PHILADELPHIA -- Former first-round pick Tyler Ennis learned how quickly things can change in professional hockey. The rookie spent Thursday night playing against Chris Taylor. Forty-eight hours later, he was making his NHL debut against Chris Pronger and the Flyers.
The Sabres realized Saturday morning they would be without winger Drew Stafford, who suffered a hip-flexor injury, and summoned Ennis from Portland in time for the game. His plane landed about 5:10, and he didn't arrive at the Wachovia Center until about an hour before faceoff. Ennis played his first shift on the power play with Tim Connolly and Paul Gaustad up front.
He was with Connolly and Thomas Vanek on his first regular shift.
Ennis was selected 26th overall in 2008, the year the Sabres took Tyler Myers with the 13th pick overall. The 5-foot-9, 163-pound center has Mite size but NHL hands and speed. He had six goals and 13 points, making him Portland's second-leading scorer behind Mark Mancari. The 20-year-old had 43 goals and 85 points last season for Medicine Hat in Western Hockey League.
Sabres coach Lindy Ruff was impressed after seeing Ennis record two assists Thursday night when Portland played Rochester in HSBC Arena.
"He makes a lot of good plays," Ruff said. "With a skill guy out of the lineup, we look to put a little more skill against these guys."
FIRST PERIOD
20:00 remaining: Santa Claus stopped in the press box and gave me a candy cane. No, I didn't boo him. That's what they do in Philadelphia.
19:34: Flyers waste no time buzzing around the Sabres net. Mike Richards, Scott Hartnell and Claude Giroux each had chances with Ryan Miller making saves.
18:32: Dan Carcillo goes off for cross-checking after starting trouble, which he does, with Tyler Myers. Ennis plays his first shift on the power play has a scoring chance after deflecting Jason Pominville's shot from the blue line.
16:49: Sabres take a 1-0 lead when Vanek buries a pass in the slot from Clarke MacArthur on the power play. The goal was the result of good puck movement. Roy found MacArthur below the goal line, and MacArthur sent a touch pass to Vanek in front of the net.
11:57: Kennedy has a good scoring chance after taking a pass from Hecht in the right circle, but Emery makes a good save with his blocker.
10:23: Vanek sent to the box for hooking Coburn. It's an easy call and not a good penalty considering the Flyers have the best PP in the NHL.
8:14: Hecht does a great job killing penalties before getting dumped by Pronger in the Flyers' zone.
2:39: Roy draw his second penalty, this one on Coburn for interference after he chopped Roy's stick out of his hands.
2:09: Pominville rattles one off the post. He entered the game with eight goals and 17 points in 16 career games against Philly.
1:57: Gaustad and Pronger are sent off for roughing after a scrum in front of the Philly net. Gaustad was hardly backing down from one of the nastiest players in the game. If anything, Gaustad was initiating a dustup after Pronger popped him in the crease.
0:00 End of period. Sabres 1, Flyers 0.
SECOND PERIOD
19:24: Roy wins a battle with Darroll Powe along the wing, sets up Pominville for a one-timer and draws a hooking penalty in the process.
17:32: Montador makes a good play by getting a good wrist shot -- not a slapper -- on net bounces over Roy's stick in the slot on a good scoring chance.
14:46: Kaleta is drilled by Mike Richards along the wall.
14:40: Kaleta flattens Matt Carle in the neutral zone.
12:57: Jeff Carter is shipped to the box for slashing Andrej Sekera. Dumb.
12:33: Tim Connolly catches Emery out of position and nearly slips a wrist shot past the goaltender.
6:29: The Sabres continue to get into shot lanes and win races to loose pucks. They're simply playing harder than the Flyers at this point.
5:10: Ennis? Yes. The rookie takes a pass from Tim Kennedy, makes a move in the right circle and fires a wrist shot off Emery and into the net for his first NHL goal. Who was more thrilled, Ennis or Kennedy? Ennis. He can't wipe the smile off of his face. His teammates are having fun watching him have fun.
0:30: Miller beats Mika Pyarola to the far post, stopping a wraparound attempt. The Sabres are one step ahead in this game.
0:00 End of second period. Sabres 2, Flyers 0.
THIRD PERIOD
17:17: Pronger cuts the lead to 2-1 when he takes a pass from Jeff Carter and fires a wrist shot through a screen, beating Miller glove side. Now it gets interesting.
15:56: Vanek is sent off again, this time for slashing Mike Richards. The Flyers appear to be gaining momentum from Pronger's goal and the best PP in the league.
15:31: Not so fast. Briere retaliates against Chris Butler with a two-hander across the neck. Not too smart, Danny.
13:35: Gaustad scores on the power play, giving the Sabres a 3-1 lead, after he wins a faceoff against Blair Betts and heads for the net. Tyler Myers fires a low slapper, and Gaustad tips the puck between Emery's pads.
10:40: Pronger is called for delay of game.
9:39: Carter scores shorthanded after winning a battle around the net despite being surrounded by four Buffalo throwback jerseys. The play started when Connolly coughed up the puck in the neutral zone. Mike Richards did a good job getting the puck to the net.
1:35: Miller runs into Miller during another scoring chance.
0:00: End of game. Sabres 3, Flyers 2. Buffalo's three-game winning streak is impressive considering they played over four nights, two back-to-back games against tough teams in Calgary and Philly, plus travel.
--- Bucky Gleason
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