Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - The Buffalo Sabres have picked up points in seven of their last eight games, going 4-1-3. That’s a points percentage of .688.
That points percentage for the season would have them eighth in the NHL, second in the Atlantic Division and fifth in the Eastern Conference.
The thing that is annoying head coach Lindy Ruff is they’re leaving points on the table. The last three games have gone to overtime against Eastern Conference teams, and Ruff knows his team easily could’ve won all three in regulation time, giving his team two points and the other team none.
Instead, Buffalo got one point and surrendered two to its opponent.
Zach Benson has been fighting a lower-body injury, which forced him to miss a few late shifts Thursday night in Boston against the Bruins. Ruff is hoping he’s only out about a week.
That means with Benson and Josh Norris on Injured Reserve, Isak Rosen comes up and the lines are severely shuffled.
Tage Thompson has said more than once how much he enjoys playing on a line with Jordan Greenway, and on Saturday against the Washington Capitals, he’s going to get his wish. Greenway will center Thompson and Jason Zucker.
Part of the reason for this change is Ruff is not happy at all with Jiri Kulich’s play. Kulich will center Rosen and Jack Quinn, as those three have had a chemistry in Rochester.
"I need 'Kuli' to be better," Ruff said following Saturday's morning skate. "For playing in that top situation, you’ve got to be able to produce more. You’ve got to be able to set up more.
"When I look at it, his opportunities and his numbers are down. Maybe a different look is all he needs, because sometimes I think he just defers to Tage, and I don‘t think that’s a good thing."
In eight games in the American Hockey League, Rosen is second in scoring with five goals and seven assists for 12 points. Ruff says the winger forced the call up.
"The best thing he’s done is gone down and made a statement that, 'I’m one of the top guys in the American League. I’m playing really well, and if we need a guy, I’m your guy.' That’s the message he’s sent with the way he’s played."
The 22-year-old Rosen has played 202 games in Rochester, scoring 67 goals and 87 assists for 154 points. In the NHL, he has one assist in 15 games.
Just a side note, Amerks defenseman Zac Jones leads the AHL in assists with 10.
At 89.5%, the Sabres are still second in the NHL in penalty killing.
Alex Lyon looked fatigued in Thursday’s game in Boston, so Ruff is giving Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen another opportunity for Buffalo. In his one game, it didn’t go, well as he’s 0-0-1 with a 3.90 goals-against average and an .826 save percentage.
Another reason why Luukkonen may be starting is he's 5-1-2 against the Caps with a 2.91 goals-against average and a .904 save percentage.
In their last 11 games against Washington, Buffalo is 6-1-4.
Washington played at home on Friday and lost to the New York Islanders, 3-1. The Capitals have lost three-straight games, and 4-out-of-6.
Despite leading the NHL with a goals-against average of 2.27, Washington is only 6-5-0. The other reason is they’re 28th in goals-for, averaging 2.55 goals per-game.
Alex Ovechkin only has two goals in 11 games this season, but against Buffalo, he has 42 career goals and 71 points in 67 games.
Logan Thompson has been stellar in net for the Capitals with a 1.51 goals-against average and a .935 save percentage in eight games.
However, the Sabres will get a break and not face him, as it’s Charlie Lindgren set to get the start on Saturday. He’s 1-2-0 this year with a 3.72 goals-against average and an .882 save percentage.
Washington has some key injuries, as center Pierre-Luc Dubois has missed five games, and he left Friday’s game after playing just 6:02.
Join Brian Koziol and myself for pregame coverage on WGR starting at 6 p.m. when you’ll hear from Ruff, Thompson and Rosen.
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