Levi, Benson out day-to-day with lower-body injuries
The Buffalo Sabres have struggled defensively in the first week of the regular season and lost two of their first three home games, including a 4-3 loss to the Calgary Flames on Thursday, which has prompted Sabres head coach Don Granato to make some changes.
"We were sloppy. The difference in the game was Calgary did a nice job playing a very direct game and they made their breaks. I felt we didn't play direct enough." Sabres head coach Don Granato said after the game. "Five-on-five, we wanted to play a little bit pretty at times, and we didn't play direct enough."
At practice at the Harborcenter on Friday, Granato mixed up all four of his forward lines in hopes of finding more two-way responsibility in the club’s next match against the New York Islanders on Saturday.
The Sabres top line was split up, with Tage Thompson centering Jordan Greenway and Dylan Cozens, and Casey Mittelstadt centering Jeff Skinner and Alex Tuch. Victor Olofsson was re-inserted on the third line with Tyson Jost and J-J Peterka, and Peyton Krebs shifted back to centering the fourth line with Zemgus Girgensons and Kyle Okposo.
Cozens, who played center primarily last season, indicated that he is comfortable shifting to the wing.
"I'm not too worried about it. I'm excited to go back (to the wing) and I'm excited to play with Tage and (Greenway). When we get back into the defensive zone, it's kind of whoever's back plays center anyways, so it's not gonna be too much different." Cozens said. "Last night obviously is not acceptable. We know we're way better team than that and we know we haven't hit our stride yet."
Absent from practice were rookies Zach Benson and Devon Levi. The Sabres provided an update that both were dealing with lower-body injuries and were considered day-to-day.
Benson had his most difficult night as a pro on Thursday, going -3 in just over 12 minutes of ice time, including a turnover after being leveled by Calgary’s Dennis Gilbert, which led to Blake Coleman’s go-ahead goal early in the third period.
Levi was inconsistent in his fourth start, making spectacular stops on Mikael Backlund and Elias Lindholm, but then giving up questionable goals to Jonathan Huberdeau and on Adam Ruzicka’s game-winner early in the third period.
Granato did not speak with the media on Friday, but it is likely with Levi’s injury status and the club playing questionable in front of him, that either Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen or Eric Comrie will make their first start of the season on Saturday against New York.
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