BUFFALO – After the Sabres assigned wing prospect Isak Rosen to the Rochester Americans, he immediately began a three-week offensive tear, scoring two times opening night and registering five goals and 12 points in his first eight outings.
Fresh off a disappointing training camp with the Sabres, the Swede, 22, quickly established himself as one of the AHL’s elite scorers early in his fourth season.
When winger Zach Benson suffered a lower-body injury – coach Lindy Ruff said he could miss about a week – the Sabres on Friday recalled Rosen.
Rosen will be making his NHL season debut tonight against the Washington Capitals.
“I think the best thing he’s done is go down and made a statement that, ‘Right now, I’m one of the top guys in the American League. I’m playing really well. If we need a guy, I’m your guy,’” Ruff said this morning in KeyBank Center. “That’s basically what the message he sent from the way he’s played.”
Rosen, the 14th overall pick in 2021, skated at left wing this morning alongside center Jiri Kulich and Jack Quinn.
“It’s two guys I know really good, so it’s, yeah, it’s extra fun, of course,” said Rosen, who also practiced on the top power-play unit.
Rosen ranks second in the AHL in points, is tied for first in power-play goals (four) and is tied for second in goals.
“I think just being confident and just want to show, yeah, what kind of player I am, and trying to do it consistently in Rochester,” he said of his torrid start.
Rosen has recorded one assist in 15 career NHL games.
“We’ve seen him other opportunities,” Ruff said. “I think this will be a real good look for him.”
Meanwhile, Ruff said 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.
“Maybe a week,” Ruff said of how long Benson could be sidelined. “But I’m not a doctor, either, and I’m not the player.”
With Benson absent, Ruff changed his top line, moving Tage Thompson from right wing to center between Jason Zucker and Jordan Greenway.
“I just think there’s a connection from playing in the past,” Ruff said of Greenway’s presence on the line. “I think we’ve been struggling a little bit five-on-five. We came to life a late in the third (in Boston). I think you can’t be afraid to shake things up a little bit, and with Zach going out, it’s an easy opportunity.
“We might have to take a look at different things during the game.”
The rest of this morning’s forward lines are below.
– Josh Doan, Ryan McLeod and Alex Tuch
– Josh Dunne, Peyton Krebs and Beck Malenstyn
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen took reps this morning in the net normally reserved for the starting goalie. He stopped 19 shots in his season debut last Saturday afternoon, a 4-3 overtime road loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
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The Sabres, having lost their last three contests by 4-3 scores in overtime, own an odd three-game point streak.
This is the first time in franchise history they’ve lost three consecutive games by 4-3 scores in overtime, according to researcher Mike Haim.
In 1984-85, they dropped three straight overtime decisions by 4-3 scores, according to Haim. Those games, however, were between October and February.
This is also the first time in franchise history they’ve lost three straight games by 4-3 scores, according to Haim, regardless of length.