Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - The Buffalo Sabres have been excellent on the power play in recent games. They’re 8-of-19 in the last seven contests in which they’ve had a man advantage.
As I’ve watched them play, they’re entering the zone better because they’re hitting the blue line with speed. And once they get into the zone, head coach Lindy Ruff and his staff have changed things up quite a bit.
Tage Thompson is no longer just setting up shop in the left circle. He is in the high slot to start in the bumper position, and then he gets into motion. I’ve seen him in both circles, the point, battling along the side walls, and behind the net. He’s even attacked the crease when necessary.
What this has done is cause chaos for the penalty killers, and Thompson likes the operation of how it works.
"Typically when I stand on that left dot like I have in the past, I think teams have caught on to taking that one-timer away. So for us to try to get me more involved, it’s just being able to move positions," said Thompson following Wednesday's practice. "I think things have opened up the possibility for me to switch in and out of spots with some of the other guys on the unit.
"I think 'Quinny' [Jack Quinn] does a really good job of reading off me. When I want to switch with him, he just rolls into the bumper. I flew out, and 'Dahls' [Rasmus Dahlin] does a great job of moving up top, I think, and just a little bit more motion will help out and get away from PKs just being able to sit on one guy and take away a threat. So for us, that motion causes a little confusion for the PK, and makes them make a decision on what they’re going to take away."
Thompson told me he’s trying to read areas to support guys so he can find pockets to get shots off.
"It’s reading off your teammates," he said. "As I see 'Dahls' walk one way or the other, I’m just trying to find a spot where I can get into my shooting position, or a position to distribute it. 'Dahls' is one of the best in the league at running the power play, and I’m just trying to read off him, as well as 'Quinny' and JJ [Peterka] on the flanks."
With the movement that we’ve seen, Jason Zucker has found himself wide-open on top of the crease, because the motion is drawing the defense away from him.
Zucker leads the team with eight power play goals, while Thompson has four, and Dahlin and Peterka have netted three.
Zucker also leads the team with 14 points with the extra man, while Dahlin has 12, Thompson has 10 and Peterka has nine.
Thompson has also spent three games playing right wing. Ruff says Thompson has been playing through an injury, but the position isn’t foreign to No. 72. He started his career on the wing, and he seems OK with it for now.
"It’s been good," Thompson said. "I think it’s a little more straight line, North/South-type of game, and it’s just where he’s got me right now. I’m comfortable playing any position, so I don’t really care where I’m playing. I feel just as comfortable on the wing as I do in the middle."
Ruff says Jiri Kulich suffered a lower-body injury on Monday and is week-to-week. He’s been put on Injured Reserve, and Tyson Kozak has been called up from the Rochester Americans.
Kozak came up for his first three NHL games early in December, and he did score a goal in his second game against the Utah Hockey Club.
In 24 games in Rochester, he has scored six goals and six assists for 12 points.
Jacob Bryson returned to practice on Wednesday after missing two games due to illness. Meanwhile, Beck Malenstyn is still sick and didn’t make the trip to Ottawa.
WEDNESDAY’S LINES:
Forwards:
Zucker – Cozens – Thompson
Benson – Krebs - Quinn
Peterka – McLeod – Tuch
Lafferty – Kozak – Aube-Kubel
Defense:
Dahlin – Byram
Power – Clifton
Samuelsson – Jokiharju
Gilbert – Bryson