Jack Eichel spent the weekend in Tampa Bay with some of the league’s best players. After finishing third in the fastest skater competition on Saturday, Eichel and the Atlantic Division won the All-Star game.
Eichel collected a goal and two assists in the first game, but went pointless and was a -3 as the Atlantic lost to the Pacific division in the the final.
Jack Eichel and Auston Matthews mimicking the Matthews goal signal celebration is great pic.twitter.com/TtPsyp0tcV
— Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) January 28, 2018
Jack Eichel said he and Auston Matthews planned their pointing celebration on the previous Faceoff #NHLAllStar pic.twitter.com/s26pzqZM1U
— Cutler Klein (@CutlerKlein) January 29, 2018
While Eichel enjoyed his first All-Star appearance, it’s time for him and the Sabres to get back to work.
The Sabres are still riding a season-long three-game winning streak, thanks to wins against the Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks.
Buffalo will look to do something they haven’t done since December 2014 – win four straight games.
It’s no secret that this team has struggled to find success on a consistent basis, but they can lock up their fourth consecutive “W” with a victory against the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday.
Fans finally saw the Sabres put together a couple of very strong efforts last week, and it has easily been the team’s best hockey of the season.
Despite where they sit in the standings, it’s very encouraging to see that perhaps head coach Phil Housley’s system is finally starting to work.
Kyle Okposo has shown early signs of turning things around, and Eichel has got himself back on a point-per-game pace.
Robin Lehner is coming off back-to-back shutouts and the power play finally broke through.
With all of these positive things happening, did the All-Star break come at the wrong time for Buffalo? Wouldn’t a team rather keep going than have four days off before its’ next game?
In recent years, the Sabres have typically not responded well after a break like this.