The Buffalo Sabres continue their three-game homestand against JJ Peterka and the Utah Mammoth on Tuesday, but added two players to their injured list. The club is already without forwards Josh Norris, Justin Danforth, Tyson Kozak and Zach Benson, and head coach Lindy Ruff indicated that winger Jason Zucker and center Jiri Kulich will be unavailable for the Mammoth game.
“I doubt if (Kulich is) possible (for Thursday), and Zucker is probably worse today than he was yesterday," Ruff said. So (it's) doubtful that he wouldn't even come close to (playing) Thursday."
Zucker was placed on injured reserve to make room for the recall of center Noah Ostlund. Ostlund played four games for the Sabres last month and has seven points (2 goals, 5 assists) in six games with the Amerks. It is possible that Ostlund will slot in place of Kulich on the Sabres third line with Rochester linemate Isak Rosen and Jack Quinn, but the club’s line combinations are likely to be scrambled with the number of absences.
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On the positive side, Kozak practiced on Tuesday for the first time since being injured in the first period of the 5-3 win over Toronto on October 24. Ruff indicated that he would not be available on Tuesday, but did not rule out his return for the final game of the Sabres three-game homestand vs. St. Louis on Thursday.
In spite of Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen playing well in his first win of the season against Washington on Saturday, Alex Lyon was in the starter’s net for Buffalo at the morning skate at KeyBank Center. In spite of earning points in their last six games (3-0-3), the Sabres are tied for last place in the Eastern Conference with 13 points, but with a victory could vault into third place in the Atlantic Division.
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