The Philadelphia Flyers closed out their 2024–25 season with a chaotic 5-4 loss to the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center on Thursday night.
The back-and-forth battle was loaded with offense, but the result — Philly’s 39th regulation loss — secured them the fourth-best odds in the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery.
Despite two goals from Matvei Michkov and a furious third-period push, the Flyers couldn’t overcome Buffalo’s early onslaught and fell just short in the season finale.
Let’s break it down.
1st Period: Buffalo Blitzes Early
Things got off the rails quickly. Buffalo needed less than five minutes to get on the board, with Alex Tuch sniping his 36th of the year off a smooth feed from Jason Zucker.
Just over nine minutes later, Peyton Krebs doubled the lead after a breakdown in the Flyers’ defensive coverage.
Down 2-0, the Flyers responded with a flash of skill from Michkov, who buried a wrister on the rush for his 25th goal of the season. Assists went to Tyson Foerster and Sean Couturier.
But any momentum gained was quickly erased. Buffalo struck again — this time Jack Quinn finishing off a pass from Ryan McLeod — to make it 3-1.
The Sabres outshot the Flyers 20-16 in the period and took a two-goal lead into the intermission.
2nd Period: Michkov Strikes Again
Just under two minutes into the second, JJ Peterka extended Buffalo’s lead to 4-1, taking advantage of continued defensive lapses and a screen in front of Aleksei Kolosov.
Still, Michkov wouldn’t let the Flyers go down quietly. At the 12:49 mark, the 20-year-old Russian phenom netted his second of the night (and 26th of the season) on a slick wrist shot from the slot, again with help from Couturier and Travis Konecny.
The goal gave Philly a glimmer of hope heading into the final frame.
Kolosov, despite the scoreline, was a busy man — turning aside 19 shots through two periods and keeping things from getting out of hand.
3rd Period: Push Comes Too Late
The Flyers came out flying in the third. Just 15 seconds in, Foerster found the back of the net off a centering pass from Noah Cates to cut the deficit to 4–3. The energy on the bench surged as Philly dominated puck possession for much of the period.
They had chances — Michkov nearly completed the hat trick on a power play, and Owen Tippett rang a shot off the post — but James Reimer stood tall in the Buffalo crease, finishing with 21 saves on the night.
Buffalo sealed the deal late. After a Flyers giveaway with under a minute remaining, Ryan McLeod snuck one through on the empty net to make it 5-3. Though Bobby Brink scored with 18.2 seconds left to bring Philly within one, it was too little, too late.
Final Thoughts
The Flyers finish their season at 33-39-10, missing the playoffs but securing solid lottery odds heading into a crucial offseason. Despite the result, there are bright spots — Michkov’s emergence as a future star, Foerster’s strong finish, and Couturier’s steady leadership.
There are also clear needs: defensive consistency, improved goaltending depth, and secondary scoring. With cap space and a top-five draft pick in play, GM Daniel Brière will have plenty of tools to work with.
Stats & Standouts
Matvei Michkov capped off his rookie campaign in style, tallying two goals and an assist while firing seven shots on goal. He was electric every time he touched the puck and gave Flyers fans another glimpse of his star potential. Tyson Foerster also closed the season on a high note, notching a goal and an assist, continuing his recent stretch of strong play.
Sean Couturier was a steady presence down the middle, registering two assists and winning 57% of his faceoffs in a strong two-way performance. On the other side, Ryan McLeod led the charge for Buffalo with a three-point night (one goal, two assists), playing a major role in three of the Sabres’ five goals.
Between the pipes, James Reimer stood tall for Buffalo, turning aside 21 of 25 Flyers shots and withstanding heavy pressure in the third. For Philadelphia, Aleksei Kolosov was sharp despite the loss, stopping 26 of 30 shots and keeping his team within striking distance throughout the night.
The season may have ended in disappointment for the Flyers, but with young talent like Michkov leading the way, there’s plenty of reason for optimism heading into the offseason. Daniel Brière and his team look forward to the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery in hopes of landing the top-spot.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login