BUFFALO – Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said forwards Jiri Kulich and Jason Zucker are doubtful for Tuesday’s home game against the Utah Mammoth because of illness.
Both players missed today’s practice.
Kulich played one shift in the third period of Saturday’s 4-3 shootout win over the Washington Capitals.
“You know when like little kids get flu in their ears and stuff like that?” Ruff said following today’s practice in KeyBank Center. “It’s kind of like that thing.”
Meanwhile, Ruff said Zucker, whose four goals are tied for second on the team, is sick.
While they have extra players, the Sabres could be forced to recall a player or two from the Rochester Americans. Defenseman Jacob Bryson practiced as a winger today, a position he likely wouldn’t play in a game.
“We got some roster stuff we definitely have to talk about in the next hour or so and make a decision on where we think,” Ruff said. “I’m just saying I don’t think Zucker’s gonna feel well enough to play, and then we got one other guy we don’t know, so we’re going to have to take a hard look at what we can do.”
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The AHL today named Sabres winger Isak Rosen, who scored his first NHL goal Saturday after being recalled from Rochester, its Player of the Month for October.
Rosen, 22, has registered four goals and 12 points in eight games for the Amerks this season. He scored twice opening night and has only been held pointless once.
The Sabres summoned the Swede on Friday after they placed winger Zach Benson on injured reserved with a lower-body injury.
Ruff said on Saturday that Benson, whose eight assists lead the team, had been struggling with the injury for about two games. Late in Thursday’s 4-3 overtime road loss to the Boston Bruins, he could no longer play.
He said Benson could be sidelined about a week.