Practice Report | Tuch returns to practice, could play Friday in Winnipeg

Forward Alex Tuch skated with the team Thursday, appearing in a yellow non-contact jersey and practicing for the first time since dealing with an upper-body injury that kept him out of Buffalo’s last three games.   

Tuch had been expecting to return to the ice earlier, but felt it was best to ensure the injury was under control to prevent missing any more time. Following practice, he emphasized how good he is feeling and that he will be ready to go if the coaching staff decides he is ready to play.  

“I feel good and ready,” he said. “It’s something that took a little bit longer than I originally anticipated, but it’s a long season. It was something that we didn’t want to flare up again. We just wanted to make sure to keep it under control. … Just wanted to be 100-percent.”

Sabres coach Don Granato said it’s a “very easy coach’s decision,” and that he believes Tuch is back to normal and will be ready to play Friday in Winnipeg once they discuss things with the medical staff.

Tuch recorded nine points (4+5) in the seven games prior to his injury and was beginning to find a rhythm, recording at least one point in six of those contests. He hopes to pick up where he left off to help the team in any way he can.

“I feel like I was starting to find my game a little bit more,” Tuch said. “Got back to how I was playing maybe last year, and confidence was a little higher. I was able to find the back of the net a couple times. You know what, it wasn’t too long ago, so hopefully I can continue that and hopefully I can continue to try to be better every single day. I felt good today in practice.”

Goaltender Eric Comrie was also feeling his best and is expected to be activated from injured reserve for Friday’s game. Granato said that there will be further conversations before the Sabres take the ice in Winnipeg, but that Comrie looks back to normal and had his own net during practice to get more work in.

“He looked good,” Granato said. “We'll check back with Eric. … Obviously, we’d be moving him off IR and I'm excited [for] when that [is]. It looks good.”

Comrie has been practicing with the group since Nov. 9 as he has eased his way back from a lower-body injury he sustained during the second period of the Sabres’ 5-4 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Oct. 27.

He posted a .923 save percentage in his first two starts of the season before exiting the game against the Devils and was feeling confident in his play.

“I felt really good before the injury,” Comrie said. “I was playing well; I was playing really good hockey. It was unfortunate the timing for the injury, but I feel really good going forward.”

Here's more from Thursday's practice at KeyBank Center.

1. The Sabres were without center Tage Thompson, who is week to week with an upper-body injury, and Peyton Krebs, who is dealing with a family matter and will be meeting the team in Winnipeg.

Forward Jordan Greenway returned to practice after sitting out on Wednesday with soreness. Defenseman Henri Jokiharju, who missed Tuesday’s game and Wednesday’s practice due to an illness, was also back on the ice.

Granato said he wasn’t expecting Jokiharju to practice and will see how he responded before deciding his status against the Jets.

2. Here's how the group lined up:

Forwards

53 Jeff Skinner – 24 Dylan Cozens – 89 Alex Tuch

9 Zach Benson – 37 Casey Mittelstadt – 77 JJ Peterka

12 Jordan Greenway – 17 Tyson Jost – 71 Victor Olofsson

28 Zemgus Girgensons – 13 Lukas Rousek – 21 Kyle Okposo

Defensemen

26 Rasmus Dahlin – 23 Mattias Samuelsson

33 Ryan Johnson – 25 Owen Power

75 Connor Clifton – 6 Erik Johnson

78 Jacob Bryson – 10 Henri Jokiharju

Goalies

31 Eric Comrie

1 Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

27 Devon Levi

3. The Sabres kick off a three-game road trip Friday against the Jets. Buffalo posted a 25-13-3 record on the road last season and will look to get back on track following losses to Pittsburgh and Boston.

Tuch shared that the camaraderie on the trip might be just what the team needs to get back to its game.

“… That team camaraderie and having a lot of fun on the road is something that I think we’ve missed this year,” he said. “It’s been a lot of one-day road trips, and it’s been tough just going up for a game and coming back. You don’t find that rhythm. You don’t have that fun of going to dinner, practicing, a bunch of guys like to go shopping. Whatever you’re doing, you’re doing it together.

“Here it’s tough when you have your families and significant others. That’s not bad by any means, believe me, but it is a little bit different and it’s something that a team as young as we are can really benefit from.”

4. Forward Zach Benson has a chance to play his first game since Oct. 29 when the Sabres posted a 4-0 victory over the Colorado Avalanche. Benson has been practicing with the team following a lower-body injury and is hoping to have the opportunity to get back on the ice with his teammates.

“Obviously, a couple weeks to recover from my injury, but now I’m feeling really good,” he said.

“Obviously, you want to play. And you know, practicing here the last week and a bit, I’m definitely really wanting to play some hockey and have a lot of fun with my teammates.”

Granato is looking forward to seeing Benson play after taking in the past seven games from up in the press box.

“I think he was good when he left the lineup and would love to see even more progress on it,” Granato said. “He's had time to sit back and be in meetings and observe ups and downs through other guys. He's a pretty intuitive guy, I would imagine he's picked up a lot and I'm excited to see where he is now coming off of this.”