Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR 550) – Ever since Jack Quinn came back to play on a line with Dylan Cozens and JJ Peterka, he’s been able to put pucks in the back of the net. The other two on that line, however, have not.
The line is doing the right things. They win battles, spend long stretches in the offensive zone and create great scoring chances. The problem is, Cozens and Peterka just can’t convert lately.
Cozens knows they’re doing the right things shift-in and shift-out.
"I feel like when we get out there, we almost get a good chance every shift," said Cozens following Wednesday's practice. "We know we’re playing good, but at some point, we’ve gotta bear down and put some in the back of the net. I’ve struggled to do that this year, and it’s frustrating, for sure.
"You do your best to try not to get frustrated and just keep working, thinking it’s going to change and come in bunches. That’s what we’re hoping for."
Cozens has six goals in 39 games, and has only two in 22 games.
Meanwhile, Peterka has 12 goals in 41 games, but he hasn’t scored in 12 games.
"When you’re not scoring, you think about every shot. But when you’re scoring, you just shoot, and some just find their way in. That’s what I’ve been working on mentally, because I know I need to be way better and I need to produce more," Cozens said.
Both players put the work in on the ice. They usually stay after practice for extra work, and they were both out there with Devon Levi and others for almost an hour after practice on Wednesday.
Cozens feels if he continues to puts the work in, the results will come.
"We talk about our practices as a line, and we want to dominate in practice. We just don’t want to do good in practice, we want to score goals. We want to score and do great, and we know if we’re doing that in practice, it’ll translate to the game," Cozens said. "We stay out and do extra stuff and all the little things, it’ll pay off."
Cozens is the veteran of the line at the age of 22. He’ll be 23 next month, while Quinn will be 23 in September and Peterka will turn 22 on Sunday. For young kids, they already realize the work they must put in.
Cozens was a Nomad while Quinn missed the first half of the season. He never had a real spot in the lineup, as Granato didn’t seem like he knew where to put him.
Since Quinn’s been back, he’s their center and that’s it. Cozens says it helps.
"It’s great having 'Quinner' back," he said. "I like playing with everyone on this team, but at the end of the day, it is nice to have some consistency and build something with the same guys."
Granato wants Cozens to be direct and play with speed. When he does that, he seems more engaged and harder to play against.
Peterka also missed Quinn. Unlike Cozens, Peterka built chemistry with Quinn when they played together with the Rochester Americans.
"Since he’s been back, I think our line has been pretty good," said Peterka a while back. "We found our chemistry, so its been fun."
Peterka is such a happy young man. When things are going well, he has a wide smile both on and off the ice. That’s been missing, and he just looks like he’s not having fun right now. He says things have to break soon.
"I think as long as you get chances, it’s a good thing, even though I just can’t convert them now. But sometimes you score a bunch, and then sometimes the puck just won’t find the back of the net," Peterka said.
Peterka seems to hit the post almost every game, and he’s also been missing the net, mostly high.
"I’m probably trying to pick too much of the corner right now, but hopefully I’ll get a greasy one soon and then work from there," Peterka said.
Jeff Skinner was getting imaging done Wednesday morning for an upper-body injury, and the team didn’t have the results back.
"We won’t know until we get the imaging, but it doesn’t look like it’s going to be long and that’s the hope," said Sabres head coach Don Granato on Wednesday.
Sabres captain Kyle Okposo practiced again on Wednesday and is close to making his return from a lower-body injury.
Defenseman Ryan Johnson didn’t play in the last two games because the team won. It seems like he may play again on Thursday.
"I would expect he’ll be in tomorrow, but decisions aren’t final yet," Granato all but confirmed.
Both Jiri Kulich and Isak Rosen have been selected for the AHL All-Star Game in San Jose. Kulich has 16 goals and 22 points in 23 games, while Rosen is Rochester’s leading scorer with nine goals and 15 assists for 24 points in 27 games.
