BUFFALO – Sabres rookie Jiri Kulich, who left Monday’s 4-3 shootout win after suffering a lower-body injury, will be sidelined week to week, coach Lindy Ruff said.
Kulich, 20, has showcased consistent development this season, earning trust from Ruff to be utilized for critical faceoffs and play center, his natural position.
“It’s a loss for us because of how well he had played in the middle and the speed he was generating,” Ruff said following Wednesday’s practice in KeyBank Center. “He was getting a lot of confidence with the puck and making more plays, finishing some really good opportunities.”
Kulich has compiled seven goals, nine points, a minus-1 rating and averaged 13 minutes, 53 seconds of ice time in 31 games this season.
In the Czech’s absence, more responsibility will fall to center Ryan McLeod, who played a season-high 21 minutes, 44 seconds Monday against the Washington Capitals.
McLeod, 25, hadn’t cracked the 19-minute mark all year. Ruff recently moved him to a scoring line between JJ Peterka and Alex Tuch.
“He becomes real important, obviously,” said Ruff, whose Sabres play a road game tonight against the Ottawa Senators. “We need him to really play the way he did the other night – defend well, use his speed. It gives us more of a two-line threat. Really a tough line to track down.”
With the Sabres down a center, on Wednesday they recalled Tyson Kozak from the Rochester Americans.
Kozak, 22, played his first three NHL games last month, scoring one goal and having another one called back that should’ve counted.
The rookie left a positive impression on Ruff.
“He used his speed going through the middle and defended well,” Ruff said. “He’s played very well down there. The report is if you’re looking for a guy that can play in the middle, he’s the guy we should bring up.”
Kozak has compiled six goals and 12 points in 24 games with the Amerks this season. He practiced between Nicolas Aube-Kubel and Sam Lafferty.
In other news, Ruff said winger Beck Malenstyn is still sick and did not travel to Ottawa. Malenstyn missed Monday’s game. Meanwhile, defenseman Jacob Bryson practiced Wednesday after missing two games because of illness.
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Sabres prospects Devon Levi and Isak Rosen have been selected to represent Rochester in the AHL All-Star Classic on Feb. 3 in Palm Springs, Calif., the league announced Wednesday.
Levi, 23, has morphed into one of the AHL’s elite goalies since the Sabres assigned him to the Amerks on Nov. 18, compiling an 11-2-1 record with a 2.19 goals-against average, a .914 save percentage and two shutouts in 14 games.
He has won 10 of his last 11 starts.
Rosen, a winger, has scored 13 goals and a team-best 27 points in 30 games this season. The Swede, 21, was also selected for the All-Star Classic last season, when he played his first seven NHL games with the Sabres.
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The Sabres practiced late-game six-on-five situations Wednesday with AC/DC songs blaring over the rink’s sound system.
Why?
“Create a little chaos, confusion where the players couldn’t communicate, noisy,” Ruff explained.
Then he couldn’t resist joking.
“I didn’t think the media could supply enough noise during the drill,” he cracked. “So (we did it) just to trust where the players were. Probably would’ve liked it louder. But I think overall, we kind of accomplished what we wanted. I thought the pressure was good. The positioning and support all over the ice, I thought, was good.”
In last Thursday’s 6-5 overtime loss in Colorado, the Avalanche tied the game in the waning seconds with its goalie pulled.
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The Sabres on Wednesday reassigned forward prospects Konsta Helenius and Anton Wahlberg to Rochester following the World Junior Championship.
Helenius won a silver medal with Team Finland.
Expect Big minutes from our Top 2 lines on Thursday, just like the Caps game.
This 4th line with Kulich Out doesn’t offer much.
Cmon Adams, make a trade !!