Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR 550) – Rookie winger JJ Peterka is off to a good start with the Buffalo Sabres. Peterka is fourth in NHL rookie scoring with three goals and three assists for six points in 10 games.
This two-game road trip to Carolina and Tampa Bay is the annual mom’s trip.
Quite a few of the mothers are on the trip including, Peterka's mom, who is here from Germany. Peterka was pretty excited that his mom got to see him score a National Hockey League goal on Wednesday against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
“It was a super good feeling," said Peterka on Thursday. "I mean, it’s the first time that my mom saw me play live in the NHL, so that was kind of cool and a pretty nice experience.”
When parents go on these trips, they get to sit in on team dinners and meetings to see what their sons go through. Peterka thinks it'll be fun spending time with her.
“It’s cool to have my mom experience what I have, and for her to see how I live,” he said.
Sabres head coach Don Granato has chosen to put Dylan Cozens out against the other team’s best players. Peterka is part of that line, and he loves the trust that the coaching staff is putting in him.
“We get a lot of trust from the coach, but especially that game when you go out against [Sidney] Crosby almost every shift," Peterka said. "For me, it’s so special because he was one of the players I watched growing up, and going up against him every shift is pretty sick. So it’s good to have the trust in those situations."
Peterka had the same experience when he went against one of the best German players to ever live, Leon Draisaitl, in Edmonton.
The Sabres had Ilya Lyubushkin back on the ice for practice, but the team said he’s still day-to-day. Don Granato said his defenseman played through the pain for a few games before resting.
“When you play, you don’t think about it. It feels like nothing, because during the game, you want to win. You want to help your team," said Lyubushkin on Thursday. "It doesn’t matter how much pain you’re in, you want to just play.”
Lyubushkin says he’s feeling better, and it was nice to be back on the ice with his teammates. He adds he’s almost ready to return.
Henri Jokiharju has been doing rehab skates for the past two days. They hope to have him back practicing with the team next week.
Thursday’s lines:
Forwards:
Skinner – Thompson – Okposo
Girgensons – Krebs – Asplund
Peterka – Cozens – Tuch
Quinn – Mittelstadt – Olofsson
Defense:
Clague – Power
Pilut – Fitzgerald
Bryson – Dahlin
