What does it say when the best player on the ice is a rookie playing in his first game in the National Hockey League?  It says you have a team without leadership, chemistry, fortitude and seemingly a team without pride.  The Buffalo Sabres inserted 20-year old Williamsville native Justin Bailey into the lineup for Thursday night's game against the Philadelphia Flyers and he made his mark with physical play and put himself in a position to score all night long.  The rest of the team could learn something from him.  Bailey finished with seven shots on goal and came close to scoring his first NHL goal in his first game.

The Sabres turned in their second straight wretched game in a 5-1 loss to the Philadelpia Flyers.  The Flyers scored four times in the second period to win in a breeze.  The Sabres lost this one in the first period when they dominated play, outshooting the Flyers 14-6 and despite three power plays failed to score.

After the first intermission the Flyers scored on their first two shots of the second period and the dam burst.  The Sabres spent the rest of the period chasing the puck and the Flyers and did a miserable job at both.

The Sabres' Jamie McGinn finally broke thru late in the third period to break the Flyers shutout bid, but the Flyers came right back a minute later to go up by four again.  After giving up four goals in 21 minutes of play against Florida Robin Lehner gave up all five goals against the Flyers. He stopped only 23 of 28 shots. This is the shutdown goaltender the Sabres gave up a first round draft choice for?

The Sabres now have lost four straight.  They host the Montreal Candiens Friday night at First Niagara Center.

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