Disappointed Flyers enthused by their play in Game 1

Though disappointed they were edged in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series against Buffalo, many Flyers are looking back at last year's playoff series with Boston for inspiration.

The Flyers thought they had outplayed Buffalo in dropping a 1-0 decision Thursday. That's also what they were saying last spring about most of the first three games - all losses - against the Bruins.

"The start was like when we were playing Boston last year," center Claude Giroux said after Friday's practice in Voorhees. "We were playing good, but we just weren't getting the bounces. I think it's just a matter of time before the bounces come our way."

The Flyers will try to even the series when the teams meet at 5 p.m. Saturday at the Wells Fargo Center.

In Thursday's opener, the Flyers outshot the Sabres, 35-25, and had one of their better forechecking games in the last month.

But Buffalo goalie Ryan Miller had all the answers.

"The quality of shots wasn't what we had hoped," winger Scott Hartnell said.

Still, the Flyers believe that there were many more positives than negatives with their overall performance.

"I thought we controlled most of the game," Giroux said.

"I don't think it's the game we have a problem with; it's the score," coach Peter Laviolette said. "But that's an issue. You're on limited time here in the playoffs, and you only get so much of it to make your mark."

About two months ago, it would have been difficult to imagine the Flyers' being in this predicament: trailing the Sabres in the conference quarterfinals.

Back then, the sad-sack Sabres weren't even in an Eastern Conference playoff spot - and were 24 points behind the first-place Flyers, who were 10 points ahead of eventual East champion Washington.

But after a change of ownership, a trade that brought winger Brad Boyes from St. Louis, and Miller's regaining the form that helped him win the Vezina Trophy the previous season, the Sabres became the NHL's hottest team.

Getting more traffic in front of Miller looms as a key, center Danny Briere said.

"We got in there, but we didn't get our hands on the rebounds," Briere said. "He was good, but we can probably do a better job of screening him. It was one of those nights where the puck didn't want to find its way behind him, but if we come up with the same effort, I think we'll be fine."

"I was pretty happy the way we came out, but we lost, and it obviously wasn't enough," said defenseman Kimmo Timonen, adding that the team's "desperation level has to be even more" on Saturday.

Or they will shuffle off to Buffalo in a gargantuan hole.

"Obviously, it's a big game for us to get back to even," Briere said. "We know we can win on the road, so that's a positive. But it's a big one. We definitely don't want to be in the hole, two-zip."

Briere said the Flyers had some quality opportunities but made it too easy on Miller during their five power-play chances.

"He was able to see the puck, and that's the one adjustment maybe we have to do better," Briere said.

The Flyers received a jolt of confidence from the way rookie goalie Sergei Bobrovsky (24 saves) played in his postseason debut. Bobrovsky, who was up and down in the season's second half, wasn't forced to make many difficult saves, but he was solid.

"Everybody showed up. I don't think one guy played bad," Giroux said. "We played as a team, and that's why we got so far last year - playing as a team. We just have to find the same game tomorrow."

Said Laviolette: "No one likes being behind in a series. It's not what you prepare for, so we have our work cut out now."

Laviolette doesn't think the Flyers need to make any adjustments to solve Miller.

"Just stick with our game plan," he said. "We scored a lot of goals this year, so there's a confidence in our group. We were one of the top-scoring teams in the league. It just didn't happen" Thursday.