Ex-Files Day #7, former Sabres leading scorer with three assists against Jets
The Colorado Avalanche had been trying for two years to address their second-line center situation after Nazem Kadri departed via free agency. Evan Rodrigues and Ryan Johansen did not provide enough to take the heat off of likely Hart Trophy nominee Nathan MacKinnon, and just before the trade deadline, the Avs swapped defenseman Bowen Byram to the Buffalo Sabres for their leading scorer Casey Mittelstadt.
Mittelstadt slumped at the end of the season, finishing with 10 points (4 goals, 6 assists) in 18 games, but has stepped up in the first three games of the first-round series against Winnipeg, scoring his first playoff goal in Game 1, and three assists in a 6-2 win over the Jets on Friday.
The 25-year-old center is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights this summer and it is expected that after giving up a top young blueliner in Byram to acquire him, Colorado will sign Mittelstadt to a long-term extension.
Here is how some of the other ex-Sabres fared on Friday:
Edmonton Oilers – Evander Kane
Kane scored his first points of the postseason, with a goal and an assist in a 6-1 Edmonton romp over the LA Kings. The former Sabre also tussled with Kings blueliner Andreas Englund after getting hit at center ice.
Nashville Predators - Ryan O’Reilly
O’Reilly had no points in a 2-1 loss to Vancouver in Game 3 on Friday, but won 20 of 31 draws and led all Predators forwards in ice time with 25:31.
New York Rangers – Jimmy Vesey
Vesey, 12:03 TOI, 1 SOG
Vancouver Canucks – Tyler Myers, Nikita Zadorov
Myers, 21:58 TOI, 1 SOG
Zadorov, 20:46 TOI
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