Peterka Not Ruled Out For Sabres Home Opener

Benson day-to-day, Aube-Kubel out three-to-six weeks with lower-body injuries

The Buffalo Sabres got back on the ice for the first time since opening the season with a pair of losses to New Jersey in the NHL Global Series on the weekend. The club worked on the power play prior at Harborcenter before a full practice at Key Bank Center on Tuesday, and head coach Lindy Ruff provided an update on injured wingers JJ Peterka, Zach Benson, and Nicolas Aube-Kubel.

The most encouraging news was about Peterka, who left the first period of Saturday's 3-1 loss after a high hit from Devils defenseman Brendan Dillon. Ruff indicated that the 22-year-old skated before practice on Tuesday and that the club would see how he responds. The Sabres head coach did not rule out the possibility of him returning as soon as the home opener against Los Angeles on Thursday.

Peyton Krebs took the spot of Peterka on the top line with Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch, while Jiri Kulich took the place of Benson on the second unit with Dylan Cozens and Jack Quinn, in part because Ruff wanted to keep his third and fourth lines together.

Benson did not skate on Tuesday, but Ruff described his lower-body injury as “day-to-day”. The news was not as good on Nicolas Aube-Kubel, who suffered a lower-body injury in the season-opening 4-1 loss on Friday. The veteran winger was placed on injured reserve on Monday and will be out for three-to-six weeks.

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