5 Things: Flyers vs. Sabres
QUICK STATS
Season Series: 2-0-0 (2019-20)
All-Time Record: 181gp (92-62-20-7)
Leading Scorer:
PHI - Travis Konecny: 5-pts (3g-2a)
BUF - Taylor Hall (1g-2a) & Jack Eichel (3a): 3-pts
1. STREAK, STREAK AND A STREAK
The Flyers will be looking to start their season with three straight wins for the first time since the 2011-12 season and the 12th time in team history... The Flyers also have a four-game winning streak against the Sabres, outscoring them 20-6 in the process, while also owning a seven-game home winning streak and they have earned at least a point in 14 straight home games against the Sabres - going 12-0-2 with their last regulation loss coming on Mar. 5, 2011... Claude Giroux and Ivan Provorov will be playing in their 318th consecutive regular season game and move into 2nd place all-time on the Flyers iron-man streak.
2. BUFFALO WILD WINGS
Buffalo kicks off a four-game road trip with a pair of back-to-backs in Philly then a two-game set in Washington DC... They dropped their first two games of the season to the Capitals in a back-to-back set to open the season on Jan. 14-15 with the first game combining for 10 goals (6-4) and the second game just three (2-1)... The Sabres have not lost three straight to open a season since 2017-18 or three straight in regulation since 2014-15.
3. THREE FOR THREE?
For the Flyers, seven players are looking to record points in three straight (Konecny, Hayes, Patrick, Laughton, Lindblom, van Riemsdyk and Giroux)... In addition, two players are looking to extend season-opening point streaks through the first three games for the second straight year (Konecny & Lindblom)... The Sabres have just two players who have recorded points in their first two games - Taylor Hall (1g-2a) and Jack Eichel (3a)... Hall opened last season with a two-game streak before having it snapped by the Flyers on Game #3.
4. THAT SPECIAL FEELING
The Sabres finished with the second-fewest penalties (214) last season and have picked up right where they left off - they have allowed a total of just two power plays through their first two games with both coming in their season opener... They have had eight power plays, going 1-for-8... The Flyers on the other hand have allowed eight power plays to their opponent through the first two games and allowed a goal on the penalty kill in both games... They have been on the receiving end of nine power plays, going 3-for-9.
5. PLAYERS TO WATCH
FLYERS (LW: #25 - James van Riemsdyk)
van Riemsdyk comes into tonight with points in each of his first two games - posting three points (1g-2a) in that stretch... He has never in his career recorded points in three straight to open a season... Against the Sabres, JVR has four goals and five points in his last three meetings... He also has the most goals (17) against Buffalo than any other team in his NHL career.
SABRES (C: #9 - Jack Eichel)
Eichel has points in each of the first two games of the season with three assists... The former 2nd overall pick behind Connor McDavid, Eichel has improved his goal scoring in each of the last four years, recording 36 goals in 68 games before the NHL Pause... Against the Flyers, he has eight goals and 11 points in 12 career meetings.