Sabres’ Eichel speaks out, then sparks needed win

It has been a rough start for Jach Eichel and his Buffalo teammates.

Tuesday night, only hours after Eichel admitted that frustration had set in with the Sabres, they snagged a 31 home win against the Washington Capitals to hike their record to 5-8-2.

Befitting his role as the team’s leader, Eichel set the early tone and then set up a goal for Evander Kane early in the second period. Kane and Benoit Pouliot then scored third-period goals to produce a much-needed victory for one of the league’s youngest and least experienced teams.

“I think it’s probably eating at everyone. I think everyone’s pretty frustrated at this point,” Eichel said earlier in the day. “But I don’t think sitting around and being frustrated and moping about something is really going to do anything about it. At some point you need to make a transition and there’s no better time than now.”

And so they did against the Capitals.

Ducks

Captain Ryan Getzlaf will be out up to two months after surgery Monday for a broken cheekbone. The Ducks announced the extent of their latest major injury Tuesday. Getzlaf was hit in the face by a puck early in the Ducks’ game against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Blues

Forward Robby Fabbri, 21, is recovering after having left knee surgery. The operation was performed Tuesday in Chicago. The Blues also said there is no timetable for Fabbri’s return. Fabbri has 29 goals and 37 assists in 123 career games with St. Louis.