Jack Quinn set up one of Buffalo’s goals Thursday, but it did not change the outcome. The Sabres fell 6-3 to the Canadiens in Game 5, leaving Quinn with an assist, three shots on goal and a plus-2 rating in defeat.
The assist was a small bright spot in a series that has largely asked Quinn to do more with less. He has yet to score in the playoffs despite 20 shots on goal, and Thursday was another night when the finishing touch stayed just out of reach.
That drought stands in contrast to what Quinn had just done in the regular season. He scored against the Blue Jackets on April 9 to reach 20 regular-season goals for the first time in his career, a milestone that confirmed the kind of finishing touch Buffalo hoped would carry over when the games tightened.
Instead, the playoffs have mostly kept Quinn in a supporting lane. Through 11 appearances, he has four assists, 14 hits and a minus-2 rating while holding onto a middle-six role. He has been involved, but not decisive, and the numbers show the gap between being around the puck and putting it in the net.
For the Sabres, that makes Quinn one of the more interesting pieces to watch going forward. He is getting looks, he is staying engaged physically, and he is still finding ways to help. What Buffalo has not gotten yet is the goal-scoring burst that made April 9 feel like a turning point.
