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 Playing in his third career game, the 18-year-old phenom lifted the
Sabres to a 4-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday with
the second highlight goal of his young career.
Eichel's game-winner came just before the midway point of the third
period. Eichel stole the puck from Blue Jackets center Boone Jenner
inside the Columbus blue line, and the Sabres center then raced
along the left side of the ice before tucking a high wrist shot from
a nearly impossible angle past goalie Sergei Bobrovsky.
"We'll see that goal again, we'll see it replayed again, just all of
it," Sabres head coach Dan Bylsma said. "The track back, the
stealing of the puck and winning the battle and creating space and
then the shot from an improbable angle right at the corner of the
net. It's a pretty remarkable goal."
The second overall draft pick is off to a flying start with the
Sabres. Eichel scored Buffalo's lone goal in the team's
season-opening loss to Ottawa and has made a smooth transition to
the pros. His speed helped the Sabres turn the tide against Columbus
after a slow start before his big goal.
"It's amazing, that young, he's got that strength and that release,"
Sabres center Ryan O'Reilly said. "The speed and strength of it,
it's phenomenal to watch. And I think there's going to be a lot more
to come."
Eichel's goal capped a solid all-around effort from the improving
Sabres (1-2-0). O'Reilly, defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen and left
winger Matt Moulson also scored for Buffalo. Goalie Chad Johnson
made 19 saves.
"I thought we earned the win," Bylsma said. "I thought we earned it
with the way we played. We didn't give them much. They had to battle
for every inch. ... I think we gave them a lot to handle."
The Blue Jackets (0-3-0) continued their disappointing start to the
season with their third consecutive loss. Left wingers Brandon Saad
and Scott Hartnell scored for Columbus, and Bobrovsky made 29 saves.
Penalties were the biggest problem for Columbus. The Blue Jackets
took seven minor penalties, and the Sabres took full advantage with
three power-play goals.
"We got beat in every aspect of the game," Columbus head coach Todd
Richards said. "I thought the first period was OK, but the last 40
minutes was not good hockey at all. Got outworked, out-battled,
out-competed in areas, and penalties. And that's what happens -- you
end up reaching, doing some things with your sticks and end up
taking penalties and now you're behind the eight-ball."
Columbus captain Nick Foligno had three of those penalties for the
Blue Jackets.
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"It's unacceptable, really," Foligno said. "It's a word one of our
guys used in the room between periods. The way we're playing right
now, the second period especially, is just unacceptable."
Ristolainen gave the Sabres their first lead of the season 2:33 into
the second period with a power-play goal. The defenseman fired a
blast from the right point through traffic to put Buffalo up 1-0.
Buffalo carried that momentum forward before doubling its lead with
another power-play goal 5:10 into the third. Following a cross-ice
pass from Moulson, O'Reilly scored his first goal as a Sabre with a
sharp snap shot from the left circle. O'Reilly came to Buffalo in a
trade with Colorado in June.
Columbus got on the board with a power-play goal of its own just
over two minutes later. After the puck was jarred loose from the
crease, Saad put home the rebound for his second goal of the season
to make it 2-1.
Buffalo regained its two-goal lead at 9:21 of the third on Eichel's
spectacular goal.
Columbus cut Buffalo's lead to 3-2 with 6:47 remaining. Hartnell
connected from close range on a feed from center Ryan Johansen.
Moulson made it 4-2 with his first of the year on the power play
with 4:13 remaining.
NOTES: The Sabres recalled D Jake McCabe from the AHL's Rochester
Americans. A second-round pick in 2012, McCabe had 29 points (five
goals, 24 assists) in 57 games last season. He had played in nine
prior games with the Sabres. ... RW Brian Gionta, D Carlo Colaiacovo
and D Matt Donovan were scratched for Buffalo. Gionta is considered
day-to-day with a lower-body injury. ... RW David Clarkson (lower
body), D Cody Goloubef and C Alexander Wennberg were scratched for
the Blue Jackets. Wennberg is out indefinitely due to a concussion.
... The teams next meet on Friday, Feb. 19 in Columbus.
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