BUFFALO – Oft-injured Sabres center Josh Norris won’t return to the lineup before the Olympic break.
Coach Lindy Ruff said this morning that Norris, who has missed the last 11 games with an upper-body injury, will sit out tonight’s contest against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Norris began practicing again last week.
“Really just not quite ready,” Ruff said in KeyBank Center. “He’s close, but (the) conversations we’ve had, if he would’ve been available, he would’ve played. He’s not available, but I would fully anticipate after break he’ll be good.”
The Sabres play their first game following the break on Feb. 25.
Injuries have limited Norris to just 19 games this season. He has been productive when healthy, scoring six goals and 17 points.
Meanwhile, Ruff said winger Zach Benson, who suffered an upper-body injury when he crashed into the boards in Monday’s 5-3 win over the Florida Panthers, will miss tonight’s game.
Benson appeared to hurt his left shoulder.
“Got a good report on him,” Ruff said. “Just going to need a little bit of therapy, and he should be back after the break, too.”
Some other injury updates from Ruff are below.
– Earlier this week, winger Jordan Greenway, who has missed the last six games as he battles pain following two hernia surgeries, met with the doctor to examine options.
“We’re just trying to figure out exactly needs to be done,” Ruff said. “So we’ll know that within the next couple days.”
– Defenseman Conor Timmins, who has missed the last 23 games with a broken leg, is going better but still using crutches.
Ruff said Timmins is getting close to walking on his own.
“I wouldn’t anticipate him being back right (after the break), but I think by that time he may be skating, hopefully,” he said.
In other news, Sabres goalie Alex Lyon is expected to start tonight.
Ruff plans to make one change on defense, inserting Michael Kesselring for Zach Metsa.
Check back later for more on Kesselring.