SABRES’ EICHEL OUT WITH ANKLE INJURY

» Coach Jared Bednar and the Avalanche have experienced what it’s like to play without their top scorer, netting just nine goals in five games since Hart Trophy candidate Nathan MacKinnon went out with a shoulder injury.

The Buffalo Sabres are about to learn what that’s like, too.

The Sabres announced before Sunday’s game against the Avs that star center Jack Eichel is out indefinitely because of a highankle sprain suffered during Saturday night’s 4-2 win against the Bruins, dealing a major blow to the NHL’s worst offense.

Eichel, the second overall pick in the 2015 draft, behind Edmonton’s Connor McDavid, is the Sabres’ leading scorer and ranks 21st in the league with 53 points (22 goals, 31 assists). The Sabres and Coyotes entered Sunday tied for last in the league at 2.33 goals per game.

Eichel fell awkwardly behind the Bruins’ net late in the first period Saturday after getting tangled up with defenseman Matt Grzelcyk, a former Boston University teammate.

Eichel missed seven weeks with a high-ankle sprain last season after being injured in practice the day before the season opener. With eight weeks left in the Sabres’ season, and the playoffs nowhere in sight, Eichel may be lost for the rest of the season. The only silver lining for the Sabres is that last year’s injury was to Eichel’s other leg.

MacKinnon, meanwhile, continues to skate in Colorado as he approaches the front part of his twoto four-week timeline.

“He’s getting close,” Bednar said. “Two weeks on Tuesday. Yeah, he’s getting close. We’ll take a look at him when we get back. We’ve been gone for a little but he’s been skating, he’s feeling better every day, so hoping he can get in shortly after that.”

Bernier back in goal.

Bednar went with nearly the same lineup Sunday that he used during Saturday’s 3-1 loss at Carolina, the only change being Jonathan Bernier replacing Semyon Varlamov in goal.

That meant winger Blake Comeau, who had played every game this season before missing Saturday’s game with a lower-body injury, remained out of the lineup.

“He’s going to get evaluated again (Monday) when we get back to Denver,” Bednar said. “I would have him in that day-to-day category, but we’ll know more tomorrow.”