The building was quiet. The Sabres were doing good things, but nothing to get the crowd’s excitement level up.
Then Jack Eichel happened.
The rookie added yet another highlight to his rapidly growing video package Friday, opening the scoring and bringing the noise into First Niagara Center. Fans ate up the goal, and the Sabres fed off the energy in a 3-1 victory over Philadelphia.
“With the puck on his stick, it’s a little bit different electricity in the air,” Sabres coach Dan Bylsma said. “You feel the energy in the building.”
Eichel’s fourth NHL goal started with a pass from Ryan O’Reilly at center ice.