JJ Peterka was injured Saturday. ©2024, Micheline Veluvolu

Sabres’ JJ Peterka, Zach Benson close to returning from injuries

BUFFALO – Sabres winger JJ Peterka had never endured a hit like the one defenseman Brenden Dillon laid to his head early in Saturday’s 3-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils.

“I got some hits in the past, but I don’t think that kind of hard hit before,” said Peterka, who returned to practice Wednesday with winger Zach Benson.

Peterka, who’s sporting a black left eye, has nearly recovered from the hit that earned Dillon just a two-minute interference penalty. He skated at left wing Wednesday alongside top center Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch in KeyBank Center.

Meanwhile, Benson, who missed Saturday’s game with a lower-body injury, practiced at left wing alongside center Dylan Cozens and Jack Quinn.

If everything goes well, Peterka and Benson will face the Los Angeles Kings in tonight’s home opener. They both practiced in regular jerseys and participated in power-play drills.

“Both had a good day, so we’ll just how they reacted to practice, how they come in tomorrow,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said.

Peterka said he’s “almost back to normal.”

“From day to day just better and better,” he said.

The German said Dillon’s hit “was pretty late.”

“I just didn’t expect it coming,” he said.

Benson said he started feeling his injury a couple of days before Friday’s opener.

“Based on today’s skate, yeah, I feel good,” he said.

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