Zach Bogosian spend nearly the final three minutes of Thursday’s win on the ice. ©2018, Micheline Veluvolu

Sabres’ Zach Bogosian ‘looked like a man possessed’ against Coyotes

BUFFALO – Zach Bogosian certainly earned his maintenance day today. In the third period of Thursday’s 3-1 win over the Arizona Coyotes, the Sabres defenseman played a whopping 11 minutes, 13 seconds.

Bogosian stayed on the ice for the final 2:42 of the tilt as the Coyotes pulled goalie Darcy Kuemper and pushed to tie the game. Overall, Bogosian played 25 minutes, 10 seconds in the Sabres’ second consecutive victory.

“He looked like a man possessed out there,” Sabres coach Phil Housley inside KeyBank Center. “He was very physical. … But he rose to the occasion, provided us some intense physicality.”

Housley said defensemen Lawrence Pilut and Rasmus Ristolainen also had maintenance days.

The Sabres practiced inside HarborCenter before their flight to Washington, where they face the Stanley Cup champion Capitals on Saturday, the first of two meetings in a seven-day stretch.

The Sabres haven’t played against superstar Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals since they won their first Cup last season.

“It’s great, I mean, he’s got such a passion for the game,” Housley said of Ovechkin finally winning. “There’s been a lot of pressure on Washington winning all the Presidents’ Trophies and not getting to the final. They’ve had some tough competition always going through Pittsburgh.

“But the biggest thing when I look at the Washington Capitals is (former coach) Barry Trotz, the time he put in there and he was able to finally win a Stanley Cup with all the work that he’s put in and his love for the game.”

Trotz, who now coaches the New York Islanders, hired Housley as an assistant during his days leading the Nashville Predators.

In injury news, defenseman Marco Scandella practiced again today and appears to be nearing a return after missing eight games with an upper-body injury.

“Marco’s looking great,” Housley said.

Housley also said winger Scott Wilson, out since breaking his ankle in training camp, is close to practicing again.

“He’s been skating a lot now, he’s looking good,” Housley said.

2 thoughts on “Sabres’ Zach Bogosian ‘looked like a man possessed’ against Coyotes”

  1. Well as much as I like Bogosian in the community and as a team player, he is the OLD School defenseman model. Slow and Slasher would fit best. I have watched him make terrible reads on outlet passes causing turnovers that ended up in the back of the net. He continuously gets beat wide as they turn the puck to the net making him look like a pylon. Again, I like the man just not the player in today’s HIGH SPEED game. I wouldn’t mind seeing him on the bench in minor hockey and working his way up the ladder. Other than that, trade him if you can get anything reasonable.

  2. In past few weeks Bogo has been one best Sabres D. He actually is pretty good skater. Not straight line fast but quick on his feet. I do play defence myself so I do understand how well he does move. additionally and also very important for defence, is that he doesn’t throw puck away like several of Buffalo D. He also is one person on team that keeps guys like Tom Wilson , Smith Pelly honest. He is a crucial part of a defence.

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