Flyers Notes: Flyers still struggling on the power play

The Flyers' power-play doldrums at the end of the regular season have carried into the Eastern Conference quarterfinals against Buffalo.

The Flyers are 2 for 26 (7.7 percent) on the power play, which is directed by assistant Joey Mullen, and have squandered four five-on-three opportunities.

"It's frustrating," winger Scott Hartnell, who is searching for his first goal in the series, said after Saturday's practice in Voorhees. ". . . We're getting end-zone time, but just not getting the timely tip or the timely bounce or nice shot. We have great players that would be on the first power-play units on a lot of teams. We have to bear down and work a little harder."

Buffalo has a three-games-to-two lead in the series, which it can wrap up with a home win Sunday afternoon.

The Flyers went 5 for 41 on the power play in their last 14 regular-season games. Add that to the playoffs, and they are just 7 for 67 (10.4 percent) in their last 19 games.

During Saturday's practice, the Flyers' power play had a new look. James van Riemsdyk was near the crease, flanked by Danny Briere and Claude Giroux. Mike Richards and Kimmo Timonen were at the points.

Flyers coach Peter Laviolette, who closely watched the power play's workout, credited the Sabres' penalty-killing efforts.

"I think Buffalo has done a good job," Laviolette said. "We have had a lot of shots and a lot of looks on the power play and haven't been able to get it through. They've done a good job of taking away lanes and blocking shots. They've done a good job of putting their body in front of it, so that we're trying to change the lane and change the angle - and by doing that, we're missing the net."

In their 4-3 overtime loss in Game 5 on Friday, the Flyers were 0 for 5 on the power play, including a chance late in regulation.

Buffalo forward Tyler Ennis is just 5-foot-9, 157 pounds, but he made the biggest impact in Game 5, scoring two goals - including the overtime winner.

Ennis, a 21-year-old rookie who had 20 goals and 49 points in the regular season, had just one assist in the series before his breakout game Friday.

"It puts a smile on your face as a coach because I thought Ennis was tremendous," Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff said. "You are going to one of the toughest buildings and one of the loudest to play in. That kid played fearless and hard and started from the first shift. If anyone deserved the game-winning goal, it would probably be him, but our young guys have to be given credit because they haven't been in this situation before."

In Friday's win, the Sabres got three goals from rookies - two from Ennis, and one from defenseman Marc-Andre Gragnani.

The Flyers are 4-1 the last five times they have faced an elimination game. . . . Enforcer Jody Shelley, who underwent orbital-bone surgery last month, has been cleared to play, but he said he was not upset that Laviolette bypassed him for Phantoms call-up Zac Rinaldo in Game 5. Rinaldo played just three shifts, totaling 1 minute, 56 seconds, and it wouldn't be surprising if Ben Holmstrom, who scored 16 goals for the Phantoms this season, replaces him Sunday.

- Sam Carchidi