Re: Impact from Jack on Skinner goals
Skinner goals from Jack - A brief writeup on the events of the goal. opinion in italics
10/20 vs LAK -- Jack Primary assist - Jack board battle vs 2 Kings. When he does so he throws the puck down low. Skinner reads the play and heads below the goal line where he beats the LA defense to the puck. Comes on the opposite side to beat the goaltender. Jack was an important part of the play. Without his board work the goal does not happen.
10/20 vs LAK -- Jack Secondary assist - Jack feeds the puck to E-rod who was waiting on the faceoff dot in the defensive zone. E-rod quickly passes the puck to Skinner who carries the puck into the neutral zone, and fires just before the Red Line. Empty Net Goal. One of those plays that it was a nice heads up play to get the open guy. E-rod saw Skinner driving up the ice. Nice look by Jack.
10/21 vs ANA -- Jack Secondary assist - Jack is at the boards in the defensive zone. He chips the puck to Pominville who is busting up the ice with Skinner. This forms a 2 on 1. Pominville feeds Skinner who goes one on one with the goaltender and puts it back hand on Miller. Jack had an important role as he took a defenseman out of the play with his deft re-direct of a "pass" that broke Anaheim's defense. Nice feed from Pominville to really get the meat of the play and Skinner finishing.
10/27 vs Columbus-- Jack Secondary assist - Play starts with a Risto keep in at the blueline, barely. Puck is thrown around the boards, which Eichel collects and passes it to McCabe who one-times a shot onto the net. Puck is deflected just in front of the crease and bounces right to Skinner who one-times a shot past the goaltender. The key part of the play was Risto Keeping it in, Eichel fed McCabe and we received a lucky bounce that without Skinner in the right place at the right time goes wide and doesn't amount to much.
11/1 vs Ottawa -- Jack Secondary assist - Play begins with Jack going down low on the PP. Feeds Reinhart the puck who goes to the other side of the net. Feeds it back to Jack who passes it to Risto, who took a wrist shot, which Skinner deflected into the net. IMO, I know Jack had a lot to do with the play, but Risto had the more important part to Skinner.
11/3 vs Ottawa -- Jack Primary assist - Play begins with a faceoff battle, which Pominville feeds Jack with a pass. Jack shoots it on net. Rebounds bounces off of Skinner's thigh. Lucky goal, but you need someone to shoot it on net and you need someone to be in scoring position.
11/8 vs Montreal -- Jack Primary assist - Play begins with Montreal trying to exit the zone. They try a pass via backhand which Skinner stops. He immediately, after putting on a display of balancing, attacks the net on a mini 3 on 4, tries a pass across to Pominville who was streaking. Instead, the puck is blocked and goes back to Skinner who attempts a shot on net, goalie stops it. Rebound goes in the corner where Jack collects the puck (delayed penalty on Montreal). Jack shoots, hits crossbar and Skinner collects the rebound and puts it away. Play is all Skinner, but Jack kept it alive.
11/8 vs Montreal -- Jack Primary assist - Jack wins the faceoff, passes to Skinner for an easy tap in. Play is easily all Jack on this, Skinner just needed to capitalize.
11/16 vs Winnipeg -- Jack Primary assist - Dahlin starts the play on the PP. He feeds it to Jack who waits and then shoots on net. After the goalie makes the save theres a brief time the puck is loose as Trouba couldn't find it. Skinner who is at the top of the crease find the puck and backhands it top corner. Simple play made by Jack, Skinner made sure to clean up the garbage.
11/23 vs Montreal -- Jack Primary assist - OT winner that sees Jack and Skinner creating Havoc in front of the net off a Dahlin one-timer. Jack does a great job of tying guys up which makes the players not able to clear the front, Skinner cleans up. I think without Jack there Skinner doesn't get a clean shot to pull the puck back
11/24 vs Detroit -- Jack Primary assist - Play begins a Reinhart battle down low, Okposo collects the puck and passes it around the boards to Jack who fumbles the puck and tries to chip it down low. Detroit intercepts and feeds the puck in the direction of where Jack was trying to send the puck. Okposo races to the puck, and plays it to the blueline. Risto keeps it in, and feeds it across the ice where he takes a shot on net. Skinner is in the slot and pounces on the rebound and puts it away. Not much to say on this goal.
I think looking at those goals, I feel like though Eichel was an important piece of the play, there weren't many awe-inspiring plays that ONLY Jack can do. I feel like of any "high difficulty" plays, it pretty much only includes the faceoff win directly to Jeff.
I think what we're seeing is a chemistry in the sense that Jack might start a play with a simple decision/play, and Skinner being known for his nose to the net is there to cash in on what happens after, either from other guys decisions or plays. It's like watching the Hecht-Briere-Dumont/Pominville lines from years back. Jack/Hecht in this sense is making subtle plays that might seem basic, but are needed to further the play, and Skinner is taking the role of Briere, the guy who seems to find himself right place and right time, with the dynamic skating and balance to win battles in high traffic areas. The role of Dumont and Pominville are filled by, funny enough, Pominville and Reinhart. I believe we are seeing the makings of what is needed to get the most out of Jack. You need someone who is capable of going to the dirty areas of the ice and get there at the right time, and you need someone that can continue to push the play and make smart decisions.
With that said, there are most likely awe-inspiring plays these two form that were cashed in by either guy.
Quite interesting that out of Skinner's 28 points (8 assists) there have been two goals by Buffalo that were assisted BOTH by Skinner and Eichel.
Final Words...Montreal has to be hating to play Eichel/Skinner a lot up to this point.
Well this says a lot if that's all you think Reinhart is.
