last three games. Buffalo last played on Sunday, when it recorded a shootout win in Washington.

Cody Hodgson registered the shootout winner, as Buffalo snuck past the Capitals, 2-1, at Verizon Center. Five previous shooters failed to produce a marker, until Hodgson made several stick fakes and stuck a wrister high and inside the right post to complete the third round and end the contest.

Ryan Miller made 28 saves and improved to 6-1-1 in his last eight starts. One of the three goaltenders in the running to start for Team USA in Sochi, Miller has saved all nine Washington shootout chances this season.

Tyler Ennis netted a power-play score in regulation for the Sabres, who have showed signs of improvement with a 6-3-2 record over their last 11 games.

"We want to play on the right side of the puck, and we want to create ourselves an identity," said Sabres head coach Ted Nolan. "What type of team do we want to be? Not a team that plays one way for 20 minutes and then slips off for five."

Buffalo is 9-12-3 on home ice this season and had won five straight as the host before losing a 2-1 shootout decision to Florida on Thursday.






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