BUFFALO – As he rounded out his game, developing into a versatile, high-octane presence, Sabres winger Peyton Krebs wanted to tailor his style to meet the rigors of playoff hockey.
“That’s what I try to base my game off, you know?” Krebs told the Times Herald on Tuesday prior to Game 5 of the Sabres’ first-round playoff series against the Boston Bruins. “Compete, grit, get in battles, make plays under high pressure.”
Those qualities have helped Krebs, 25, thrive in his first taste of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Entering Tuesday’s contest in KeyBank Center, he had registered two goals, five points and a team-high plus-7 rating. He had recorded at least one point in each outing.
The Sabres began the night with a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.
“I just love that every battle, every play means something,” Krebs said of the postseason. “It’s fun, we know we can end a team’s season. Every game is a 10. It’s a blast to play in.”
Krebs picked up where he left off during the regular season. Following a slow start, he found a groove and spent most of the second half skating at left wing on the top line alongside center Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch.
Krebs, a natural center, often skated on the fourth line early in the season alongside Beck Malenstyn, who called him a “Swiss Army Knife.”
“He’s got an unbreakable motor,” Malenstyn said. “That’s the best thing about him, he competes on every puck, he’s physical, turns a lot of pucks over. And then you see the skill he has to make little plays and finish off.”
Not so quietly, Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said, Krebs “put together a real nice year for us.”
Krebs finished with career highs across the board – he compiled 12 goals, 39 points and a plus-13 rating in 82 games – in his fifth NHL season.
“Became a big piece on the top line,” Ruff said. “He’s helped make us a better team.”
Krebs’ tenacity has elevated the Sabres. Sure, he possesses skill and terrific hockey sense. But his high motor has become perhaps his greatest asset.
“You look at all games, it’s about will and desire, how hard you can skate, the passion you put into your 50-50 battles,” Ruff said. “All those little things just start adding up. You pile them up on top and if you’re winning more of those battles, and if you’re winning more of the skate races for pucks, you’re going to get an edge in the game.”
Ruff said Krebs is “the one guy that takes a lot of pride in his battles.”
His aggressiveness, among other talents, has helped him mesh well on the No. 1 line. What seemed like a temporary assignment has lasted about five months.
Many scoring trios, of course, often have one member who can dig pucks out and do other gritty work.
“He takes a lot of pride in his play away from the puck,” Ruff said.
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Forwards Josh Norris, Tyson Kozak and Jason Zucker were all available to play on Tuesday as the Sabres tried to clinch their first postseason series win since 2007.
While Kozak and Zucker faced the Bruins, Norris missed his third straight game.
Norris, who crashed into the boards in last Tuesday’s 4-2 home loss, did not take any line rushes during the morning skate.
“I feel good,” he said Tuesday morning.
Meanwhile, Kozak and Zucker, both of whom left Sunday afternoon’s 6-1 win in Boston early with undisclosed injuries, skated on their regular lines.
Kozak centered Malenstyn and Jordan Greenway. Zucker skated at left wing alongside center Ryan McLeod and Jack Quinn.
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Sabres defenseman Owen Power, 23, began Tuesday having recorded one assist in each of his first four career playoff games. But beyond his offense, he has looked rock solid defensively throughout the series.
“He prepared himself by the way he played Day One of camp,” Ruff said. “He continued to get better. In areas he needed to improve, he improved, and I really believe he’s seeing the benefits off that, from off-ice work to ice work, all parts of his game have gotten better from the start of the season to the point we’re at right now.”
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Former Sabres defenseman Henri Jokiharju made his series debut for the Bruins in Game 5. He sat out the first four games as a healthy scratch.