team fell in five games to Eakin's former club, the Capitals, in the 2018 Stanley Cup Finals. During the 2018 playoffs, Eakin scored 3 goals in 20 games. The Golden Knights matched up with the San Jose Sharks during the first round of the 2019 playoffs. In Game 7 on April 23, Eakin cross-checked Joe Pavelski in the chest following a faceoff. Pavelski landed awkwardly on his head, causing the referees to issue Eakin a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct, despite neither of them seeing the infraction. At the time of the penalty, the Golden Knights were leading 3–0 with just over ten minutes remaining. However, the Sharks would score four unanswered goals on the ensuing five-minute power play. When a major penalty is called, the entire penalty must be served, regardless of how many goals are scored. The Sharks eventually won the game 5–4 in overtime, eliminating the Golden Knights. According to Golden Knights general manager George McPhee, the league called him days after their elimination to apologize for the call, and referees Eric Furlatt and Dan O'Halloran did not officiate another game in the remainder of the 2019 playoffs. In the following 2019–20 season, Eakin struggled to produce offensively with the Golden Knights positing just 10 points through 41 games. On February 21, 2020, Eakin was traded by the Golden Knights to his hometown Winnipeg Jets in exchange for a 2021 conditional fourth-round pick. Later, on March 9, 2020, Eakin scored his first goal as a Winnipeg Jet - the game-winning goal - in a 4–2 win vs the Arizona Coyotes. On October 10, 2020, having left the Jets as a free agent, Eakin was signed to a two-year, $4.5 million contract with the Buffalo Sabres. On September 11, 2022, Eakin signed a professional tryout agreement with the Calgary Flames. On October 6, he, alongside Sonny Milano, were released from their tryouts. Personal life Eakin grew up in an athletic family, as both his father and his uncle Bruce Eakin played professional hockey. International play Eakin was a member of Canada's gold medal-winning team at the 2015 World Championships, where Canada won the title for the first time since 2007 with a perfect 10–0 record. Career statistics Regular season and playoffs International Awards and honours References External links 1991 births Living people Buffalo Sabres players Canadian ice hockey centres Dallas Stars players Hershey Bears players Kootenay