Jack Eichel has been red hot for his team this month. Eichel is leading from the front of teh pack. The Sabres have had their challenges scoring goals and creating offense. It hasn't been easy, but Eichel continues to keep his head down and block out the outside noise surrounding his strugling team. In his past 10 games, Eichel has scored 6 goals and 5 assists. Eichel now has 13 goals and 17 assists in 35 games played this season.
On Friay night, Eichel led his Sabres to a 4-2 win over the streaking Philadelphia Flyers. The win snapped Buffalo's three-game losing streak.
Buffalo’s four goals in the third period were the team’s highest single-period total since December 13, 2016 vs. the LA Kings.
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Eichel became the first Buffalo Sabre in the 47 year history of the franchise to score two empty-net goals in the same game and the first Sabres to record a game-winning goal on an empty net since Miroslav Satan did it on January 22, 2004 at Boston.
Robin Lehner made 33 saves on 35 shots in the win. Lehner now has a .935 save percentage and a 1.94 GAA in 14 home games this season. Among regular NHL goaltenders (minimum 10 games played at home), Lehner now ranks first in the NHL in both stats at home.
Lehner has now stopped 237 of 252 shots (.940 SV%) in his last seven games. In those games, he has also stopped 180 of 188 shots faced during 5v5 play (.957 SV%), which includes two goals allowed with an opponent’s extra attacker on the ice.
With two points (1G,1A) in the win over Philly, Ryan O’Reilly now has 16 points (5G,11A) in 15 career games against the Flyers, including 11 points (3G,8A) in eight games against Philadelphia as a member of the Sabres.
Evander Kane potted a goal and added an assist for his team-high 15th goal of the season. Kane now has 33 points in 35 games this season.
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Logan Couture has a concussion and will not play against the LA Kings on Saturday night. Couture hasn't played since last Friday's game at Rogers Arena having taken a hit from Canucks forward Alex Burmistrov.
Couture, a noted #BillsMafia boss, was forced out game and into the quiet room with a heavy hit from Burmistrov just 5:12 into the third period of play. Burmistrov was given a penalty for interference. Burmistrov appeared to drive his shoulder into Couture’s mouth/chin area.
Couture leads the Sharks in scoring with 15 goals and 11 assists in 31 games.
After his teammates practiced on Thursday, Couture took a skate. The news was less than promising for the injured forward who told media:
“There’s a lot of stuff that has to happen to come back. You can’t just skate and then say you’re fine,” Couture said.
He added:
“I’m not playing if I don’t feel good. It could be one game, it could be 10 games, it could be the whole season. With head injuries, you don’t know. There’s no timeline. Everyone’s different. Everyone handles it different. Everyone’s brain handles it different. These are usually injuries that are tough to judge.”
OUCH! That does not sound promising at all. I applaud Couture for his open minded approach to his brain injury. Right now, he must continue to listen to team doctors and to his body. The healing process cannot be accelarated nor can shortcuts be taken in highly sensitive matters like concussion recovery.
Couture hasn’t played in a game this week. The Sharks are 1-1 in his absence. They lost to the Edmonton Oilers on Monday night and defeated Vancouver in OT on Thursday night. Couture has been ruled out for the LA Kings grudge match on Saturday.
Couture’ concussion has become a huge concern for DeBoer and Sharks GM Doug Wilson. San Jose is not guaranteed a playoff spot in the West. They enter Friday's action in 7th place in the West with 40 points. However, Chicago, Minnesota, and Calgary have 39 points while Anaheim has 38 points. Colorado and Vancouver each have 35 points.
Weeks before the Couture injury, Wilson had been scouting the NHL in search of a scoring top six forward to trade for. The Sharks are currently ranked 29th at even strength scoring. The Sharks have scored 50 even strength goals in 33 games played. Before the Couture injury, Wilson has been holiday shopping for a high-end forward who can skate, create, play the heavy game and pot goals at 5v5 and on the PP. Suffice to say, Couture’s concussion and lack of a timetable for his return to the lineup is a massive concern for Wilson and DeBoer. The one saving grace is the NHL holiday hiatus. There will be no games played league wide on December 24, 25 and 26.
Wilson has been scouting Buffalo Sabres power forward Evander Kane. I expect this scouting process to continue. Since December 3, 2016, Kane has scored 42 goals and 32 assists in 103 games played. Kane has 34 even-strength goals (12/3/16 to present) .
Were the Sharks and Sabres to come together on a trade for Evander Kane, the price is going to be high. Wilson will likely have to part with scoring winger Tomas Hertl (9 goals, 12 assists in 33 games), prospect forward Danny O'Regan and a first round draft choice. Hertl is a pending restricted free agent. O'Regan played with Jack Eichel and Evan Rodrigues at Boston University.
Kane and Hertl are represented by the same sports agency, which would make it easier to get both players extended to long term contracts moving forward. Hertl, 24, is a gifted goal scorer with a whack of creativity and offensive upside. He is a $3M ASV this season. Hertl has one 20-goal season on his resume. He has scored 68 goals and 77 assists in 282 career NHL games. In 33 career Stanley Cup Playoff games, Hertl has scored 8 goals and 10 assists.
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