Rookie forward Cole Knuble gave the Flyers exactly the kind of burst they needed Wednesday night, scoring twice in a 3-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres for Philadelphia’s third straight victory.
It was only Knuble’s second career game, but he made the night a family memory too. His first two NHL goals came with his father, former NHL forward Mike Knuble, watching from the stands. Mike Knuble played 1,068 games with five teams.
Trevor Zegras added the other Philadelphia goal, and Dan Vladar did the rest with 27 saves as the Flyers kept rolling after opening the season 0-6-3.
The game turned late in the first period, when Philadelphia struck twice in a 4:28 span. Knuble opened the scoring at 14:49 for his first career goal, then Zegras made it 2-0 at 19:17 by batting a rebound of Matvei Michkov’s shot out of the air and past Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen on the power play.
Buffalo answered in the second. Jason Zucker, making his season debut after sports hernia surgery, scored on the power play at 19:25 to trim the margin to 2-1.
But Knuble shut the door early in the third. Just 3:03 into the period, he made it 3-1 by banking the puck in off Luukkonen’s skate.
Luukkonen finished with 23 saves for the Sabres, who are 1-1-2 over their last four games. Buffalo also had captain Rasmus Dahlin back in the lineup after he missed four games with an upper-body injury.
The Flyers also got Tyson Foerster back after he missed one game with an undisclosed injury.
Both teams return to action Saturday. Buffalo begins a four-game trip against the Washington Capitals, and Philadelphia comes home to face the Anaheim Ducks.
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Detroits interim general manager Shawn Horcoff initially said the club would not even consider trade offers, but that stance has reportedly softened as discussions with multiple teams have picked up. For the Flyers, it is the kind of situation worth monitoring because the clock is now part of the equation, with Edvinsson needing to sign by Dec. 1 to be eligible for the 2026-27 season and giving Detroit a deadline that could eventually force movement. [Read more 🡒]
Cole Knuble Just Gave The Flyers A Tougher Roster Decision
Cole Knubles first taste of NHL scoring came at a fitting time for the Flyers, who are already leaning harder on young players as injuries thin out the forward group. The rookie forward found the net against the Buffalo Sabres, a milestone that fits neatly into Philadelphias broader youth movement and gives the coaching staff another name to weigh as the roster gets tighter.
The moment carried a little extra edge because Mike Knuble, the former NHL forward and Coles father, was in the building to see it. For a Flyers team trying to balance development with immediate needs, plays like that only complicate the conversation in a good way, giving the organization another young forward who is starting to make his case when opportunity opens up. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers Suddenly Have A New Reason To Watch This Turnaround
The Flyers brief surge has given the season a different feel after a nine-game skid, and the latest sign came in a 3-1 win over Buffalo with Dan Vladar helping steady things in net. Even beyond the result, the organization has adjusted its schedule by pushing back a season-ticket holder event so Rick Tocchet can keep his focus on the games ahead, a small but telling move as Philadelphia tries to make sense of where this stretch can take it.
Cole Knuble also gave the night a jolt with a breakthrough performance that fit the kind of energy the Flyers have been trying to build during this turnaround. And with the front office still active behind the scenes on the roster front, the next few days could say a lot about how seriously Philadelphia wants to lean into this run rather than treat it as just a short-lived bounce. [Read more 🡒]