Sabres lose JJ Peterka to concussion, Zach Benson to lower-body injury

Three injured forwards. Two losses. One struggling team.

Any early-season optimism surrounding the Buffalo Sabres vanished during back-to-back season-opening setbacks to the New Jersey Devils in Prague, Czechia.

In Saturday’s 3-1 loss, Sabres winger JJ Peterka suffered a concussion when New Jersey Devils defenseman Brenden Dillon hit him in the head as he skated through the neutral zone, coach Lindy Ruff told reporters in Prague.

Ruff had no other update on Peterka, a first-line forward who played all 82 games last season.

The Sabres also played without winger Zach Benson, who missed the game with a lower-body injury, according to Ruff, and winger Nicolas Aube-Kubel, who suffered a lower-body injury in Friday’s 4-1 loss.

Peterka left the game at the 6:02 mark after Dillon’s open-ice hit knocked him to the ice.

“That put us a little thin right off the bat,” Ruff said.

Sabres winger Alex Tuch immediately fought Dillon, who received a two-minute interference penalty for the hit following a review.

Ruff told reporters Benson played through his injury Friday.

“The situation kind of elevated to where he couldn’t play,” he said.

With Benson injured, Sabres rookie Jiri Kulich, who grew up in Czechia, replaced him as the left wing alongside center Dylan Cozens and Jack Quinn. Kulich skated 14 minutes in his second NHL game.

Jordan Greenway moved into Peterka’s spot at left wing alongside Tuch and center Tage Thompson. Peyton Krebs replaced Aube-Kubel on the fourth line, centering Beck Malenstyn and Sam Lafferty.

Peterka got hit pretty good and Alex Tuch steps up to make Dillon answer for it #LetsGoBuffalo #NJDevils #NHLGlobalSeries pic.twitter.com/06Zl90SfEK

— Buffalo Hockey Moments (@SabresPlays) October 5, 2024