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Buffalo Sabres defeat Philadelphia Flyers 5-4: Full recap of Philadelphia's final game of 2025 season

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The Times Of Indiapublisher-detail-arrow
23rd April, 2025 21:50 IST


The Philadelphia Flyers wrapped up their 2024-25 season with a 5-4 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night, April 17, 2025 at KeyBank Center. There wasn’t a playoff berth on the line, but you wouldn’t have guessed it from the pace, the swings in momentum, and a couple of big individual performances that offered a small bright spot in an otherwise disappointing year.

Let’s be honest—this wasn’t how the Flyers wanted to finish things off. A wild, sometimes sloppy, occasionally thrilling, often frustrating 60 minutes that pretty much summed up their season. They showed some fight, gave up some tough goals, and in the end, just didn’t have enough to get the job done.

Buffalo Sabres jumps ahead early as Philadelphia Flyers struggle to respond
The Buffalo Sabres came out flying, and the Flyers looked like a team still trying to shake off the bus ride. Less than five minutes in, Alex Tuch beat Flyers rookie Devin Kaplan—making his NHL debut—and snapped home his 36th of the year off a feed from Jason Zucker. It wasn’t the debut moment Kaplan wanted to be part of, but he wasn’t the reason that puck found the net.




Philly nearly answered when Owen Tippett broke through on a clean breakaway but couldn’t beat James Reimer on the glove side. It felt like a moment that could’ve turned the tide, but Reimer held strong.

Then things got ugly. A delay-of-game penalty on Jacob Bernard-Docker gave Philly a power play—but they coughed up their 10th shorthanded goal of the season instead. Peyton Krebs took advantage of a turnover and buried it. 2-0, Buffalo.

Matvei Michkov responded quickly, sniping home a power play goal of his own—his 25th of the season. He found a seam in the slot and wired it past Reimer to pull Philly back within one. But the Sabres weren’t done. Ryan McLeod set up Jack Quinn for a tap-in less than a minute later. It was 3-1 after 20 minutes, and the Flyers were lucky it wasn’t worse.

The Sabres outshot Philly 14-5 in the opening frame and completely dictated the pace.


Buffalo Sabres keep Philadelphia Flyers at arm's length despite Matvie Michkov’s efforts
In the second, J.J. Peterka made it 4-1 on a 2-on-1, converting off a slick feed from McLeod. Moments before, Tage Thompson missed an open net that could’ve really blown it open. Instead, the Flyers hung around.




Michkov struck again at 7:11, collecting a pass in tight and sliding one past Reimer inside the post for his second of the night and 26th of the year. That goal secured him the NHL rookie lead in goals for the season. Not a bad way to finish your first year in the league.

Kolotov, meanwhile, was doing his best to keep things respectable. He stopped Krebs on a breakaway, then Peterka, who looked dangerous all night. Ryan Poehling came close to making it a one-goal game, ringing a shot off the crossbar. On the same play, his skate narrowly missed Reimer’s neck—a scary moment that thankfully didn’t end badly.

By the end of two, Buffalo still led 4-2, and the shots were 24-16 in their favor.


Third-period push gives Philadelphia Flyers brief glimpse of a comeback
If you were still watching, you were rewarded early in the third. Just 15 seconds in, Tyson Foerster snapped a shot past Reimer to make it 4-3. The assist came from Noah Cates , with Bobby Brink also picking up a helper.

Suddenly, it felt like the Flyers had a shot to steal this one. They nearly tied it when Sean Couturier pounced on a rebound off the end boards, but the puck didn’t fully cross the line. Toronto reviewed it and upheld the no-goal call.

Peterka had another chance to ice it but was robbed again by Kolosov. Then came the turning point—or what should’ve been. Peyton Krebs got a clean two-man breakaway, but instead of passing, he ripped a shot off the crossbar. That miss kept Philly alive.

Peterka did beat Kolosov at 16:34, but the Flyers challenged the goal for goaltender interference. After a tense review, the goal came off the board. The Flyers still had life.

With 2:59 left, Tuch tripped Michkov and gave Philly one last power play chance. Michkov got a look from the right circle, but Reimer got a piece of it.

That set the stage for McLeod to seal it. With the Flyers net empty, he picked off a puck and scored into the vacated cage with 47.9 seconds left. That insurance goal turned out to be critical.

Because, of course, the Flyers didn’t quit. With Kolosov on the bench, Brink hammered a shot from the point that found its way through traffic. Michkov and Poehling assisted. 5-4. But that’s where the comeback ended.




Final shots and reflections
Kolosov made 27 saves in the loss. Reimer turned away 21. Shots finished 32-25 for Buffalo.

Michkov had two goals and an assist in the loss, capping off a brilliant rookie season. He ended the year with 26 goals and 37 assists for 63 points—leading the Flyers in goals, and becoming the first rookie to do so since Andre Lacroix in 1968-69. He also tied for fifth all-time among Flyers rookies in power play goals, joining names like Lindros and Gagne.

It was a tough night to be a goalie, and even tougher to be a Flyers fan. But if there’s one thing this game made clear, it’s that Michkov is real. He’s the kind of player who gives you a reason to tune in, even when the playoffs are out of reach.


Turning point: Matvie Michkov’s response to the SHG
After the Flyers gave up their 10th shorty of the year, Michkov answered almost immediately with a power play goal. It was a sign that this team, despite being down in the standings, wasn’t going to just roll over in their final game.


Postgame notes

Devin Kaplan’s NHL debut was a bit of a baptism by fire. He played 12:12, had a shot blocked, and logged a hit. Not flashy, but not overwhelmed either.

The Flyers finished the year 33-39-10, good for 29th in the NHL. That kind of year won’t bring many parades, but there were a few silver linings.

Philly’s power play ranked 30th in the league at 14.6%, and they went 1-for-2 Thursday. Unfortunately, Krebs’ shorty erased that tally.

The Flyers ended the season with the most blocked shots in the NHL—1,457, including 19 more on Thursday. That’s one thing they could hang their hat on.

Lindy Ruff notched his 900th win behind the Sabres’ bench. That’s a hell of a milestone.

So that’s a wrap. Another year in the books. It wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t easy. But there were moments—small ones, like Michkov lighting the lamp, Kolosov standing tall, or Brink giving a final push—that reminded us why we watch this game in the first place.

Next season can’t come soon enough.




Also Read: Evander Kane’s fiancée Mara Teigen is enjoying every bit of motherhood even though her eyes look tired | NHL News - The Times of India

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