BUFFALO – Over the past month, Sabres winger Jack Quinn has often fought what he called “a battle I kind of have within myself.”
Quinn, 24, carried a 13-game goal drought into Friday’s contest against the Chicago Blackhawks. He scored his last goal Oct. 22, his third in the first seven games.
“I’m very frustrated I haven’t scored,” Quinn said Friday morning in KeyBank Center. “But there’s also some positives I am creating.”
Actually, Quinn has created a lot of chances since his two-goal outing one month ago. He just hasn’t finished them.
“I think I’m skating well and competing well,” he said. “I’m getting myself a lot of looks. … I think if I keep playing the same way, it’ll start to come in bunches for me.”
Quinn, the eighth overall pick in 2020, has stood out most nights, playing an aggressive style. Entering Friday’s game, he had pumped 23 shots on goal during his drought, 1.8 per outing. His expected goals had dropped from 32.3 percent to 12.4 percent.
“He led the chances in the Detroit game (last Saturday), like, two-on-ones and Grade A chances,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said Tuesday. “And then (Monday) again, real good Grade A, really thought the more Grade A he would get, would go the back of the net, hasn’t gone yet.”
Ruff believes when Quinn scores again, the floodgates will open.
“Last year, he didn’t get nearly as many chances and scored,” he said. “This year, he’s getting twice as many chances, but it hasn’t found the back of the net, but it will.”
Quinn said Ruff has told him if he keeps playing like he has recently, he will be rewarded.
“I think he likes my game,” said Quinn, who began Friday’s game at right wing alongside center Ryan McLeod and Jason Zucker. “But I think we both think there’s another level, and a level that involves me producing for this team to help us win.”
Last year, Quinn struggled mightily for more than two months, scoring just one goal, an empty-netter, in his first 24 outings. Following a five-game benching, he scored twice in his return Dec. 20.
He found a groove late in the campaign, scoring three goals and nine points over a five-game stretch in late March and early April, and finished with 15 goals and 39 points, both career highs, in 74 contests.
–
When the Sabres waived Mason Geertsen, Ruff, who helped bring the tough guy back to the NHL following a four-year absence, told him he’s still a part of the team.
It’s just that right now, carrying an enforcer is a luxury the Sabres, who had to activate Zucker from injured reserve, can no longer afford.
“We’ve got a long list of players that are sitting on the sidelines that are starting to come back,” Ruff said Friday morning.
So on Wednesday, the Sabres placed Geertsen, who played just five of the first 20 games, on waivers. When he cleared Friday, they assigned him to the Rochester Americans.
Don’t be surprised if he returns later in the season.
“I’ll guarantee he’s still a part of this,” Ruff said.
Ruff, who coached Geertsen, 30, with the New Jersey Devils, values the toughness the 6-foot-4, 231-pound winger gave the Sabres in his limited action.
Despite averaging just 4 minutes, 7 seconds of ice time per outing and sitting out 15 games as a healthy scratch, Ruff saw what his presence can do.
“We know what he can bring,” he said. “Calming influence. “There was a couple games where there was no intimidation, I think, he was riding side saddle.”
–
The Amerks announced on Friday that coach Mike Leone has been given a leave of absence this weekend to tend to a personal matter.
Assistants Nathan Paetsch and Vinny Prospal will share the coaching duties over their two weekend games.
The Amerks expect Leone to return to the team next week.
Notes: Zucker returned from an eight-game absence (illness). … The Sabres scratched forward Josh Dunne, goalie Colten Ellis and defenseman Zach Metsa (all healthy). … Former Sabres forward Sam Lafferty played for Chicago.