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BUFFALO Gordie Howe Jersey , N.Y. (AP) Upon passing a physical and signing his three-year NHL contract, Casey Mittelstadt’s first order of business as a member of the Buffalo Sabres proved to be a perk on Tuesday.The 19-year-old was invited out for lunch with Sabres star Jack Eichel.”It’s definitely something pretty cool for a kid like me,” Mittelstadt said. ”It’s good to know he’s excited I’m here and he’s interested in getting to know me.”If the 21-year-old Eichel is the undisputed face of the Sabres, Mittelstadt is being counted upon to be a valuable addition in the struggling franchise’s bid to rebuild with youth. He was selected with the No. 8 pick in the draft last year, and signed with Buffalo a little more than a week after the playmaking center completed his freshman season at the University of Minnesota.Mittelstadt is scheduled to join the Sabres for practice on Wednesday and expected to make his NHL debut the following day, when Buffalo hosts the Detroit Red Wings in a game between two teams already eliminated from playoff contention.The Sabres have six games left, and are in jeopardy of finishing last in the overall standings for the third time in five years.Mittelstadt was mostly unfamiliar with the Sabres’ past woes while growing up a Wild fan in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.Over the past year, he’s become more familiar with the focus being placed on the team’s youngsters to restore winning to a team that’s not made the playoffs in seven years.”I think I can feel the struggle a little bit Authentic Gustav Nyquist Jersey ,” Mittelstadt said. ”And obviously, there’s a big emphasis being put on the young guys to turn it around here.”Mittelstadt had 11 goals and 19 assists in 34 games and was selected to the Big Ten all-freshmen team this year.The Golden Gophers’ season ended last week, when they were on the wrong end of numerous scenarios in being eliminated from competing in the NCAA Tournament.Mittelstadt took a few days to weigh his options before electing to turn pro last weekend. He said Minnesota coach Don Lucia’s decision to step down after 19 seasons had little influence on his decision.”I wanted to make sure the decision I came to that I’m both feet in,” he said. ”And it came up over and over again that both my feet were into go pro.”Buffalo has become a familiar setting for Mittelstadt. He attended the NHL pre-draft rookie combine in the city last spring.He made yet a bigger splash in representing the bronze-medal-winning United States team at the World Junior hockey championship, which was held in Buffalo three months ago. Mittelstadt was selected as the 10-nation tournament’s MVP after finishing tied for first in scoring with 11 points (four goals, seven assists).The inkling of one day playing for the Sabres in the same arena briefly crossed Mittelstadt’s mind during the world juniors, though he was more focused on representing the U.S. and returning to Minnesota.”Obviously, things didn’t turn out the way we wanted them to this year,” Mittelstadt said of the Gophers’ season ending.”But when the time came and I had some time to sit down and think and talk with my family Womens Henrik Zetterberg Jersey , I think this was the right decision.”By adding Mittelstadt, the Sabres demoted forward Justin Bailey to Rochester.— CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — St. Louis goalie Jake Allen rebounded at the Calgary Flames‘ expense.Pulled after allowing four first period goals in home loss to Calgary last Sunday and after giving up another four goals Thursday in a loss at Vancouver, Allen made 28 saves in the Blues’ 3-1 victory over the Flames on Saturday.“We rebounded really well against a really good team here in Calgary, probably one of the hottest teams in the league,” Allen said. “They kicked our butt pretty good in our own rink a couple weeks ago. It’s just going to be a good feeling now to have a couple days off.”David Perron had a goal and an assist, and Tyler Bozak and Oskar Sundqvist also scored to help St. Louis finish 2-1-0 on their trip through Western Canada. Perron has nine goals and 11 assists in 16 games against Calgary since the start of the 2014-15 season.“It’s definitely coming for sure,” Blues coach Craig Berube said. “This team has really good character. We’ve got some veterans who have been around a while. They know how to win.”Matthew Tkachuk scored his 16th goal for Calgary. The Flames have lost three straight. Calgary lost for the first time in regulation at home since Nov. 15, ending a 7-0-2 string.“Just because we played well against a guy a couple days ago Jimmy Howard Jersey , doesn’t mean it’s going to automatically translate into today’s game,” Tkachuk said. “Maybe had it in the back of our minds that if we shot everything, some would go in, but I think we need to get more bodies (to the net).”St. Louis opened the scoring 4:06 into the game. Perron gloved down a puck that had deflected high in the air and wristed a shot from inside 20 feet that beat goalie Mike Smith on the short-side. The Blues made it 2-0 at 11:43 when Bozak chipped in a rebound after Pat Maroon curled out from behind the net and had his initial shot stopped.The Flames scored with 3:11 left in the first. On their first power play of the day, they needed just seven seconds to convert with Tkachuk steering in a centering feed from Elias Lindholm.The Blues got some insurance two minutes into the third. Smith couldn’t control the rebound of Sundqvist’s 40-foot slap shot and when the puck popped back into the slot, Sundqvist converted.NOTES: Flames LW Michael Frolik (ankle) returned after missing 15 games. … St. Louis is 11-1-2 when leading after two periods.UP NEXTBlues: Host Buffalo on Thursday night.Flames: At Winnipeg on Thursday night.