Sabres should get Lyon’s share of Flyers’ attention
VOORHEES, N.J. >> They were far from the team that more than occasionally tormented the Flyers in the 2000s, especially in their comfy Buffalo confines. In more recent years, the Sabres have essentially been an NHL laughingstock.
The club that lost a first-round playoff series in seven games to the Flyers in 2011 was the last Sabres club to make the playoffs. The team underwent a couple of rebuilds, in the locker room, the front office and ownership suites.
The waves of losses began to abate a couple of years ago, only to see them bottom out again last season with an NHL-worst 25-45-12 mark.
But that did give the Sabres a No. 1 overall draft pick, smartly used on defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, who is already excelling on the ice and perfectly complementing their other Swedish defender, Rasmus Ristolainen.
Recent top picks such as Jack Eichel and Sam Rinehart are starting to mature under head coach and Sabres legend Phil Housley. And Buffalo has acquired veterans such as Kyle Okposo and Jeff Skinner, helping to give this club depth long needed offensive depth.
The results are showing. With an exciting comeback win in overtime over the slumping Pittsburgh Penguins Monday night, the Sabres chalked up their sixth consecutive victory. So the Flyers’ visit to what is now called KeyBank Center Wednesday night isn’t exactly perfectly timed. At 13-6-2, the Sabres are in the thick of the Atlantic Division race.
“They’re playing good hockey,” Jake Voracek said Tuesday about the Sabres. “They’ve won six in a row. They have a couple of good shooters on their team. They’re working real hard right now. Dahlin’s back there; they have Ristolainen. Eichel, Skinner ... they’re a good group. They’ve been playing good hockey and it’s going to be a tough game.”
Although Flyers coach Dave Hakstol declined to confirm it Tuesday, this game could be Alex Lyon’s season debut in net for the Flyers.
With both Michal Neuvirth and Brian Elliott on the injury shelf, Lyon, the Yale product and Phantoms promotee is considered the backup to veteran signee Calvin Pickard. But Pickard isn’t exactly knocking them dead with a 4.60 goals-against average and brutal .852 saves percentage in his eight appearances.
So with a Sabres game Wednesday night, a Black Friday home matinee against the Rangers and a Saturday night game in tough Toronto, certainly it’s time for Lyon to get and stay prepared.
In 11 games filling in for both Elliott and the always injured Neuvirth last season, Lyon went 4-2-1 with a 2.75 GAA and .905 SP. He also gain valuable experience.
“I’m just ready to lay all my chips on the table,” Lyon said. “Just kind of see where I’m at, and play as hard as I can and play the best I can. I feel comfortable with myself and if I do that I can live with the results.”
Hakstol hasn’t been quick to trust young goalies such as Lyon or Anthony Stolarz during callup periods in the past, but with Pickard as the only other choice he might go all-in on Lyon.
“Alex did a good job for us last year,” Hakstol said. “Solid player for us. He gave us good, solid outings. Coming into camp this year we felt like we wanted to see
that next step from him, and obviously his camp was cut short with an injury. But he’s been able to come back and play some good hockey in Lehigh Valley, and the substance of the man hasn’t
changed. He’s prepared and when called upon he’ll be ready to go in and do a job for us.”
You get the idea he’ll have to do just that for the Flyers to have a chance.
“They’re streaking right now,” Sean Couturier said of the Sabres. “If you look at their lineup, they’ve got a lot of talent and skill. It’s going to be a tough game tomorrow. A big challenge.”