Sabres Lose 3-Goal Lead In 4-3 Shootout Loss To Flyers

Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek scored shootout goals, and the Philadelphia Flyers rallied from three goals down in the third period to beat the Buffalo Sabres 4-3 at home on Tuesday.

Sabres Lose 3-Goal Lead In 4-3 Shootout Loss To Flyers

Voracek secured the victory in the third round when he beat goalie Anders Nilsson with a high wrist shot. He had missed the final 3:20 of the third period and part of overtime following a hard hit from Buffalo defenseman Dmitry Kulikov. 

“I felt pretty good,” Voracek said. “As soon as I got up, I was a little shaky, but that’s normal, it was a big hit. I was feeling pretty comfortable that I was going to be able to come back, and that’s what happened.”

Travis Konecny, Brayden Schenn and Mark Streit each scored a power-play goal in the third period for the Flyers (3-3-1). Goalie Steve Mason made eight saves after relieving starter Michal Neuvirth in the second period and stopped the two Sabres he faced in the shootout.

Konecny’s goal was the first of his NHL career.

Tyler Ennis opened the scoring early in the second period for his first goal of the season, and then Matt Moulson scored twice on the power play to give Buffalo a 3-0 lead going into the third period. Nilsson made 38 saves in his first start for the Sabres (1-2-2).

“It’s on us to be better,” Sabres captain Brian Gionta said. “We showed we could take over the game and make something happen. It’s tough. We need to find a way to go into that third and get a win.”

Streit scored with 1:51 left to tie the game 3-3, hitting his rebound over a pile of players in front of the net. Sabres coach Dan Bylsma challenged the goal for goaltender interference, but the call stood after video review.

Konecny tipped an Ivan Provorov shot past Nilsson for his first NHL goal at 4:30 of the third to make it 3-1, and 24 seconds after Kulikov was assessed a charging penalty for his hit on Voracek, Schenn scored with 2:56 remaining to pull Philadelphia within a goal at 3-2.

Neuvirth allowed three goals on 17 shots.

Ennis gave Buffalo a 1-0 lead at 2:06 of the second when he tipped a sharp-angled shot from Zemgus Girgensons past Neuvirth, and then Moulson won a race for a loose puck in the Flyers zone and scored on a backhand from in front at at 3:56 to put the Sabres up 2-0.

One of Nilsson’s best saves came with 5:46 remaining in the first period. After Giroux made a diagonal pass through the Sabres zone to Matt Read, who was alone in front, Nilsson stretched his right pad to stop Read’s backhand.

The Sabres next host the Minnesota Wild on Thursday, while the Flyers will host the Arizona Coyotes that same day.

PHILADELPHIA, PA – OCTOBER 25: Steve Mason #35 of the Philadelphia Flyers makes a save at the goal on a shot by Nicolas Deslauriers #44 of the Buffalo Sabres during the third period at Wells Fargo Center on October 25, 2016 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)