Eichel's 2 goals lead Sabres to 4-3 win over Rangers

by **jedi17** Fri 02 Dec 2016, 8:24 am

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Eichel's 2 goals lead Sabres to 4-3 win over Rangers

by jedi17 Fri 02 Dec 2016, 8:24 am

Eichel's 2 goals lead Sabres to 4-3 win over Rangers

Buffalo Sabres center Johan Larsson (22) celebrates his goal against the New York Rangers during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Dec. 1, 2016, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
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BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) -- Jack Eichel scored two goals in the third period, and the Buffalo Sabres beat the New York Rangers 4-3 on Thursday night for their second straight victory.
Buffalo's winning streak coincides with the return of Eichel, who missed the first 21 games with a high ankle sprain. The 20-year-old center had a goal and an assist in Buffalo's 5-4 win in Ottawa on Tuesday and has recorded a point in seven straight games dating to last season.
In his first home game of the season, Eichel scored on a power play with 7:15 remaining and netted the winning goal 1:43 later. Buffalo is now 10-3-1 when Eichel has more than one point.
Johan Larsson and Brian Gionta also scored for Buffalo. Anders Nilsson made 22 saves while subbing for starting goaltender Robin Lehner, who is day to day with a hip injury.
Ryan McDonagh, Rick Nash and Marc Staal scored for the Rangers, and Henrik Lundqvist made 30 saves.
Kyle Okposo set up Eichel for his first goal on a wrist shot from the right circle. Sam Reinhart assisted on Eichel's second goal. Reinhart has six points in his last five games.
Staal scored on a one-timer from the right circle off Jesper Fast's backhand feed from the end boards, giving the Rangers a 3-2 lead midway through the second period.
The Rangers converted on the power play for their first two goals.
McDonagh tied it at 1 with 3:45 left in the first. Utilizing a Chris Kreider screen, McDonagh fired a wrist shot from the point beneath Nilsson's blocking pad for his first goal of the season.
Nash gave the Rangers a 2-1 lead 8:15 into the second period. Steve Vesey deflected Adam Clendening's shot from the point and Nash tucked the rebound between Nilsson's pads. Nash has six points in his last six games and is second on the Rangers with 11 goals, one behind Michael Grabner.
The Sabres answered 1:23 later when Marcus Foligno's backhand from behind the net set up Gionta for a tap-in at the edge of the crease.
Buffalo took the lead 18 seconds into the game when Jake McCabe sent a pass from center ice that deflected off Larsson's skate at blue line and bounced over Lundqvist's shoulder.
NOTES: It was the Rangers' first lost when leading after two periods. They were 14-0-0. .. Vesey heard boos from the crowd in his first game in Buffalo. The Sabres acquired Vesey's rights in a trade with Nashville in June but were unable to sign the Hobey Baker Award winner before he became eligible for free agency. He signed with New York two months later. ... With Lehner out, Buffalo recalled G Linus Ullmark from the minors to back up Nilsson. ... Clendening, a native of nearby Niagara Falls, N.Y., replaced Kevin Klein on the Rangers' third defensive pairing after being a healthy scratch in 18 of the last 19 games.