Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR 550) – After being gone for a week, the Sabres practiced in Buffalo on Tuesday before leaving for Toronto for a game on Wednesday against the Maple Leafs.
At first blush, you would say the Sabres' line of Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch and Jeff Skinner has turned into a No. 1 line in the NHL.
The production is there, as over 82 games, Thompson is on a pace for 36 goals and 66 points. Tuch is on a pace for 26 goals and 56 assists and 82 points, while Skinner is on a pace for 32 goals and 59 points.
The problem is head coach Don Granato doesn’t feel they play at their potential enough.
It seems like it’s rare that the Thompson line plays at a high level for all 60 minutes. Granato says that’s how he has challenged them.
“They have set themselves to where they’re almost ready to establish themselves as a top line in this league. But to do that, you have to be consistent," Granato said following Tuesday's practice. "You have to set a tone in the first minute of the game, not rise to the level of the game in the last minute of the game, and it's happened too often. They’ve elevated, but it’s too late.”
Lately the Sabres have been falling behind early, and it’s been too large of a hill to climb in their efforts to come back.
“We want them to be a top line in the NHL, but at the start of the St. Louis game and the start of the Dallas game, they’re the ones that have to set the tone," Granato said. "They did a better job of getting better as the game went, and you can’t do that.”
Thompson’s line now faces the other team’s best checking line and best pair of defensemen almost every night. Granato says only one of them has had that pressure in the NHL.
“If Jeff Skinner doesn’t score, he gets blamed for not scoring. Let’s face it, with the contract he’s on, the history that he’s had, he’s dealt with that pressure," he said. "If we turn to Thompson and Tuch, they haven’t dealt with that pressure yet. They’ve been afforded the luxury of just being happy to be here, and now that’s not good enough.”
Tuch is a guy that many are touting as the Sabres' next captain. He is a player that always takes responsibility for his own play.
“Last game, [our line wasn't] good defensively at all," Tuch said following practice. "We gave up a couple of goals that we would like to have back, and yes, we might be able to produce, and when we’re clicking we’re going to score some goals, but we do have to be better defensively. Our effort level and our compete level has to increase, and we have to play a 200-foot game, because we’re going to be playing against some top lines that have a lot of skill. We can’t give them any inches out there.”
Jack Quinn and Vinnie Hinostroza returned to practice on Tuesday, while Henri Jokiharju landed on the team's injury report as week-to-week.
Granato says both Quinn and Hinostroza looked great coming back from injury
“The information we got today couldn’t have been any better," he said. "They pushed it hard and they were taking contact, so that is good news."
As of Tuesday, there’s only one roster spot with both players possibly ready to play Friday or Sunday, so Quinn was sent back to the Rochester Americans after practice.
As far as Jokiharju goes, Granato says he's listed as week-to-week, but that could mean the timetable of his absence is only until the end of this week. However, the team still needs to see how he responds to treatments.
Zemgus Girgensons is still listed as week-to-week.
Tuesday’s lines:
Forwards:
Skinner – Thompson – Tuch
Cozens – Mittelstadt – Okposo
Asplund – Krebs – Olofsson
Bjork – Eakin – Hayden
Quinn – Jankowski – Hinostroza
Defense:
Dahlin – Bryson
(Butcher) Hagg – Pysyk
Samuelsson – Fitzgerald
***Photo: Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres)
