Sabres' offensive surge keeping playoff hopes alive
The 2016-17 season has been a rough one for the Buffalo Sabres. With key offensive weapons Jack Eichel and Evander Kane forced out of the lineup at different points, finding an offensive rhythm hasn't been easy.
And it's shown. The club sits sixth-last in the league in terms of goals per game, despite loading up with plenty of promising offensive talent over the past few seasons.
But after a less than ideal start to the year, Buffalo seems to be rounding into form with a playoff berth still in reach.
In the past month, the Sabres have been among the top 10 offensive clubs in the league, scoring 42 goals through their past 15 games. That run has managed to keep them afloat, earning them an eighth-best 17 points over that span.
Buffalo's star power has come up big over the course of the last month, with a few key names coming alive at just the right time.
Kane racked up eight goals over the past month, tied for the third-most among all NHL skaters. Eichel has been doing work as well, posting the fourth-most assists in the league over that span (11 in 15 games) as well as the 14th-most total points (14 in 15 games).
The leading duo have been giving themselves a chance to get on the board more often than not - Kane's 61 shots are the most in the league during that month-long stretch, while Eichel ranks fifth with 57 shots on goal.
Meanwhile, veteran center Ryan O'Reilly has quietly posted 20 points over the past 25 games, and Kyle Okposo continues to lead the team with 38 points on the season.
With their key pieces coming up big, the Sabres have held onto a chance at returning to the playoffs for the first time since 2011.
Buffalo currently ranks sixth in the Eastern Conference wild-card race, but with 60 points in the bag, only three points separate the Sabres from the final wild-card spot. They trail third place in their division by only four points.
Climbing that ladder isn't going to be easy, but with Buffalo's best flexing their offensive muscle and the team's young stars continuing to make progress, the Sabres are giving themselves a fighting chance.