BUFFALO – As the Sabres recently rattled off 10 consecutive wins, they utilized the same 18 skaters most nights, only making changes for injuries.
If it’s working, why mess with it, right?
Coach Lindy Ruff explained the performance within that lineup, not so much the victories – “Just how well the individuals were playing,” he said – forced the Sabres to keep things consistent.
When Ruff, his staff and even general manager Jarmo Kekalainen sat down and discussed the lineup, everyone was worthy of a spot.
“It wasn’t like you could look at, say, ‘Boy, this guy’s struggling,’” said Ruff, whose Sabres host the Vancouver Canucks tonight at KeyBank Center. “We were getting an effort from everybody.”
That, of course, is a great “problem” coaches rarely encounter.
In the later stages of the Sabres’ streak, winger Jason Zucker kept sitting out after he had recovered from upper- and lower-body injuries.
The Sabres finally laid an egg on Saturday afternoon in Columbus, losing 5-1 to the Blue Jackets, their first defeat since Dec. 8.
“If you want to base it on (the) last game, we could probably have quite a few guys come out,” Ruff said following Monday’s practice.
So tonight’s lineup will look a little different. Zucker, who wasn’t happy about being scratched, is expected to return against Vancouver.
The veteran skated at left wing alongside center Josh Norris and Alex Tuch during Monday’s practice and also took reps on the top power-play unit.
Zucker, 33, replied curtly following the session when he was asked about not changing a winning lineup – “You got to ask Lindy that,” he said – and understanding the process.
Ruff said before Wednesday’s 4-1 win over the Dallas Stars, Zucker, the Sabres’ oldest and most experienced player, expressed his frustration to him.
“He was anxious to get back in, which he should be,” he said. “Any player that sits out shouldn’t be happy. If he’s happy, he’s in the wrong business. As a veteran, put me in the lineup.”
Zucker likely feels additional urgency to play because the Sabres’ hottest stretch in more than seven years coincided with his absence. After he went down Dec. 8, they started their 10-game win streak.
Ruff, whose Sabres hit the halfway point of the season Tuesday, said Zucker did not bring that up in their conversation.
“He just wanted to play,” said Ruff who believes the extra time off can help Zucker. “I respect that. I want him to play. I want him to be upset with not being in the lineup. That’s a good place to be.”
Injuries and illness have limited Zucker to 21 games this season. He has produced in his limited action, scoring nine goals and 18 points. His five power-play goals still lead the team.
The power play has converted zero of its last 14 opportunities over the past six games, so his return – he’s strong down low and regularly wins battles – should help.
With Zucker expected back, forward Josh Dunne, a key contributor in recent weeks on the fourth line, could be the odd man out. He skated as an extra in Monday’s practice.
Ruff believes the Sabres, who play 17 games in the next 31 days before the Olympic break begins, including six of the next seven contests at home, can benefit from moving guys in and out.
“It doesn’t matter kind of win or lose, we can put a couple fresh guys in the lineup, or if somebody’s a little bit banged up, somebody else can go in,” he said.
The Sabres’ depth has been critical to their success.
Dunne earned regular duty after beginning the season with the Rochester Americans. Rookie Noah Ostlund, who practiced in Dunne’s spot at center alongside Jordan Greenway and Beck Malenstyn, has likely entrenched himself in the lineup spending part of the season in the AHL. Rookie winger Isak Rosen produced before returning to the minors.
“It’s that next-man-up mentality that I think has been really key for us,” Tuch said. “Just playing simple, the same way and being able to be inserted into different lines or the lineup or whatnot, I think has really helped our group.”
Even with Zucker set to return, Peyton Krebs, who recently moved up to left wing alongside center Tage Thompson and Josh Doan, stayed put on the top line Monday.
On defense, with Michael Kesselring and Conor Timmins injured, Ruff said Jacob Bryson and rookie Zach Metsa have “kept us alive on the back end.”
“Not many teams have been hit harder with injuries than we have,” Ruff said. “So when you have Ostlund, Rosen, Dunne, Krebs – the guys that maybe don’t play as much moved up, and then play as well as they did – they’re a big factor and the reason we were able to put that many games together.”