Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR 550) – Buffalo Sabres winger Jack Quinn was back on the ice on Tuesday, going at full speed during the team's practice. It’s the first time the 22-year-old joined his teammates since suffering a leg injury back on Jan. 27.
Quinn only played 17 games after recovering from an offseason Achilles injury, and did well, scoring five goals and seven assists for 12 points. His first game back was on Dec. 19, and he suffered his latest injury during a win over the San Jose Sharks.
While Quinn says he felt really good after Tuesday's practice, he says the decision on if he’ll play on Wednesday against the Ottawa Senators is between head coach Don Granato and general manager Kevyn Adams.
Granato said after practice that Quinn does have a chance to play against Ottawa.
After suffering a pair of major injuries in the span of months, Quinn admits it has been tough mentally on him.
"It’s very difficult. It’s never fun to be injured, so I’m definitely happy to be back," said Quinn on Tuesday following practice.
When he came back the first time in December, Quinn showed no signs of rust. He says that was all due to a good plan in place.
"I just tried to keep getting better and engaged in the game, and never losing it from my brain and watching hockey," Quinn explained. "It felt like a little bit of stuff with the timing, but other than that, I was mentally right into it."
Quinn was back on his line with JJ Peterka and Dylan Cozens on Tuesday. Cozens was impressed with how Quinn handled his comeback the first time.
"He came right in and exceeded everyone’s expectations for game speed, and getting to game pace and conditioning. He stepped in right away and made a difference," said Cozens following Tuesday's practice.
"I also think it’s his positive outlook on things. A lot of people could feel sorry for themselves, and he did do a little of that, and I would’ve too. But he gets through that quick and gets back to, ‘OK, I’ve got to rehab and get ready to go.’ It’s that positive outlook that’s great."
Cozens and Granato know what Quinn brings to the game overall.
"There’s the dynamic of energy and vibrance, and passion for the game, but look at the analytics, his analytic numbers are elite because of how talented he is," said Granato on Tuesday. "Just look at the numbers he produces, and what we produce when he’s in the lineup. It makes everybody else better."
When Adams spoke on NHL Trade Deadline day, he wasn’t sure if Quinn would be back or not. Quinn says he felt there was time to get back.
"I was more optimistic than everyone, because it’s me and my body" he said.
The Sabres originally said it would be a 6-to-8 week injury, and Quinn was able to make it back to practice with his teammates in Week 8.
The Sabres are now home for five-straight games after going 2-3-0 on their recent five-game road trip. What makes it worse is even when they were playing poorly, Buffalo was in all five games.
In Detroit, the Red Wings didn’t take a 3-1 lead until the 13:52 mark of the third period. In Vancouver, Rasmus Dahlin cut the Canucks' lead to 2-1 by scoring at the 9:23 mark of the third period.
In Edmonton, JJ Peterka gave the Sabres a 3-2 lead at the 16:56 mark of the second period. The Oilers then took a one-goal lead at 4:38 mark of the third period, and the game got away just 1:02 later.
That loss to Edmonton, in particular, really annoyed Cozens.
"That Edmonton game sucked, how it just turned around like that, especially when we took the lead with a minute left in the second. And the Detroit one too, that one hurt," he said. "It wasn’t what we wanted, and we have to find ways, especially on the West coast, to get those games to OT, at least, and grab a point out of it."
Tyson Jost was back at practice on Tuesday after missing one game with an injury.
TUESDAY’S LINES:
Forwards:
Greenway – Thompson – Tuch
Peterka – Cozens – Quinn
Skinner – Krebs – Benson
Robinson – Girgensons – Olofsson
Jost
Defense:
Bryson – Clifton
Byram – Dahlin
Power – Jokiharju
Rousek - Clague
