BUFFALO – When Sabres center Jiri Kulich had the puck on his stick earlier this season, instead of carrying it and utilizing his speed, he quickly tried to make a play with it.
“It wasn’t my game I used to play, so I had to change something,” Kulich told the Times Herald prior to Wednesday’s game against the Detroit Red Wings in KeyBank Center.
Kulich, 21, struggled so badly Sabres coach Lindy Ruff briefly demoted him from first-line center to fourth-line winger. Ruff’s next move might’ve been giving him a night off in the press box.
So the Czech, who scored 15 goals in 62 games as a rookie last season, realized he needed get back to his bread and butter and stop complicating things.
“I was trying to be a player that I’m not,” he said.
In Monday’s 4-2 road loss to the Montreal Canadiens, Kulich played aggressively, taking the puck to the net during his best outing this season.
After blowing by defenders to create an opportunity early in the game, he grabbed the puck in the left circle and beat Canadiens goalie Jakub Dobes at the net in the second period.
Ruff said the 6-foot-1, 193-pound Kulich has “found his legs.”
“He’s really skating again,” he said. “If you look at those first couple games, (you) didn’t notice his skating. He’s got his legs again. He had the one shift in Montreal, went by everybody and had a great opportunity. He’s been in on three or four opportunities every game since then, and I’ve, most of the time, given credit to his legs.”
Scoring has generated some much-needed confidence for Kulich.
“I have to be confident,” he said. “If you are not confident, then you are playing like me the first four games. So, yeah, I’m confident right now.”
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Sixteen days after Sabres claimed goalie Colten Ellis on waivers, he started his first NHL game Wednesday.
“There’s been a lot of emotions the last couple days since finding out,” Ellis said prior to his debut. “Something I worked my whole life for, and just super grateful and happy for the opportunity.”
The Sabres claimed Ellis on Oct. 6 from the St. Louis Blues after they lost No. 1 goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to a lower-body injury and newcomer Alexandar Georgiev struggled during the preseason.
Luukkonen on Wednesday played for the Rochester Americans against the Syracuse Crunch on an AHL conditioning assignment.
So with Luukkonen close to returning, the Sabres could be forced to decide Ellis’ future soon.
Ellis, 25, backed up veteran Alex Lyon, who has compiled a .924 save percentage, for the first six games.
On Tuesday in Rochester, Luukkonen told the Times Herald that Lyon has “played unbelievable.”
“It’s been fun to watch,” he said. “He’s been a big part of the team now. It’s been great to see. I know how much peace it brings to a team when a goalie’s playing well. He’s a good guy. … I like the way he plays.”
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The Sabres inserted rookie center Noah Ostlund, arguably their top forward prospect, against the Red Wings, his first appearance with Buffalo this season.
Ostlund, who played between Jason Zucker and Jack Quinn, was recalled Sunday. He sat out Monday’s loss. He has recorded one goal and five points in four games for the Amerks this season.
The Swede played his first eight NHL games late last season, registering zero points. He compiled 19 goals and 36 points in 47 games for the Amerks last year.
“I think it’s typical when a young guy gets called up a lot of times he’s cast in that little bit different role,” Ruff said. “I think tonight he’s going to get a pretty good look, really, with us. So we may get to see a little bit more.”
With Ostlund up, the Sabres on Wednesday sent forward Josh Dunne, who recorded zero points in two outings, to Rochester.
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The NHL on Wednesday moved the start times of the Sabres’ home-and-home series with the Maple Leafs to accommodate the first two games of the World Series in Toronto.
Friday’s game in KeyBank Center has been changed from 7:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday’s contest in Scotiabank Arena has been moved from 7 p.m. to 5 p.m.
The Blue Jays are appearing in their first Fall Classic since 1993.
Notes: Ruff said defensemen Jacob Bryson (concussion) and Michael Kesselring (undisclosed) both skated on their own Wednesday morning. Ruff said Kesselring could practice by the weekend. … Winger Beck Malenstyn played Wednesday after missing Monday’s game because his wife, Annie, gave birth to a baby boy, Austin. … The Sabres scratched winger Mason Geertsen (healthy).