Jack Eichel missed 15 games. ©2018, Hickling Images, Olean Times Herald

Sabres’ Jack Eichel set to return from ankle injury

BUFFALO – Sabres center Jack Eichel, out the last 15 games with a high-right ankle sprain, will return for this afternoon’s tilt against the Chicago Blackhawks.

“Talking to our doctors and trainers, his practice, the way he progressed all week, we checked all the boxes off,” Sabres coach Phil Housley said this morning inside KeyBank Center. “He’s ready to play, he wants to play, he wants to get back in the lineup. We feel that we’re comfortable putting him back in today.”

Eichel hasn’t played since suffering his injury Feb. 10. The Sabres went 6-7-2 without their only NHL All-Star, whose still their leading scorer with 22 goals and 53 points in 55 games.

In other injury news, Housley said center Jacob Josefson is week-to-week with a lower-body injury. Meanwhile, defenseman Casey Nelson will miss today’s game because of lingering a lower-body injury. Housley expects him to play Monday.

Chad Johnson will start in goal and be backed up by Linus Ullmark, meaning regular starter Robin Lehner will be scratched.

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