BUFFALO – Sabres coach Lindy Ruff expects winger JJ Peterka to return from his concussion for Wednesday’s road game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Peterka skated in the Sabres’ optional this morning as they prepared for tonight’s game against the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers. He will miss his second straight contest.
The German suffered a concussion when New Jersey Devils defenseman Brenden Dillon hit him in the head early in last Saturday’s 3-1 loss.
In other news, Ruff said goalie Devon Levi will be facing the Panthers, his second start this season. He looked sharp last Saturday while making 34 saves.
The Sabres, of course, have started the season 0-3-0 and scored just three goals. They haven’t lost their first four games since starting 2017-18 a dreadful 0-4-1.
“You don’t want to create too much stress, but we need to score some goals,” Ruff said this morning in KeyBank Center.
The Sabres pumped 33 shots on goal in Thursday’s 3-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings, a game in which they generated loads of scoring chances.
Meanwhile, winger Jordan Greenway and defenseman Owen Power, both of whom had maintenance days Friday, skated this morning. Ruff expects them to play tonight.
Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov will miss tonight’s game with a lower-body injury.
Update: Panthers coach Paul Maurice said star winger Matthew Tkachuk is sick and will miss tonight’s game. Goalie Spencer Knight will be starting.
Some other notes on tonight’s game:
– Ruff hinted winger Jack Quinn, who has registered just one shot on goal this season, could be moved from right wing alongside center Dylan Cozens and Jiri Kulich.
“I probably wouldn’t even be afraid to juggle some people around,” Ruff said. “The line has been good, but I look at Quinn’s game, he is the kind of guy we need to get the puck on his stick. He needs the puck more.
“When I’m talking offense, I’m talking a little bit about finding the right person in the right place. The line I thought did some really good things. But there was some better things I thought could’ve happened, too.”
– Ruff said he has spoken to defenseman Mattias Samuelsson about the slashing penalty he took late in Thursday’s game with the Sabres already down a man. The Kings scored on the ensuing five-on-three.
“We addressed it,” Ruff said. “… I had a great conversation with him about that.”