The Enz Justify The Means http://t.co/fzNfoRDKoU pic.twitter.com/A5zeqIivwq
— SabresBuzz (@SabresBuzz) September 27, 2015
Thanks, Senators TV
If Sabres fans have learned one thing about the rebuilt Buffalo Sabres in the first week of the NHL exhibition season is that no lead is safe against them.
If the first three preseason games are a preview of the coming attractions, the 2015-16 Sabres are going to score goals. Lots of goals. They are going to score them in bunches. They are going to score at even strength, on the power play and while shorthanded.
This first week of exhibition hockey has taught me that the all of the suffering that diehard Sabres fans have had to endure the past two and a half seasons was well worth it.
Dan Bylsma must feel like he is coaching the 2009 Pittsburgh Penguins all over again because he has some many offensive weapons at his disposal. Bylsma likes to play Evander Kane with Ryan O'Reilly and Tyler Ennis.
The 9-90-63 line has been a great trio in their first two game played together.
A new power line emerged on Saturday night in Kanata will Kane-Eichel-Ennis blew up and put on a show. Ennis will turn 26 in October and he has played six seasons in Buffalo. It's nice to see him be rewarded after all of the darkness and depression that were the by product of the past two seasons of the tank. Ennis has been with the Sabres through thick and thin. He is primed to set career highs in goals and assists this season now that he has A-List line mates in Evander Kane and Ryan O'Reilly. He now knows that he and Jack Eichel also have instant chemistry as well. Ennis must feel like pinching himself 63 times per day to see if it is all just a dream.
I'm going to predict that Ennis will record between 65-70 points this season with Buffalo.
Eichel is the prime mover in the whole offensive resurgence. I don't think that I have ever seen an 18 year old kid play with as much poise, passion, patience and super skills as Eichel. It's scary to think how great this kid is going to be when he hits his prime years in 6 years when he turns 25 years of age.
Eichel has demonstrated that he can get Moulson and Girgensons on the score sheet. He now can boast of his collaboration with Kane and Ennis.
Bylsma now has an embarrassment of riches at center ice with O'Reilly, Eichel. Girgensons, Reinhart and Larsson playing so well in the exhibition season.
Buffalo's top nine forward are going to be light years better this season than they had played the past two and a half seasons.
On Saturday night, Kane skated 22:10 TOI, had 3 hits and scored a goal. Eichel skated 20:0, went 9 for 18 on draws and assisted on two of Ennis' goals. Speaking of Ennis, he skated 20:38 TOI, had 4 hits, 4 takeaways, scored three goals, chipped in an assist.
Dan Bylsma now has identified that Kane and Ennis can play outstandingly with O'Reilly or Eichel at center for them.
Bylsma drew up a new line combo and created a new top line trio featuring Kane-Eichel-Ennis. What happened next was absolutely mind blowing. Ennis torched the Sens for three goals and an assist.
Jack Eichel chipped in two assists. Evander Kane scored his third goal of the preseason.
Zemgus Girgensons centered line two and chipped in a goal and an assist.
The KEE Line found immediate chemistry that they used to explode for 8 points (4Gs, 4As) in the 6-4 win over the Sens.
The Sabres fell down 2-0 early ion the first period. However, they didn't panic.
Evander Kane, Tyler Ennis and Zemgus Girgensons scored to give the Sabres the 3-2 lead. Ennis would score two more goals to give the Sabres the 5-3 lead in the third period.
Eichel should be arrested for grand larceny for stealing the puck that got Tyler Ennis on the board early on.
Bobby Ryan's PPG made the score 5-4 but Johan Larsson's empty net goal sealed the 6-4 win for the Sabres who improve to 3-1 on the exhibition season.