Let's just cut to the chase here: Jake Neighbours gets it.
It's a tough way to make a living in the NHL, but the 21-year-old isn't afraid, no matter the circumstances, no matter the cost, no matter the punishment he could potentially take.
The 2020 first-round pick picked up where he left off pre-All-Star break by scoring twice on Saturday in a 3-1 win against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center to kick off a three-game road trip.
Each goal came in typical Neighbours style too, providing a net front presence for a power-play goal in the first period and making a play, and continuing his effort to drive the net for a big third-period goal to put the game away.
Neighbours was a plus-1 in the game, and surprisingly to the eye when looking at the stat sheet, only played 11:38 in the game, but he led the Blues with five shots on goal, had a hit, a takeaway and a blocked shot while losing his only face-off.
Some of the outlier stats may not show it, but Neighbours was a driver on the ice at both ends of the ice.
Joel Hofer gave this a run for his money too, was sharp with 33 saves, but Neighbours gets the slight edge for player of the game.
