NHL Thursday: Eichel scores in his Sabres debut

The first two nights of the NHL season have brought everything you could possibly want from the return of hockey. We’ve had fights. We’ve had controversial hits. We just needed one thing to complete the trifecta.

This is obviously a terrible thing to do to another human male, but the immediate face-washing and penalty seems like an appropriate penalty. In any case, hockey is officially back! In all of its mean, occasionally uncalled for glory.

To be fair, neither Eichel or McDavid are going to miss many open nets like that. Still, it was a special moment for both Eichel and the fans in Buffalo who have waited for a franchise-changing player like him for years.

Your move, McDavid.

Bergeron was unhurt after the play, but he was upset enough about it that he immediately went after Burmistrov for retaliation. Both players got sent to the penalty box, though you have to wonder whether Burmistrov’s penalty will be given extra consideration by the Department of Player Safety after the game.

Burmistrov has never been suspended or fined by the league in the 194 games he’s spent in the NHL. In the last two seasons in the KHL, the young forward has tallied 63 points in 107 games.