Ersson get first shutout as Flyers blank Sabres

Joel Farabee had one goal and one assist to lift the Philadelphia Flyers past the host Buffalo Sabres 4-0 on Monday.

Zack MacEwen, Noah Cates and Wade Allison each added one goal for the Flyers.

Travis Konecny contributed two assists and extended his point streak to nine straight.

Flyers goaltender Sam Ersson stopped all 28 saves for his first career shutout in just his fifth start.

The Sabres, who had won eight of nine heading into Monday's contest, were blanked for the first time this season.

Sabres goaltender Craig Anderson made 34 saves.

The Flyers went ahead 1-0 at 2:04 of the first period when MacEwen made an aggressive move in front and scored to snap a drought spanning 27 games.

The Sabres nearly equalized at 9:18 when Peyton Krebs corralled a puck at center ice following the end of a Philadelphia power play. Krebs skated in all alone but was denied by Ersson.

Farabee took advantage of a bouncing puck and scored at 13:31 for a 2-0 advantage.

Philadelphia moved out to a 3-0 lead at 14:58 when Cates connected.

Ersson made a spectacular sprawling save on a point blank shot by Tyson Jost at 10:24 of the second period. In the next two minutes, the Sabres fired a flurry of shots but came away empty.

Jeff Skinner ripped a shot off the post just 34 seconds into the third as the Sabres came out aggressive.

The Flyers then took control and moved out to a 4-0 lead when Allison scored at 1:56.

Buffalo struggled to generate any kind of offensive rhythm midway through the third.

Jost fired a shot from the point just wide at 13:01.

The game became quite chippy at 13:30 after a scrum from multiple players on both sides in front of the Flyers' net. The Sabres came away with their first power play, but couldn't convert despite several good chances.