Philadelphia @ Buffalo preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 21, 2018 ) Philadelphia 2, Buffalo 5

The Buffalo Sabres' feel-good story that was built primarily on a franchise high-tying 10-game win streak has hit a sour chapter with four consecutive one-goal losses (0-2-2). Riding a nine-game point streak at KeyBank Center (7-0-2), the Sabres aim to get back on track on Saturday afternoon when they play the second contest of their four-game homestand against the Philadelphia Flyers.

"We've got to find a way to get back on the winning side of things. That starts Saturday," said Sam Reinhart, who has score a goal in four straight contests and has a point in each of his last five (five goals, three assists). The 23-year-old collected a goal and an assist in Tuesday's 4-3 overtime loss to Toronto to give him seven multi-point performances in his last 16 games, including scoring and setting up a goal in the Sabres' 5-2 win over Philadelphia on Nov. 21. The Flyers will begin a five-game road trip in Western New York after rallying late before falling for the ninth time in 14 contests at home (5-7-2) with a 4-3 overtime loss to Columbus on Thursday. "Obviously it was good resilience to battle back and tie the game up, but there were a lot of areas that we'd like to be better in and wish didn't have to get to that point," said defenseman Travis Sanheim, who doubled his career total by scoring his first two goals of the season during a 2:05 span in the third period.

TV: 1 p.m. ET, NBCS Philadelphia, Sportsnet, MSG-Buffalo

ABOUT THE FLYERS (11-12-3): Captain Claude Giroux scored a goal and set up another against the Blue Jackets, giving him 18 (six goals, 12 assists) of his team-leading 32 points in the last 12 games. Giroux, who also has a club-best 22 assists and is tied for the team lead in goals (10), joined fellow 30-year-old Wayne Simmonds by scoring in the first encounter with Buffalo. Simmonds, however, has been held off the scoresheet in four straight outings and eight of his last 11.

ABOUT THE SABRES (17-8-4): Reinhart isn't the only former second overall pick of an NHL draft excelling for Buffalo, which has seen captain Jack Eichel perform at a high level throughout the season. The 22-year-old Eichel scored twice in the third period against the Maple Leafs to record his 13th multi-point performance of the season, which is just five shy of his career high. Eichel leads Buffalo in assists (27) and points (34) while Jeff Skinner has a club-best 20 goals, with his tally that highlighted the Sabres' four-goal first period in the first meeting against Philadelphia representing the 24th point (14 goals, 10 assists) of his career against the team in 31 encounters.

OVERTIME

1. Philadelphia's 30th-ranked penalty kill has thwarted its opponents' last 14 man-advantage opportunities, although its No. 28 power play is 0-for-8 in its last eight games.

2. Buffalo RW Jason Pominville is expected to return to the ice after missing the past two contests with an upper-body injury.

3. Flyers RW Jakub Voracek has two goals and two assists during his three-game point streak.

PREDICTION: Sabres 4, Flyers 1