Sabres at Flyers
Dave Hakstol knows rookie Jack Eichel all too well - after all, the latter ended his collegiate coaching career by scoring two goals and setting up another to lead Boston University to a 5-3 win over North Dakota in the Frozen Four. Now the coach of the Flyers, Hakstol looks to lead his team to a third straight victory on Tuesday when the 18-year-old Eichel and the Buffalo Sabres pay a visit to the Wells Fargo Center.
"He's very dynamic with the puck," Hakstol told the Philadelphia Inquirer. "With the puck, he plays faster than he does without the puck. He's got tremendous acceleration to his game." The second overall pick of the draft, Eichel pulled into a share of the team lead with his third goal of the season in Saturday's 4-3 setback to red-hot New Jersey. Philadelphia posted a 3-2 shootout win over the New York Rangers on Saturday, but saw a scary situation unfold as top-line forward Michael Raffl collapsed on the bench. The Austrian admitted to feeling "fine now" and expects to play versus Buffalo after participating in practice on Monday.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, TVA (Buffalo), CSN Philadelphia
ABOUT THE SABRES (2-6-0): Evander Kane is expected to be sidelined four-to-six weeks with an MCL injury in his left knee, coach Dan Bylsma told reporters on Monday. Nicolas Deslauriers replaced Kane on a line with Tyler Ennis and Ryan O'Reilly during practice. "Going into the last game, actually, we went into the game with the idea and plan that we'd use (Deslauriers) more there in bits and pieces of the game," Bylsma said. "He got a few more shifts with them. He skates well, he's a big body, he's a forechecker, he's a worker."
ABOUT THE FLYERS (4-2-1): After scoring in overtime in a 5-4 triumph over Boston on Wednesday, Claude Giroux netted the eventual winner in the shootout against the Rangers. The captain has tormented Buffalo in his career, recording nearly a point per contest (four goals, 19 assists in 24 meetings). Steve Mason has rebounded well in his return from a personal family issue, stopping 83-of-89 shots to win two of three contests.
OVERTIME
1. Former Flyer and Sabre C Daniel Briere will be honored prior to the contest. Briere played prominent roles with both clubs before announcing his retirement in August.
2. Buffalo ranks 27th overall in both goals scored (1.88 per game) and allowed (3.25).
3. Philadelphia RW Wayne Simmonds has recorded one goal and three assists on his four-game point streak.