Buffalo Sabres 2016-17 Individual Stats--March

Published by hockeybuzz.com, 4-2-2017


It was the Jack Eichel/Ryan O'Reilly show in the month of March for the Buffalo Sabres and one could also say that they did their best dancing on the powerplay. Eichel lead the team in points (18,) goals (9) and assists (9) last month while O'Reilly was second in all three categories with 13 points, six goals and seven assists. Eichel had 10 powerplay points (4+6) while O'Reilly was second with six points (3+3.)

The powerplay that went 15 of 36 (41.6%) in March along with a strong penalty kill that killed off six of 39 chances (84.6%) meant a huge discrepancy in 5v5 scoring which made for some abysmal numbers in the plus/minus category. Only one Sabre, defenseman Josh Gorges, was above water at +1 while two others--Nicolas Deslauriers and Marcus Foligno--managed to break even. Everyone else was in the minus column with defenseman Jake McCabe, surprisingly at the bottom with a minus-9 for the month.

Goaltending remained stable as Robin Lehner kept his goals-against average (2.63) and save percentage (.922) exactly the same. Lehner went 5-5-1 in the month of March while backup Anders Nilsson went 1-2-0.

The Sabres are back on the ice for a matinee vs. the NY Islanders. Prior to the 3 p.m. start is Fan Appreciation Day which includes 40% off at the Sabres store plus the first Family Appreciation Day with events slated for starting at 1 p.m. in Tops Alumni Plaza.

On the ice newly signed college free agent forward C.J. Smith (UMASS Lowell) will make his NHL debut today for Buffalo. The 5'11" 185 lb. native of Des Moines, IA replaces forward Kyle Okposo who's still out with an illness.

According to Sabres.com, these were the lines at practice yesterday:

Kane-O'Reilly-Ennis
Foligno-Eichel-Reinhart
Smith-Rodrigues-Gionta
Carrier-Girgensons-Moulson

Defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen returns to the lineup this afternoon after serving a three-game suspension for a hit on Pittsburgh's Jake Guentzel. Ristolainen leads the team in average time on ice (26:42) and assists (39) and is fifth on the team in scoring with 44 points.

The Sabres have four more games remaining after today. They'll play rival Toronto tomorrow at KeyBank Center then will finish off their final homestand of the season with a visit from the Montreal Canadiens. Buffalo finishes the 2016-17 campaign on a trip to Florida with a back-to-back against the Panthers on Saturday and the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday.


Buffalo Sabres 2016-17 Individual Stats leaders:

Points
--October: Okposo, O'Reilly, Ristolainen, 7; Moulson, Brian Gionta, 5
--November: Okposo, Reinhart, 8; O'Reilly, 5
--December: Ristolainen, 15; Eichel, Kane, Reinhart, 10
--January: Kane, O'Reilly, 11; Eichel, Gionta, 10
--February: Eichel, 16; O'Reilly, Okposo, 10
--March:  Eichel, 18;  O'Reilly, 13;  Reinhart, 8

 Goals
--October: Okposo, Moulson 4; O'Reilly, Brian Gionta, 3
--November: Reinhart, 4; O'Reilly, Okposo, Moulson, Foligno, 3
--December: Kane, 8; Eichel, 6; Reinhart, Okposo, Gionta, Larsson, Ristolainen, 3
--January: Kane, 6; Eichel, Okposo, Gionta, 5
--February: Kane, 8; O'Reilly, Reinhart, Okposo, 4
--March:  Eichel, 9;  O'Reilly, 6;  Kane, 4

 Powerplay Goals
--October: Moulson, 4; O'Reilly, 2; Okposo, Sam Reinhart, 1
--November: Moulson, Okposo, 2; Eichel, Reinhart, O'Reilly, Larsson, Franson, 1
--December: Okposo, 3; Reinhart, 2; Eichel, Kane, Moulson, Ristolainen, 1
--January: Eichel, 3; Reinhart, Okposo, 2
--February: Reinhart, 3; O'Reilly, 2; Eichel, Moulson, 1
--March:  Eichel, 4;  O'Reilly, 3;  Kane, Moulson, Gionta, 2

 Assists
--October: Ristolainen, 7; O'Reilly, 4; Reinhart, Okposo, Franson, 3
--November: Okposo, 5; Reinhart, Ristolainen, 4; Kane, Franson, 3
--December: Ristolainen, 12; Reinhart, 7; O'Reilly, Okposo, Moulson, Gionta, Foligno, 5
--January: O'Reilly, 9; Reinhart, 6; Kane, 5
--February: Eichel, 14; Ristolainen, 8; O'Reilly, Okposo, 6
--March:  Eichel, 9;  O'Reilly,7;  Ristolainen, 6

Powerplay Assists
--October: Ristolainen, 6; Okposo, 3; O'Reilly, Reinhart, 2
--November: Okposo, 4; O'Reilly, Reinhart, Ristolainen, 2
--December: Ristolainen, 5; O'Reilly, 3; Eichel, Moulson, 2
--January: O'Reilly, 4; Ristolainen, 3; Eichel, Kane, Reinhart, Okposo, 2
--February: Ristolainen, 5; Eichel, Okposo, 3
--March:  Eichel, 6;  O'Reilly, Okposo, Ristolainen, 3

 Primary Assists
--October: O'Reilly, Reinhart, Ristolainen, 3; Gionta, Girgensons, 2
--November: Okposo, Kane, Reinhart, 3; Gionta, 2
--December: Ristolainen, 6; Reinhart, Okposo, 4;
--January: O'Reilly, 7; Reinhart, 6; Franson, 4
--February: Eichel, 8 Okposo, 5; Ristolainen, 4
--March:  O'Reilly, 5;  Eichel, Moulson, 4;  Ennis, Foligno, Ristolainen, 3

 Plus/Minus
--October: Gionta +3; Okposo, Franson +2
--November: Carrier +2; O'Reilly +1; Reinhart, Grant, Fedun, even
--December: Foligno +5; McCabe +3; Franson +2
--January: O'Reilly, +6; Kane, Girgensons, +4; Fedun Moulson, +3
--February: Bailey, +5; Ennis, +4; Moulson, +3
--March:  Gorges, +1;  Deslauriers, Foligno, 0;  Reinhart, -1 

 Plus/Minus (Bottom)
--October: Tyler Ennis -4; Deslauriers, Grant -3
--November: Kane, Gionta -5; Larsson, -4
--December: Kulikov, Bogosian -6; Kane -5
--January: Eichel, Foligno, C. O'Reilly, Bogosian, -5; Franson, -4
--February: Kulikov, -7; Kane, -6; Reinhart, Gionta, -4
--March:  McCabe, -9;  Rodrigues, Kulikov, -6;  Bailey, -5

Goalies (composite)

Robin Lehner
--October: 2-2-1; 2.61 GAA; .913 Sv%; 0 shutouts
--November: 5-7-3; 2.40; .921; 0
--December: 8-12-5; 2.51; .921; 0
--January: 12-13-5; 2.64; .918; 0
--February: 17-18-7; 2.63; .922; 2
--March:  22-23-8;  2.63;  .922; 2

 Anders Nilsson
--October: 1-1-1; 1.96 GAA; .937 Sv%; 1 shutout
--November: 3-2-2; 2.20; .939; 1
--December: 5-3-3; 2.47; .925; 1
--January: 8-7-4: 2.60; .923; 1
--February: 9-8-4; 2.69; .921; 1
--March:  10-10-4;  2.73;  .920; 1