Point streak helps propel Eichel to NHL 3rd Star of the Week honors

Jack Eichel has been named the NHL's Third Star of the Week for the week ending Dec. 8, 2019, the League announced on Monday.
Eichel is riding a 13-game point streak, the longest active streak in the NHL, that began on Nov. 16. In four games this week, Eichel recorded seven points (2+5), including a three-point night on Dec. 2 against New Jersey. The Sabres went 2-1-1 in those four games.

He currently has 23 points (10+13) in what is also the longest point streak of his career. It's the longest by a Sabre since Tim Connolly tallied points in 16 straight from Dec. 23, 2009 to Jan. 25, 2010.
Eichel's point streak is tied with Pastrnak, Draisaitl, Brad Marchand and Nathan MacKinnon for the second-longest this season behind Patrick Kane's 15 games for the Chicago Blackhawks from Nov. 2-30, according to NHL.com. He currently ranks seventh in the NHL with 42 points (18+24).
"It's been a good start in terms of finding the back of the net," Eichel told Sabres.com before the team's road trip last week. "I just want to keep it going. It's all about consistency and bringing it every night."

With 18 goals in 31 games so far this season, Eichel is on pace to shatter his previous best goal total (28), set in the 2018-19 season.
His output through 31 games currently has him on pace to finish the season with 48 goals and 111 points, which would be the highest goal and point totals by a Sabre since Pat LaFontaine (53+95) and Alexander Mogilny (76+51) in 1992-93.
"I've been kind of shooting low," Eichel said. "I feel like in the past, I've had a lot of opportunities and just passed them by just missing the net.
"... You try and go high and miss the net, you don't give yourself a chance to score or maybe someone else a chance to score. You don't know what's going to happen. Just trying to shoot different places, I think, and knowing that sometimes it doesn't matter how hard you get it off. It's just about surprising the goalie."

Eichel is also in his second season as team captain and his leadership skills have impressed first-year coach Ralph Krueger.
"I think more than anything he's now a leader who understands that sometimes it's quality over quantity, and he can still concentrate on his game," Krueger said last week.
"… He's just been a very natural captain, he's enjoying it, he's communicating in a really good, consistent way and he's very positive in his influence on the team whether we've had a good day or a bad, and that's what we need to continue."
Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson was named the First Star of the Week while Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry earned Second Star honors.
The Sabres host the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday at KeyBank Center.