Puck management errors prove costly in loss to Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA – The Buffalo Sabres’ three-game winning streak was snapped Saturday at Wells Fargo Center, where they lost 7-4 to the Philadelphia Flyers.

In diagnosing Buffalo’s high-scoring losses this season, especially on the road, coach Lindy Ruff has often pointed to puck management issues. Saturday was no different.

“Totally disrespected the game,” Ruff said. “… It was like Christmas hockey. We handed gifts out for the first three goals, and you won’t win (like that). You won’t win on the road, and the road is something we’ve been working on. We had a lack of discipline and we had lack of attention to detail when it comes to managing the puck early, and that really hurt us.”

In 18 road games since Jan. 1, the Sabres are now 4-12-2 with 4.3 goals against per game; that compares to 12-4-0 with 3.1 goals against per game at KeyBank Center.

The Flyers’ first two goals came 29 seconds apart early in the first period, with Matvei Michkov and Jakob Pelletier cashing in on 2-on-1 rushes. Their third, by Michkov again on a second-period breakaway, resulted from a turnover inside Buffalo’s offensive blue line. Jack Quinn had scored his second goal of the afternoon two minutes prior to give the Sabres their only lead of the game, 3-2.

“The details weren’t there,” said Ryan McLeod. “We came out in the second period and got the lead back and we just gave it right back to them. Just not good enough.”

Philadelphia tacked on four more goals between the second and third periods, ultimately outshooting the Sabres 32-21.

Ruff had recently ridden the hot hand, deploying goaltender James Reimer in three straight games – all wins. With the back-to-back set this weekend, a well-rested Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen got the net. He was charged with all seven goals, but the Sabres didn’t feel they did him any favors.

“You look at the east-west (passes) we gave up – we didn’t even give him a chance,” Ruff said. “He doesn’t even have a chance to feel the puck. That was a tough way to get your goalie back in. That’s on the team.”

“That’s the last thing we want to do, is leave him out to dry like that,” Quinn said. “So, (we’ve) got to be better for him.”

In addition to offensive-zone turnovers, what Ruff described as a “loose” game also included failed clearing attempts and three penalties, two of which resulted in power-play goals for the Flyers.

Last time the Sabres allowed seven goals, March 12 in Detroit, they bounced back to beat the Vegas Golden Knights three days later. They’ll look for a similar response Sunday afternoon in Washington.

“[Wash] it off,” McLeod said. “It’s a completely new day tomorrow and we should look at that. [The Capitals] have a really good team. … It’s going to be a tough one, so we have to get some rest and be ready to go.”

Here's more from the loss.

1. The tandem of Quinn and JJ Peterka spurred Buffalo’s early comeback.

Midway through the first period, Quinn scored to narrow Buffalo’s deficit to 2-1. McLeod dumped the puck in, Peterka won a battle on the left wall and dished a backhand saucer pass to the slot for Quinn, who beat Flyers netminder Samuel Ersson five-hole.

That line – two-thirds of it, anyway – struck again for the tying tally just 1:41 into the second period. Quinn received a Peyton Krebs pass in the slot and snapped a backdoor feed to an uncovered Peterka for the tap-in goal.

And Quinn scored his second of the game in the final moments of a power play, receiving Ryan McLeod’s close-range pass and ripping a blocker-side shot past Ersson.

“I think our game’s been in a good spot lately, and we were able to just get to it and create some offense and chip away,” Quinn said. “It’s too bad that we couldn’t do it for the full game and gave it away to them there.”

Quinn’s three points (2+1) tied a single-game career high set in January of 2024. Peterka (1+1) posted his 13th multi-point performance of the season and is up to 12 points (6+6) in his last 11 games. And McLeod, with a trio of assists, now has eight points (1+7) in the last week.

Peterka’s now played six games since returning from a lower-body injury, and he’s stood out as one of Buffalo’s most dynamic – speedy, skilled, decisive – offensive weapons during that time. His impact appears to be doing wonders for Quinn in the offensive end.

“He’s just a real special player,” Quinn said of Peterka. “He makes whoever he plays with better; I feel like myself, big time. But on top of that, just a lot of chemistry. I feel like it’s a tough league to produce (in), and if you’ve got good chemistry with some guys, it goes a long way.”

Quinn now has three goals and two assists during a three-game point streak after previously going 13 games without a goal.

“I think the confidence is what’s been missing at times for me this year, and you can kind of see it coming now,” he said. “And it’s translating into some production. I think the chemistry with Clouder and JJ has helped that a lot. Just (need to) keep building on it.”

2. Buffalo’s fourth goal came shorthanded in the third period from Alex Tuch, who tied Sam Reinhart for the NHL lead with five shorthanded tallies this season.

Later in Zach Benson’s high-sticking minor, though, Ryan Poehling scored to restore the Flyers’ three-goal lead. Benson didn’t get a shift for the remainder of the game; he’d also been benched to conclude the second period after his turnover led to Michkov’s breakaway goal.

“The penalty at the end is the type of penalty you just can’t take,” Ruff said. “We’re trying to get back in the hockey game. We went with a heavy gamble on our penalty kill to get the shorthanded (goal) and we were trying the same. It took away an opportunity to maybe get a late charge.”

3. Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin was unavailable due to illness, putting his 500th NHL game on hold for now. Ruff said he’s doubtful for Sunday’s game, too.

• Read: Teammates share memories ahead of Dahlin’s 500th game

Jacob Bryson, after three straight games as a healthy scratch, entered the lineup in Dahlin’s place and skated 18:10.

Jason Zucker returned after missing Thursday’s game due to a family matter, while Sam Lafferty, who suffered a groin injury March 22 at Minnesota, remained out.

Up next

The three-game road trip continues Sunday versus the Capitals. Coverage on MSG begins at 2:30 p.m. with puck drop scheduled for 3.