Tippett's hat trick leads Philly Flyers past Buffalo 5-2

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Owen Tippett had his first career hat trick, Carter Hart made 34 saves and the Philadelphia Flyers defeated the Buffalo Sabres 5-2 on Friday night.

James van Riemsdyk and Joel Farabee also scored, and Kevin Hayes and Tony DeAngelo each had two assists for Philadelphia. The Flyers snapped a four-game skid while winning for just the fourth time in 14 games since the All-Star break.

“It’s pretty cool,” Tippett said. “It’s nice to get rewarded.”

Tippett, a promising 24-year-old acquired last season at the trade deadline from Florida for Claude Giroux, reached 21 goals on the season.

“He steps on the ice, he’s dangerous,” Flyers coach John Tortorella said. “We knew he was a good player. I think he thinks he’s a good player. I think he has a lot to learn still, but he’s made tremendous strides.”

Victor Olofsson scored both goals for the Sabres, who lost for the eighth time in 11 games to further hurt their playoff chances. Buffalo entered six points back of a wild-card spot and needed to jump three teams.

“We gotta get hot, we gotta get really hot,” Sabres captain Kyle Okposo said. “We gotta go on a run.”

The Flyers began play with the fifth-fewest points in the NHL, and losing only helps their lottery chances in the Connor Bedard sweepstakes. Bedard is considered to be a lock for the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming draft, and Philadelphia certainly could use his talents in its rebuilding process.

But first-year coach Tortorella also acknowledged prior to Friday’s game that winning games – even if occasionally – also is an important part of development.

The Flyers sure didn’t look like also-rans against slumping Buffalo.

Tippett put Philadelphia ahead 1-0 with 4:50 left in the first on the power play with a rocket of a wrist shot high into the right corner past goalie Craig Anderson’s glove.

He had the middle tally of Philadelphia’s impressive, three-goal second period on a one-timer just inside the right post after a stellar cross-ice pass from Hayes.

And Tippett converted a breakaway 5:33 into the third period on a beautiful deke and then backhander after being set up with DeAngelo’s long pass from Philadelphia’s goal line.

“Too big, too strong, great shot, good finisher,” DeAngelo said of Tippett.