With Sabres’ Tyson Kozak playing well, Sam Carrick has extra time to recover from injury

BUFFALO – If the Sabres had a seventh and deciding game tonight, you would likely see center Sam Carrick return from his left arm injury.

“I think you’d look at it that you’d probably put him in,” coach Lindy Ruff said this morning in KeyBank Center after the Sabres prepared for Game 2 of their second-round series against the Montreal Canadiens.

But it’s still early in the series. Tyson Kozak, 23, has filled in splendidly in Carrick’s place pivoting the fourth line.

Ruff, whose Sabres lead the series 1-0, has the luxury of giving Carrick, 34, extra time to recover from the injury that has sidelined him the last 14 games. Carrick started practicing again on Tuesday.

“Will and can he use the extra days? For sure,” Ruff said. “He’s really not going to tell me exactly how he feels. He just wants to play. The type of injury he’s dealt with, if I can give him a couple extra days, I think we’ll get rewarded for it.

“He played incredible for us. Do you want him back in the lineup? Damn right we do.”

While Ruff did not specifically say Kozak is keeping Carrick out, it’s likely he doesn’t want to mess with a winning lineup.

Kozak, who’s participating in his first Stanley Cup Playoffs, has stood out alongside Jordan Greenway and Beck Malenstyn, showcasing his usual willingness to get to the net.

“Kozy does a lot of good things,” Greenway said. “He plays a hard game. There’s a lot of things that truly probably go unrecognized, but being his linemate playing with him as long as I have, he definitely makes the game a little bit easier.”

Kozak helped create Greenway’s goal in Wednesday’s 4-2 win by flash screening goalie Jakub Dobes.

“Just trying to drive the net for him, trying to create some sort of screen if I could,” Kozak said.

Ruff said Kozak’s ability to drive to the net draws attention and creates extra scoring chances.

“You look at a couple of the opportunities in last game, even (Rasmus) Dahlin, the two chances he got, he was right in front of the net,” Ruff said. “Dahlin’s backhand, he was still there.”

In Game 5 of the Sabres’ opening-round series against the Boston Bruins, Kozak’s backhander at the net nearly won the contest.

“Getting to the net is something he’s been good at,” Ruff said. “His skating, I think, has really shown. I think he’s a tremendous skater. There’s one thing say, ‘Get to the net.’ You got to have the legs to get there, the drive, will. He’s got that.”

The Sabres are expected to utilize the same lineup as Game 1.