Sabre Noise
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Buffalo Sabres Robin Lehner Once Again Leads Weekly Stars

By Melissa Kania

Mar 5, 2016; Buffalo, NY, USA; Buffalo Sabres goalie Robin Lehner (40) makes a save on Minnesota Wild center Charlie Coyle (3) as he falls down during the third period at First Niagara Center. Minnesota beats Buffalo 3 to 2. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 5, 2016; Buffalo, NY, USA; Buffalo Sabres goalie Robin Lehner (40) makes a save on Minnesota Wild center Charlie Coyle (3) as he falls down during the third period at First Niagara Center. Minnesota beats Buffalo 3 to 2. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports /
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Lehner with another stellar week

The Buffalo Sabres opened the week on Tuesday night, hosting Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers in the first matchup between McDavid and Buffalo Sabres forward Jack Eichel in the Queen City.

And of course, who better than McDavid to score both of Edmonton’s goals, including the game-winner in overtime to seal the win? McDavid got on the board just 22 seconds in on a goal assisted by Eberle, for#97’s 11th of the season.

The Buffalo Sabres wouldn’t respond until the midway point of the third period, when Cal O’Reilly, recently recalled from the AHL’s Rochester Americans, notched his first goal of the season (at the NHL level) to tie things up. Sam Reinhart and Mark Pysyk notched the assists.

Then, with just 1:12 remaining in the overtime period, McDavid added his second of the night to seal the extra point for Edmonton.

Buffalo Sabres netminder Robin Lehner had 39 saves in the loss, while his counterpart Cam Talbot had 31 saves for the Oilers.

Two days later, the Buffalo Sabres hosted the Calgary Flames and came out on top by a score of 6-3.

The Flames got on the board first with Mikael Backlund notching his 12th of the season just 3:18 into the second period, but Buffalo responded with a pair of goals in the second half of the period to tie and take the lead.

Rasmus Ristolainen scored his ninth of the season before Marcus Foligno got the go-ahead goal on a fantastic shorthanded breakaway.

The Flames responded just 15 seconds later as Dougie Hamilton added one on the power-play, but the Buffalo Sabres once again took the lead as Nicolas Deslauriers scored his fourth of the season.

Sean Monahan tied it for the Flames early in the third, but Johan Larsson, Jack Eichel and Evander Kane all scored in the third period to make it a 6-3 game. Eichel’s goal came on the man advantage for his 18th of the year, while Kane tapped in the empty-netter for his 18th.

Lehner had 26 saves.

Finally, the Buffalo Sabres finished a trio of home games this week by hosting the Minnesota Wild for a Saturday matinee.

In the end, the Wild came out on top in a shootout. Larsson and Eichel both scored power-play goals in the second, with David Jones and Mikko Koivu scoring for the Wild in regulation.

Former Buffalo Sabres forward Jason Pominville scored the game-winner in the shootout.

Lehner stopped 28 of 30 shots faced in the loss.

So, who are my weekly three stars?

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3. Johan Larsson

Larsson had two goals this week, one each against Calgary and Minnesota, and ended the week with a zero plus/minus.

He also put up three shots on goal, two hits and three blocked shots and averaged 50% in the faceoff dot against the Flames.

Larsson has been coming into his own as an NHLer and also faced his former team, Minnesota, this week.

2. Jack Eichel

Like Larsson, Eichel also had a pair of goals this week, one each against Calgary and Minnesota. He also added an assist for three points in as many games.

Eichel put up a lot of shots this week – 15 over the course of the three games, including seven against the Flames and five against Edmonton.

He also had one blocked shot, but on a less positive note, had five giveaways.

Eichel averaged over 20 minutes of ice time per game, including a week-high 23:02 against Calgary.

1. Robin Lehner

I keep giving Lehner the first-star honors weekly, but what can I say? He deserves it.

This week, he appeared in all three games for the Buffalo Sabres, stopping 93 of 100 shots faced.

Yes, sometimes he lets in goals that he shouldn’t. He’s not perfect, but he’s definitely been solid for the Buffalo Sabres since his return from injury.

And I still can’t help but wonder what this season would’ve been like if he was healthy for all of it.

Next: Buffalo Sabres March Schedule Breakdown

This week is a packed one for the Buffalo Sabres.

They’ll visit the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday, then host the New York Rangers Tuesday. The Sabres then visit Montreal on Thursday before hosting Carolina for a Saturday matinee.

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