Owen Tippett’s first career hat trick guides Flyers over Sabres.

Owen Tippett scored three goals to give the host Philadelphia Flyers a 5-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabers on Friday.

Joel Farabee and James van Riemsdyk added a goal each for the Flyers (25-32-11, 61 points), which snapped a four-game losing streak.

Kevin Hayes and Tony DeAngelo each had two assists for the Flyers. Goaltender Carter Hart made 36 saves.

Viktor Olofsson scored two goals for the Sabers (33–29–6, 72 points), who lost their second straight. Sabres’ goaltender Craig Anderson stopped 17 shots.

The Sabers entered the night six points behind the New York Islanders for the second wild-card spot. Buffalo is attempting to break an 11-year streak of missing the playoffs.

Buffalo went on the offensive in the third period and closed to within 4–1 when Olofsson scored on the power play at 2:27.

The Flyers responded by going ahead by four goals when Tippett scored his first career hat trick at 5:33 for a 5–1 lead. Tippett scored on a backhand and fell to the ice from the hat stands.

Olofsson’s second power-play goal came with only 0.4 seconds remaining, with the game already decided.

Tippett skated alone and made a backhand shot at 12:36 of the first period, which was blocked by Anderson. Just 23 seconds later, Buffalo’s Jordan Greenway had a great chance to score, but his backhand shot was blocked by Hart.

The Flyers went up 1–0 at 15:10 when Tippett fired a wrist shot into the top corner of the net on the power play.

Philadelphia took a 2–0 advantage at 3:53 of the second period when Farabi connected.

Tippett’s second goal, his 20th of the season, came at 13:14 to give the Flyers a 3–0 advantage.

Philadelphia kept up the pressure and took a 4–0 lead at 18:21 following Van Riemsdyk’s tap-in.

The Sabers appeared to vent their frustration as several players tangled with the Flyers by the board with 50.5 seconds remaining. Riley Stillman and Zemgus Girgenson were deeply troubled.

-Area Level Media