The All Star hiatus is done.
It's back to work time.
Grind. Time.
Here comes a grind of epic proportions, boys. Pull on your work boots, get hydrated and get your Advil ready.
With 34 games in 69 days and an NHL mandated bye week coming up in February, the Sabres will literally be playing a playoff grinding schedule from here on out.
Oh, by the way, the NHL trade deadline is a mere thirty days away.
Buckle your chins traps and pull up your socks. It's go time!
Jack Eichel is ready, willing and able to lay it all on the line for his team. Since he called out himself and his teammates for a poor two-fer against the Boston Bruins a month ago, the Sabres are on a 7-4-1 run.
Eichel wants his Sabres to end the month of January on a winning note.
The Sabres will look to extend their torrid point production pace tonight in Montreal.
"I think that the consistency in our game is starting to come back but in terms of showing up every night and playing a full 60, I mean, I thought we still played a good game in Dallas and we still ended up with zero points," Eichel said Monday. "You can make that argument that we had a couple goals that were called back and this and that but the thing is we did have a 2-0 lead and weren't able to put them away and we end up losing a game."
The Sabres have games in hand a few of the teams that are crowding them in the Eastern standings.
The time is NOW to begin the process of escaping the gridlock hell that exists in the mid-section of the standings.
They have 49 points in 48 games played. Three other teams-- New Jersey, Detroit, Carolina have 49 points. Tampa owns 50 points while Brooklyn have 51 points and Florida 52.
Nose to butt racing in the NASCAR inspired Eastern standings pic.twitter.com/j5H8EaO67i
— SabresBuzz (@SabresBuzz) January 31, 2017
**
Jack Eichel has scored 12 goals since returning from his high ankle sprain in December
Did you know that 11 of Jack Eichel's 12 goals have come in Sabres victories. One goal was scored in an OT/SO loss, zero goals have been scored in regulation losses.
Jack sets the tempo and determines the success for the Sabres.
"We can't dwell on the past," Eichel said. "We've put ourselves in a position to do something after, you know, losing a lot of games that we needed and we're still in position to make a run. You just need to be rattling off wins here. You can't lose two in a row at all. I think we need to go on a streak here and put ourselves in position to make a push."
***
Evander Kane has been Buffalo's best scoring forward since December 3. Kane is expected to continue scoring at this pace if he wants to be playing in meaningful playoff games with his Sabres come April.
Kane has scored 14 goals in his last 25 games. He scored a deuce in Dallas.
Kane is averaging .56 goals per game in that stretch.
Kane has nine points (5G, 4A) in his last nine games and enters tonight’s game with points in each of his last three, having totaled six points (2G, 4A) in those three games.
Kane's healthy and he said Monday that he is confident he can continue to score from all areas in the o-zone.
"I think I can score goals a lot of different ways," Kane said.
"Going to the net, using my shot, finishing plays in tight. I think I'm playing right now the way I know I'm capable of playing, I've done it before. If I can stay healthy and continue to feel good with my body I feel that I can do this at a consistent rate."
Kane has scored each of his 14 goals this season in his last 25 games, including a team-high 13 even-strength goals. Kane potted his first goal of the season on December 3 against Boston. He is tied for fourth among all NHL skaters in goals (14) and leads the NHL in even-strength goals with 13.
Scouts and personnel men from Eastern and Western teams will continue to eyeball Kane live and in person in the next four weeks.
Kane is the 5v5/PP specialist that several teams including LA, Anaheim, Colorado, Chicago, Calgary, San Jose, and Philly have been clamoring for to add to their teams.
Tim Murray wants a top four D-man. He can very well ask for and receive a legit top four defenseman slash puck mover in a trade that features Kane.
Murray can trade Kane and tehn immediately fill his void on the Buffalo roster with Justin Bailey, the AHL All Star who has 17 goals this season for the Rochester Americans.
***