The Flyers had the stirring comeback.
The Sabres will take the win — and a shot at winning the playoff series at home.
Tyler Ennis scored off a rebound 5:31 into overtime Friday night to give Buffalo a 4-3 victory at Philadelphia and a 3-2 lead in their first-round series.
Mike Webber fired a slapper that knocked off Michael Leighton’s pad. Ennis swooped in from the right side and scored his second goal of the game.
The Sabres survived after blowing a 3-0 lead and can advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals with a victory in Game 6 on Sunday in Buffalo.
“All I know is I wanted to score the winner,” Ennis said. “I just wanted to be the guy who ended it.”
Ennis opened the scoring in the first period, and Thomas Vanek and Marc-Andre Gragnani also scored in the period to chase Flyers starting goalie Brian Boucher.
Leighton, who led the Flyers to the Stanley Cup finals a year ago, was flawless until overtime.
James van Riemsdyk, Andrej Meszaros and Danny Briere scored for Philadelphia.
Ryan Miller had 36 saves for Buffalo.
Predators 4, Ducks 3 (OT): Jerred Smithson scored 1:57 into overtime, and Nashville moved to the verge of winning its first playoff series with a victory in Anaheim, taking a 3-2 series lead.
Captain Shea Weber tied it on a long slap shot with 35.3 seconds left in regulation for the Predators, who had never even won three games in a series before their dramatic comeback stunned the Ducks.
The Predators can close it out in Game 6 on Sunday in Nashville.
Ference fined for obscene gesture: Boston Bruins defenseman Andrew Ference is content with being fined $2,500 by the NHL for an obscene gesture toward Montreal fans that he says was unintentional.
Ference raised the middle finger of his left glove after his goal cut the Canadiens’ lead to 3-2 midway through the second period Thursday night.
The Bruins won 5-4 in overtime to even the series at 2. Game 5 is in Boston tonight.
“I was pumping my fist,” Ference said. “I’m not giving anybody the bird or anything like that. (It was) an unintentional bird that I obviously apologized for. It wasn’t meant to insult anybody, especially a whole row of cameras in the Bell Centre and the fans sitting there.”
Boston coach Claude Julien stood by his player, but Montreal goalie Carey Price was more skeptical about Ference’s explanation.
“Come on, man,” Julien said. “I’m sure he feels shame. … It’s over now. I’m over it.”
Vezina Trophy finalists named: Roberto Luongo of the Vancouver Canucks, Pekka Rinne of the Nashville Predators and Tim Thomas of the Bruins are the finalists for the NHL’s Vezina Trophy for best goaltender.
The winner will be announced June 22 at the NHL awards ceremony in Las Vegas.
Briefly: The Los Angeles Kings activated left wing Scott Parse after a five-month absence because of a hip injury.
