The Flyers avoided a second straight loss Tuesday night.
But they may have suffered two more losses in the personnel department.
Alain Vigneault's club rebounded from its worst home loss since the head coach was hired in April 2019 by blanking the Sabres, 3-0, at the Wells Fargo Center.
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Following an 11-goal outburst in a pair of wins over the Penguins, the Flyers managed only four goals in their back-to-back set with Buffalo. However, considering the 6-1 thumping they took Monday from the Sabres, a split will look like a steak dinner to the Flyers as they head on their first road trip.
Travis Konecny, Jakub Voracek and Kevin Hayes (empty-netter) provided the goals Tuesday night, while Brian Elliott was superb in his first start of the season.
The victory may have come at a cost as Philippe Myers and Morgan Frost both exited with injuries and did not return.
The Flyers (3-1-0) have not lost consecutive games at home since Nov. 13-23, 2019, when they lost three straight on their ice, all after regulation. The Sabres (1-3-0) had a chance to change that but were quieted by Elliott.
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• Elliott has been so valuable to the Flyers and Carter Hart as a veteran backup. With the Flyers having some trouble preventing shots against the top-heavy Sabres, Elliott delivered a 40-save shutout.
Two of those stops came in succession and were of the highlight-reel variety during the first period with the game scoreless.
Elliott's 40 saves were the most by a Flyers goalie in a shutout since November 2014, when Steve Mason recorded 46 stops in a 1-0 shootout loss to the Islanders.
Elliott was clutch in spelling Hart during two critical junctures last regular season.
More impressive stuff from the reliable 35-year-old on Tuesday night.
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• Give credit for the Flyers for the way they tightened things up defensively. Pitching a shutout a night after being blown up for six goals is a big-time response early in the season.
Going back to last January, they've consistently gotten right back up on the horse.
• The Flyers have been outshot in all four of their games, with three of them by double-digit margins.
But they were substantially better Tuesday night in their get-after-you, compete-oriented, possession-based system. They also played two periods with five defensemen and the third period with 11 forwards.
Some good resolve and timely execution.
• Konecny broke loose on a breakaway when he scored his fourth goal in four games to hand the Flyers a 1-0 edge late in the second period.
Oskar Lindblom sprung him with a beautiful bank pass. Massive goal as the Flyers had fallen in a mini offensive spell and just lost Frost moments before the play.
Konecny and Lindblom were centered by Nolan Patrick, making for a young, up-and-coming line.
"We all love each other on and off the ice," Lindblom said, "so when we play together, we're having fun."
• Voracek's goal was huge and Hayes found him on the play before the center iced the game.
The Flyers are 24-0-1 in games that Hayes scores a goal, including both the regular season and playoffs.
• The Flyers hit the road for the first time this season when they face the Bruins in Boston on Thursday (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP) and Saturday (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP).
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