Jack Eichel embraced the boos from Buffalo fans, scoring three third-period goals and adding an assist to lead the Vegas Golden Knights to a 7-4 victory over the Sabres on Thursday night.
In his second game against his former team, Eichel faced boos every time he touched the puck and was cheered when foiled on two breakaway attempts. He celebrated by raising his arms and taunting the crowd after scoring the go-ahead goal six minutes into the third period to make it 5-2.
Traded to Vegas just over a year ago, the former Sabres captain pounded his chest along the boards after netting his second goal with 5:23 left, prompting many fans to leave the arena. He capped the night with an empty-netter.
“You guys were here; they were obviously on me all night,” a relieved and happy Eichel said. “Yeah, it felt good to get one.”
After the game, Eichel, now dressed in a suit, emerged from the Zamboni entrance to applause and hugs from his family, girlfriend, and friends.
The Golden Knights completed a five-game road trip with a 13-2 record, extending their winning streak to nine games, one short of their franchise record set in April 2021.
Rookie Paul Cotter, back in the lineup after being a healthy scratch for 10 games, scored the go-ahead goal and added an assist. Chandler Stephenson had a goal and three assists, defenseman Alex Pietrangelo had a goal and two assists, and Phil Kessel scored for Vegas. Logan Thompson made 31 saves for his sixth consecutive win, matching New Jersey’s Vitek Vanecek for the NHL’s longest winning streak this season.
Tage Thompson scored twice for Buffalo, with Casey Mittelstadt and Rasmus Asplund also finding the net. Eric Comrie made 29 saves for the Sabres, who have lost four straight games.
“We didn’t look like ourselves early, so maybe we felt a little bit nervous, a little bit anxious,” Sabres coach Don Granato said. “But you’ve got to be able to plow past it and live with it.”
Cotter broke a 2-2 tie on a breakaway with 2:52 left in the second period. Meanwhile, Eichel faced relentless boos in his second game back at the arena where he played for six years as the Sabres’ 2015 first-round draft pick.
Once seen as Buffalo’s franchise savior, Eichel’s tenure ended amid playoff failures and a public squabble over neck injury treatment. After being traded to Vegas, he eventually had his preferred disk replacement surgery.
Golden Knights captain Mark Stone praised Eichel’s performance in such a hostile environment.
“It says a lot about his character. I know people here think he doesn’t have character, but, my God, we’ve seen what Jack really is, and he’s carrying a big load for us,” said Stone. “For him to be able to do that tonight, I know it’s special for him. I’m almost getting emotional just being a part of it.”
Eichel admitted earlier in the day that he was “hurt” by the icy reception from Sabres fans during his first game back in March. On Thursday, the boos continued during warmups and every time he touched the puck.
One of the biggest cheers came when Comrie stopped Eichel on a breakaway in the first period and again when he denied another breakaway attempt in the second.
“Yeah, I mean, the crowd was enjoying them,” Eichel said with a laugh. “But, hey, give (Comrie) credit; he made a couple of really nice saves and just got to work on my breakaways, I guess.”
STREAKS AND MILESTONES
- The Sabres have scored a power-play goal in eight straight games, their longest streak since Dec. 19, 2008, to Jan. 6, 2009.
- Pietrangelo notched his 400th career assist on Eichel’s first goal.
UP NEXT
- Golden Knights: Open a three-game homestand against the St. Louis Blues on Saturday night.
- Sabres: Continue a four-game homestand against the Boston Bruins on Saturday night.