Cole Knuble Scores Twice In Front Of Father Mike Knuble As Philadelphia Flyers Beat Buffalo Sabres

Cole Knuble Scores Twice in Front of Father Mike Knuble© Instagram

Cole Knuble is two games into his NHL career and already has a story worth telling. The Flyers rookie scored twice Wednesday night at KeyBank Center as Philadelphia beat the Buffalo Sabres 3-1, and his father Mike Knuble, a former NHL forward who spent several seasons with the Flyers himself, was in the building to watch it happen. Cole is playing his second NHL game. He now has two career goals. The win was Philadelphia's third straight after the team opened the season 0-6-3, one of the rougher starts in recent franchise history. This one did not require a late rally. The Flyers were in front early and held the lead throughout.

How the Goals Came

Cole Knuble's first came at 14:49 of the first period, assisted by Denver Barkey and Jacob Gaucher, his linemates on the fourth line. He had been getting looks from the start and finished one. Trevor Zegras added a power-play goal at 19:17 of the same period, and Philadelphia carried a 2-0 lead out of the first.

Buffalo got on the board in the second, when Jason Zucker scored a power-play goal at 19:25. It was Zucker's season debut after sports hernia surgery. Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin was also back after missing four games with an upper-body injury, and Flyers forward Tyson Foerster returned after missing one game.

Cole Knuble sealed it in the third. At 3:03, he drove to the net and the puck banked off goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen's skate and in, assisted again by Barkey. Dan Vladar was sharp all night for Philadelphia, stopping 27 of 28 shots. Luukkonen stopped 23 for Buffalo.

The Knuble Name in Philadelphia

Mike Knuble played for five NHL franchises over his career, but his time in Philadelphia was some of his most productive. He scored 34 goals in the 2005-06 season, a career high, and 24 the following year. Cole signed with the Flyers organization in March 2026 out of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms system.

Both teams are back on the ice Saturday. The Sabres open a four-game road trip against the Washington Capitals, while the Flyers host the Anaheim Ducks.