Sabres lose Quinn to injury in comeback win over Sharks

SAN JOSE – Don Granato reflected on the loss of forward Jack Quinn in the aftermath of the Buffalo Sabres’ 5-2 win over the San Jose Sharks inside SAP Center on Saturday.

Quinn left the game with 12:53 remaining in the third period after a collision with the boards forced him to fall awkwardly on his left leg.

“Disturbing when you see a guy (get injured) that means so much and works every day, competes every day, and he’s such a big part of us going, us playing our identity, being ourselves,” Granato said. “It was devastating to see him go down the way he did.

Quinn spent the start of this season recovering from offseason surgery to repair an injured Achilles tendon. He made his season debut on Dec. 19 and had 12 points in 16 games since, including an assist Saturday.  

“The hockey side is a tremendous, negative impact when you lose a guy like that, but the emotions go to the personal side,” Granato said. “You know he’s endured a lot already in a very young career. So, it’s a struggle. We don’t have the extent that he’s going to be out, but it’s certainly not day to day.”

The injury was a drawback to an otherwise positive day for the Sabres, who erased a two-goal deficit for the second straight game and entered the bye week having taken four of six available points on their three-game California road trip. They previously trailed 3-1 before winning in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

JJ Peterka scored two goals for the second straight game, the first of which put the Sabres on the board to cut into a 2-0 deficit during the first period. Jordan Greenway tied the game before the first intermission, Alex Tuch buried the winner early in the second period, and Dylan Cozens scored into an empty net to complete a three-point performance.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 23 saves for the victory.

“I don’t think we ever wavered in our confidence and our energy and our style of play I don’t think really changed,” Tuch said. “We just tightened up a few areas, made a couple better plays with the puck, and we were just a little stronger on puck battles. I think that was probably the difference between the first and the second and we kept it rolling into the third. It was good.”

Here’s more from the victory.

1. Peterka had never scored multiple goals in an NHL game prior to his two-goal, three-point performance in Los Angeles on Wednesday. He has now done it twice in a row, upping his season total to 18 goals in 49 games.

Peterka benefitted from a rebound off a wrap-around attempt by Dylan Cozens for his first goal, which he backhanded into an open net. He scored his second goal off a one-timer from the right circle to give the Sabres a 4-2 lead 4:33 into the third period.

“To see him put in time and effort and his focus on going to the net, bearing down, [scoring] those opportunities, that’s what we need,” Tuch said. “We need him to do that. That’s going to take him from a really good player to elite status. … I don’t even know where his ceiling’s at, honestly, if he keeps playing the way he’s playing and just rolling with the confidence.”

2. After Peterka ignited the Sabres’ scoring, the line of Greenway, Casey Mittelstadt, and Tuch combined for the tying and winning goals. Both showcased the quick chemistry the three forwards have found since joining together for the game in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

Mittelstadt won a battle along the boards to initiate the tying goal, which saw Tuch drive to the net and pass across to set up Greenway at the back door.

Mittelstadt stripped the puck from Sharks forward Nico Sturm in the San Jose zone to set up the winning goal, which Tuch scored with Greenway screening the opposing goaltender.

“I think Mittsy, Greenway, and Tuch were very impressive two games in a row now,” Granato said. “Complementing each other, playing direct, straight-line hockey, hard hockey, strong on pucks, and then showing skill. So, nice job by those guys.”

3. Mittelstadt increased his team-leading point total to 42 with the two-assist performance.

“He’s been unbelievable for us all year long,” Tuch said. “When our team has failed to have consistency, I think he’s been one of if not the most consistent player on our team.”

4. Luukkonen made timely saves to do his part in the Sabres’ comeback, including a glove stop on Marc-Edouard Vlasic after the defenseman got behind the defense late in the first period. He has a .940 save percentage in his last nine games.

“There’s times every game, every team in the league needs a goalie to step up,” Granato said. “Upie’s been very consistent for us stepping up.”

Up next

The Sabres return from the bye week and All-Star break on Tuesday, Feb. 6 at KeyBank Center against the Dallas Stars. Tickets are available here.

Pregame coverage on MSG/MSG+ begins at 6:30 p.m. with puck drop scheduled for 7. Radio coverage can be found on WGR 550.