GDT: 1/17/15: FLYERS (17-21-7) at SABRES (14-28-3) TV: CSN-PH, MSG-B - 7:00 PM ET

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vs.

NHL.com Game Preview: Flyers seek to continue success against Sabres

Adam Kimelman - NHL.com Deputy Managing Editor

[NHL]727998[/NHL]

Season series: The Philadelphia Flyers won all three games against the Buffalo Sabres last season, including 4-3 Jan. 14 in Buffalo. Flyers forwards Matt Read, Vincent Lecavalier and Brayden Schenn each had three goals in the three games. Cody Hodgson led the Sabres with two goals and two assists. The Flyers have won eight of 10 games dating to the start of the 2011-12 season.

Sabres Digital Press Box Game Preview: 1/17/15 vs. PHI

SABRES GO THROUGH TOUGH SKATE FRIDAY

By Chris Ryndak - Sabres.com

Ted Nolan Press Conference (1/16/15) - 6:01 Mins
[NHL]727915[/NHL]

FRIDAY VIDEO
Drew Stafford
Tyler Myers
Zemgus Girgensons

Click to read more...

 

[SundherDome]

Poor enroth

 

[TehDoak]

I'm going to predict a Sabres win here. Think the team will be fired up should be an understatement.

It might be a shootout win, but it'll be a win. Then we can go on a 4 game losing streak on the road.

 

[MackAttack26]

Well since I was pretty close on my prediction of a Dubnyk 15 save shutout last game, I'll take another guess at this game. Sabres offense breaks out for 3(!) goals but Voracek gets a hat trick and Philly wins 5-3.

 

[RecycledEichel]

I'm going to predict a Sabres win here. Think the team will be fired up should be an understatement.

It might be a shootout win, but it'll be a win. Then we can go on a 4 game losing streak on the road.

I thought they were going to be fired up before last game..

 

[SamuraiArt]

Prediction: 4-2 loss with an ENG after we pull Neuvirth at the minute thirty mark. We show better effort than last game but another slow start dooms the game. Ennis creates some chances around the net but gets little results from his one man show. DesLauriers throws some booming hits and drops the mitts again. Neuvirth is good but fails to be the second coming of Hasek we need in order to win.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

@BuffaloSabres

#Sabres lines:
Flynn-Girgensons-Stewart
Moulson-Mitchell-Ennis
Hodgson-Varone-Stafford
Deslauriers-Ellis-Kaleta #PHIvsBUF

Gionta also at morning skate. Weber is not here. #PHIvsBUF

All other defensemen are skating. Neuvirth, Enroth both here as well. #PHIvsBUF

Neuvirth going through his game day routine. Likely tonight's starter. #PHIvsBUF

 

[26CornerBlitz]

@BuffaloSabres

#Sabres Coach Ted Nolan: Weber won't be able to go tonight. Meszaros, Gionta also out. #PHIvsBUF

 

[NotABadPeriod]

@BuffaloSabres

#Sabres Coach Ted Nolan: Weber won't be able to go tonight. Meszaros, Gionta also out. #PHIvsBUF

Soo...

Gorges-Myers
Zadorov-Ristolainen
Strachan-Benoit

That third pairing = instant loss.

 

[EichHart]

Must lose. I want to see L10 on NHL.com for the last 10 games. I don't think I've ever seen that.

 

[sabres4ever]

We won't win this one either.

 

[Zman5778]

Philly's a completely different team on the road than at home. they've only won 6 road games, and 3 of them were consecutive back in December.


Sabres should be fired up and ready for this one, 3rd pairing be damned.


Stars seem like they're aligning for a W here.

 

[Bps21*]

Must lose. I want to see L10 on NHL.com for the last 10 games. I don't think I've ever seen that.

Edmonton almost did it twice in a row this season. Lost 11, won against San Jose...then got to 9 before finally winning again.

Now...if we can lose tonight in regulation...and have ten straight legit regulation no points losses in a row? *******...

 

[B U F F A L O]

Edmonton almost did it twice in a row this season. Lost 11, won against San Jose...then got to 9 before finally winning again.

Now...if we can lose tonight in regulation...and have ten straight legit regulation no points losses in a row? *******...

EDM was getting OTL or SOL though. Which NHL.com will list as "OT 1" in the streak. Haven't seen a lost 10, or 0-10-0 in a while

 

[26CornerBlitz]

Sabres-Flyers Preview (1/17/15) - 2:22 Mins
[NHL]728792[/NHL]

Ted Nolan Pre-Game (1/17/15) - 6:04 Mins
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Here are the projected lineups:

FLYERS

Brayden Schenn - Claude Giroux - Jakub Voracek

R.J. Umberger - Sean Couturier - Wayne Simmonds

Zac Rinaldo - Michael Raffl – Jason Akeson

Chris VandeVelde - Pierre-Edouard Bellemare - Vincent Lecavalier

Andrew MacDonald - Mark Streit

Michael Del Zotto - Nick Schultz

Carlo Colaiacovo - Luke Schenn

Rob Zepp

Ray Emery

Scratched: None.

