Flyers 2, Sabres 1
PHILADELPHIA -- Matt Read scored the go-ahead goal with 4:21 left in the third period to lift the Philadelphia Flyers to a 2-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night.
Marc-Andre Bourdon scored the tying goal early in the third, and the Flyers dealt a serious blow to Buffalo's playoff hopes.
Ville Leino scored the only goal for the Sabres, who entered the game tied with Washington for the final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference. Both teams have one game remaining.
The Flyers secured at least fifth place in the East. They'll face the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round next week. The Penguins need a victory over the New York Rangers on Thursday night to clinch fourth place and get home-ice advantage against Philadelphia.
The Flyers are 5-0 at Pittsburgh's new arena so it wouldn't be much of an advantage.
Read took an outlet pass from Jake Voracek, skated around Robyn Regehr, broke in alone and beat goalie Ryan Miller with a forehand shot for his 24th goal.
Bourdon ripped a one-timer past Miller to tie it at 1-1 six minutes into the third. Bourdon was standing outside the left faceoff circle when he took a pass from Andreas Lilja and fired it in for his fourth goal.
Philadelphia goalie Ilya Bryzgalov made an outstanding save a few minutes later to keep it 1-1. He slid across the crease to rob Tyler Ennis on a point-blank shot.
Leino, a former Flyer, scored with 2:34 left to give the Sabres a 1-0 lead. He jammed a rebound off a shot by Drew Stafford past Bryzgalov.
The Flyers' best chance in the first period came on a shorthanded breakaway, but Miller stoned Read. But the rookie made up for it by scoring the winning goal.
A shot by Jody Shelley early in the second trickled past Miller, but Buffalo's Andrej Sekera swiped the puck away just before it crossed the goal line.
Notes: Bryzgalov made his second straight start after missing three games with a chip fracture of his right foot. ... Before the game, Flyers All-Star Claude Giroux received the Bobby Clarke Award for team MVP. ... Leino had 21 goals in 94 games with Philadelphia from 2009-11. ... Stafford has eight points in his last eight games. ... The Flyers swept the season series, going 4-0 against Buffalo.
