BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Tage Thompson and Noah Ostlund scored 2:36 apart in the closing minutes of the second period, and the Buffalo Sabres beat the Philadelphia Flyers 5-3 on Thursday night for their fourth straight win.
Josh Norris, Jack Quinn and Ryan McLeod also scored for the Sabres in their first game since Jarmo Kekalainen took over as general manager on Monday. In replacing Kevyn Adams, Kekalainen placed an emphasis on players showing character and the team consistency — two qualities lacking during the franchise's NHL-record 14-year playoff drought.
Click to Gallery
Buffalo Sabres goaltender Alex Lyon makes a save during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Philadelphia Flyers, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Buffalo Sabres center Noah Ostlund (86) and Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim (6) get separated by linesman Matt MacPherson (83) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Cam York celebrates his goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Buffalo Sabres, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Buffalo Sabres right wing Jack Quinn (22) celebrates his goal with left wing Zach Benson, left, during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Philadelphia Flyers Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Alex Lyon made 24 saves in accounting for all four wins during Buffalo’s season-best run.
Travis Konecny, Cam York and Noah Cates scored for the Flyers, who lost in regulation for the first time in six outings (2-1-3). Samuel Ersson stopped 23 shots.
The win was the 915th of Sabres coach Lindy Ruff’s career, moving him into fourth place on the NHL list, one ahead of Barry Trotz. Captain Rasmus Dahlin’s assist on a no-look pass in setting up Thompson’s goal was the 300th of the defenseman’s career.
Consistency was an issue for the slow-starting Sabres, who were outshot 12-4 in the opening period. Character, however, wasn’t in an outing they trailed 2-1 after York converted Trevor Zegras’ no-look pass 11:01 into the second period, and hung after Konecny cut Buffalo's lead to 4-3 with 5:32 remaining.
Thompson tied it at 2 with 3:06 left in the period to extend his goal streak to five games. Ostlund scored the go-ahead by floating a shot from the right point inside the near post. Norris sealed the win by putting the Sabres up 4-2 by scoring 10:20 into the third period with a power-play goal.
Flyers: At the New York Rangers on Saturday.
Sabres: Host the New York Islanders on Saturday.
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Buffalo Sabres goaltender Alex Lyon makes a save during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Philadelphia Flyers, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Buffalo Sabres center Noah Ostlund (86) and Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim (6) get separated by linesman Matt MacPherson (83) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Cam York celebrates his goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Buffalo Sabres, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Buffalo Sabres right wing Jack Quinn (22) celebrates his goal with left wing Zach Benson, left, during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Philadelphia Flyers Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Civilians were killed and injured overnight as Russia and Ukraine continued to attack each other with waves of drones.
Two people were killed in Russia’s Tatarstan, according to local officials, while Ukrainian authorities reported Russian drone attacks on the Black Sea port of Odesa and a fire near a border crossing with Poland.
Russia has ramped up its air campaign in recent weeks, using ballistic missiles and jet-powered drones to pierce Ukraine's defenses and capitalize on Kyiv’s dwindling stock of missile interceptors. Moscow’s attacks have targeted Ukraine’s power grid ahead of winter in what officials say is meant to demoralize civilians.
Two people were killed and 12 more injured on Sunday as Ukrainian drones struck Nizhnekamsk, a city in Tatarstan, according to the office of regional head Rustam Minnikhanov. The two civilians died after a drone slammed into a tree near their parked car, the statement staid.
Nizhnekamsk houses a key cluster of oil refineries and petrochemical, rubber and polymer plants, including some of Russia's largest facilities of their kind. Mayor Radmir Belyaev said that a fire had broken out “at one of the city’s enterprises,” without giving detail.
Ukraine’s recent long-range strikes have targeted Russia’s oil and gas industry, which Kyiv says both funds and directly fuels its war on Ukraine. The Ukrainian drone campaign has caused fuel rationing across Russia, despite the country being a key oil and gas exporter. Other Ukrainian strikes targeted major Russian online retailers, bringing the war ever closer to the public.
Ukraine also claimed on Sunday to have hit a major oil refinery in Slavyansk-on-Kuban, in Russia’s Krasnodar region, across from Crimea. The Defense Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) agency said its drones struck a key oil processing unit and the refinery’s tank farm overnight, sparking a massive blaze visible from dozens of kilometers (miles) away.
Krasnodar authorities said the strike on “an enterprise” in Slavyansk-on-Kuban injured three people, damaged an oil pipeline and started a blaze. They did not directly respond to the Ukrainian claims.
Russian forces shot down 389 Ukrainian drones during the night, Russia’s defense ministry said Sunday, including over Tatarstan, other Russian regions, and Russian-occupied Crimea.
At least nine people were injured in a “massive” Russian nighttime attack on Odesa, according to Serhii Lysak, who heads the city's military administration. The city is home to Ukraine's main port hub on the Black Sea and has for months faced sustained drone and missile strikes, with Kyiv accusing Moscow of trying to choke off its exports.
A Russian drone attack on Saturday struck a residential high-rise in Odesa, killing two people and injuring 26 others, Ukrainian officials said. The building's upper floors were completely destroyed, according to regional head Oleh Kiper.
Russian strikes also pounded western Ukraine throughout the night, though there were no immediate reports of casualties. One drone struck near the Yahodyn-Dorohusk border crossing with Poland, setting fire to a petrol station, according to Ukraine's top diplomat and a spokesperson for the local customs force.
In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, a residential building is seen in fire following a Russian air attack in Odesa, Ukraine, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)
A woman walks by the burning warehouse at the city entrance following Russian air attack in Odesa, Ukraine, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Shtekel)
Firefighters put out a fire at warehouse stores after a Russian air attack in Odesa, Ukraine, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Shtekel)
Firefighters put out a fire at warehouse stores after a Russian air attack in Odesa, Ukraine, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Shtekel)