Injured: Matt Read (ill), Steve Mason (lower body), Scott Laughton (upper body), Kimmo Timonen (blood clots), Nicklas Grossmann (upper body), Braydon Coburn (foot)

SABRES

Brian Flynn – Zemgus Girgensons – Chris Stewart

Matt Moulson – Torrey Mitchell – Tyler Ennis

Cody Hodgson – Philip Varone – Drew Stafford

Nicolas Deslauriers – Matt Ellis – Patrick Kaleta

Tyler Myers – Josh Gorges

Nikita Zadorov – Rasmus Ristolainen

Andre Benoit – Tyson Strachan

Michal Neuvirth

Jhonas Enroth

Scratched: Andrej Meszaros

Injured: Mike Weber (lower body), Brian Gionta (head), Cody McCormick (blood clot in leg), Marcus Foligno (hand)

Status Report: Berube said Read and Akeson will take the warmup and if Read feels well enough to play, he’ll be in.

Who’s Hot: Giroux has five points in the past six games and Voracek has four points in the past five games. … Stewart has eight points in the past 14 games.

GAME NOTES PDF

PRESS CLIPS PDF

@BuffaloSabres

“Only way we’re going to get out of this hole is to work a little harder, start creating our own breaks." http://goo.gl/bFCOsF

#PHIvsBUF

 

[Namejs]

Stars seem like they're aligning for a W here.

Then again, the Sabres top line consists of Flynn, Girgensons and Stewart.

 

[Tapu Coco]

But Philly's D is chock-full of HF whipping boys

 

[BakedBuffalo]

Then again, the Sabres top line consists of Flynn, Girgensons and Stewart.

and Benoit - Strachan pairing

 

[sabrebuild]

Hodgson is never playing center on the Sabres again under Nolan. I mean, Varone is putting out good effort, but seriously Hodgson can't get a center look before phil varone. What a fall from grace. And its not like anyone would argue he deserves the look.

I hope there is a behind the music where we found out Cody just went on a three year bender of smoking pounds of weed a day after he signed his contract. Because otherwise the drop off in his game at this age, with no major injury, under similar circumstances to the year before is just plain befuddling. So here's to "Hightop Hodgson" the only logically reason for why a career can slow to a crawl, How pot, slow feet and quick hands turned Cody Hodgson into Eddie Curry, 30 for 30.

 

[wunderpanda]

Good day for an upset victory, lets go Sabres.

 

[Dahlin 2 Eichel]

I have a good feeling about this game! Would be nice to get a win and stop this losing streak for a bit

 

[tsujimoto74]

Too many people predicting an upset. I think that means we get blown out again.

 

[Dahlin 2 Eichel]

Too many people predicting an upset. I think that means we get blown out again.

Don't listen to the naysayer!!

 

[BakedBuffalo]

My prediction: 4-1 Loss, Risto gets the only goal.

 

[joshjull]

Hodgson is never playing center on the Sabres again under Nolan. I mean, Varone is putting out good effort, but seriously Hodgson can't get a center look before phil varone. What a fall from grace. And its not like anyone would argue he deserves the look.

I hope there is a behind the music where we found out Cody just went on a three year bender of smoking pounds of weed a day after he signed his contract. Because otherwise the drop off in his game at this age, with no major injury, under similar circumstances to the year before is just plain befuddling. So here's to "Hightop Hodgson" the only logically reason for why a career can slow to a crawl, How pot, slow feet and quick hands turned Cody Hodgson into Eddie Curry, 30 for 30.

As bad as Hodgson has been I'm not giving up on him yet. Part of the problem for him is he doesn't have the foot speed to create time and space for himself. Because of that he doesn't get to use the one part of his skill set that is high end, his shot.

Hodsgon has been productive in the past with either linemates that can get them the puck and create time and space for him (Vanek/Pommer). Or when he was put in a very offensively heavy role like he was in Vancouver behind two better centers (Sedin/Kesler). Thats when they tried to pump up his trade value by giving him a ton of o-zone starts. Right now we don't really have many players that can create time and space for themselves let alone others. Nor do we have enough talent to possession the puck enough to give Hodgson a 3rd line offensive role. But when we start adding more offensive talent and the types of players that can free things up for Hodgson. He may be able to start taking advantage of that shot again.


And where Hodgson plays has been a discussion Nolan and Murray have had for some time. Not sure if where he is now is completely Nolan's call. But I will say he can't play center unless its on maybe the 3rd line when we are well into being rebuilt. This way we would have enough talent to be a possession team and get him o-zone starts. His defensive game is just so bad that its an open wound when he was on the ice. As a point of reference, he was one of the top ten worst goals against per 60mins in the league with Vanek/Pommer as his wingers. Even when he scored he really wasn't even a positive.