Flyers Continue Points Streak With Win Over Sabres

Report From Philadelphia Flyers

* The Flyers picked up standings points for the ninth consecutive game, going 6-0-3 since a 3-2 OT win vs. Pittsburgh on Jan. 20 – it’s the first time they’ve had a nine-game point streak since March 8-26, 2011 (5-0-4).

* Michael Raffl scored the game-winning goal in his return to the lineup after missing seven games while recovering from pneumonia. Braydon Coburn also returned to the lineup after missing 12 games with a lower body injury – he appeared in 11:27 of ice-time.

* Chris VandVelde had five shots tonight, which ties a career high. The only other time was March 29, 2011 in a game for Edmonton vs. Los Angeles.

* VandeVelde and Claude Giroux (also five) were responsible for 10 of the Flyers’ 30 shots on goal.

* The Flyers resume their schedule when they return home on Tuesday night to host Columbus (7:00, CSN, 97.5 The Fanatic).

GAME RECAP

BUFFALO — Michael Raffl scored the tiebreaking goal with 7:15 left in the third period to give the Philadelphia Flyers a 2-1 win against the Buffalo Sabres at First Niagara Center on Sunday.

Raffl’s 13th goal of the season came when he beat Sabres goalie Michal Neuvirth on a wraparound. He came out from behind the net to Neuvirth’s left and tucked a shot that trickled into the net. Raffl was playing for the first time since Jan. 20; he missed seven games with pneumonia.

The Flyers (24-22-10) have points in nine consecutive games (6-0-3). They are five points behind the Boston Bruins, who hold the second Eastern Conference wild-card position for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Sabres (16-37-3), last in the overall standings, lost four times during a five-game homestand.

Matt Read gave the Flyers an early 1-0 lead with his fifth goal of the season. Read deflected a shot from the blue line by forward Wayne Simmonds past Neuvirth 3:19 into the first period. Read and Simmonds each extended his point streak to four games.

Nikita Zadorov made it 1-1 with 6:03 left in the second period by scoring during a 5-on-3 power play. Zadorov’s third goal of the season came after Braydon Coburn was called for tripping and Claude Giroux was called for high-sticking with 7:35 left.

Zadorov received a pass from Rasmus Ristolainen and took a slap shot that beat Emery between his legs. It was Zadorov’s seventh point in the past seven games.

Zadorov’s goal was the Sabres’ first on a 5-on-3 advantage since the 2012-13 season. They went 0-for-10 with the two-man advantage in 2013-14 and were 0-for-4 this season.

Coburn returned to the Flyers lineup for the first time since Jan. 12 after he missed 12 games with a broken foot.

Defenseman Zach Bogosian made his Sabres debut after being acquired from the Winnipeg Jets in a trade and led all players with 11 hits in 24:48 of ice time.

Emery made 21 saves; Neuvirth finished with 28.