Eichel booed in Buffalo as Sabres top Golden Knights

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Peyton Krebs and Alex Tuch provided a glimpse of a brighter post-Jack Eichel future on a night Sabres fans booed the team’s former captain in his first appearance back in Buffalo since being traded to the Vegas Golden Knights.

Energizing the largest turnout of the season in Buffalo was cheering on Krebs and Tuch — the two players acquired in the trade — scoring key goals in a 3-1 win.

And making the night more memorable in a season the Sabres are all but assured of missing the playoffs for an NHL-record 11th straight season was Craig Anderson stopping 30 shots to become the 39th NHL goalie to win 300 career games.

“As a team and as an organization, we’ve got to earn back our fans, and that’s a step in the right direction,” said Krebs, who opened the scoring 7:53 into the game and less than a minute after the Sabres showed a video paying tribute to Eichel.

“I want the best for Jack, but that was exciting,” he added. “Me and Tuchy, we’re passionate about playing here in Buffalo. We want to do the best we can for this organization.”

Eichel had a far different take in summing up his return to a rink where he spent six seasons knowing mostly losing.

“Yeah, this is about the loudest I’ve heard this place ever,” Eichel said. “Really. After it took seven years, and me leaving for them to get into the game.”

Once considered the Sabres’ savior after being selected with the second pick in the 2015 draft, Eichel was welcomed with derision each time he stepped on the ice.

It was the 25-year-old’s first game in Buffalo since Feb. 28, 2021, which came eight days before he sustained a herniated disk in a 5-2 loss on Long Island.

How to treat the injury — the Sabres favored fusion surgery while Eichel preferred an