BUFFALO – Exactly one year ago, in the early stages of the roughest stretch of his career, Sabres winger Jack Quinn hadn’t scored a goal and had already been scratched.
Today, fresh off a slick one-goal, three-point outing, Quinn has scored three times – that’s more goals than Rasmus Dahlin, Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch have combined this season – and is tied for the team lead with six points.
Quinn’s outburst has helped the Sabres overcome a troubling 0-3-0 start and win three of their last four games entering Friday’s contest against the Toronto Maple Leafs at KeyBank Center, the start of a home-and-home series.
He performed dynamically in Wednesday’s 4-2 victory as the Sabres ended the Detroit Red Wings’ five-game win streak, aggressively creating offense.
“When Jack has ice, you know he’s going to make a play,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said following the game. “When Jack gets to the middle of the ice, you know we’re going to see a real good play. But he is skating better right now than probably all of last year.”
In the second period, Quinn, 24, deftly backhanded the puck to winger Jason Zucker in the neutral zone before zooming to the net. When a defender got a piece of Zucker’s pass through the slot, Quinn quickly adjusted and dished it back for an easy tap in.
Later in the period, he skated into the Detroit zone down the right wing before cutting into the slot and utilizing his reach to give winger Tyson Kozak the puck. Kozak drove to the net and gave the Sabres their first lead.
“I was trying to attack the middle, and, luckily, kind of squirted right to him,” Quinn said. “So, yeah, just kind of an attacking mindset.”
Quinn leaned into center Ryan McLeod’s pass early in the third period, unleashing a wicked one-timer from high in the slot to put the Sabres up 3-2.
“I think that’s the biggest thing I’m trying to focus on, is getting myself looks and playing on the inside, getting those shots, because I feel like when I’m not scoring, it’s when I’m not getting them,” Quinn said.
Last season, the 6-foot-1, 185-pound Quinn scored his third goal and recorded his sixth point on Dec. 15, his 25th game.
Ruff challenged him to become stronger and faster. He often lost too many puck battles. It appears his work during the offseason has started paying off.
The Sabres sorely need Quinn, the eighth overall pick in 2020, to keep producing. Zucker, who has scored a team-high four goals, left Wednesday’s game with an upper-body injury.
Ruff did not have an update on the veteran following the game. The Sabres did not practice Thursday.
The Sabres, who did not add another top-six forward during the summer after trading winger JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth, believe they can fill the scoring void internally.
Quinn scored a career-high 15 goals last season despite his struggles. Given his hot start, he could certainly enjoy a breakout 25- or 30-goal campaign.