Sabres return from bye with something to prove

With their bye week behind them and a trip to New York on the docket, the Buffalo Sabres returned to practice at KeyBank Center with renewed energy and focus on Wednesday morning. Not only did the team have five days off to rest and recover, they went into that break with a win over Columbus last Thursday.
Given the way they played in that victory, Phil Housley admitted his preference would have been to keep playing. The effect it had seemed to be positive nonetheless.
"It was great that we won that game before the break because you could see the energy in our practice," Housley said. "[The team had] really good life out there. I think the guys are feeling good about themselves. I think the coaches are feeling good about themselves."

In that win over Columbus, the Sabres managed to tighten up the defensive inconsistencies that had plagued them in four consecutive regulation losses. When possession changed in the offensive zone, Housley felt his team got back with urgency and eliminated time and space for the Blue Jackets.
It resulted in the Sabres being able to protect a 1-0 lead for two periods before going on to win 3-1 in the third.
"We used those examples today in our meeting, what it takes to win in this league," Housley said. "The guys, I thought, really came back hard."
Buffalo currently sits in last place in the Eastern Conference with 38 games remaining. In spite of their place in the standings, Housley said their goal from here on out is to prove their ability to win games against playoff-caliber teams.
The Sabres' next two opponents, the New York Rangers and the Dallas Stars, currently hold the top wild card spots in their respective conferences.
"We're playing a lot of teams down the stretch that are in the playoffs or in playoff contention, and that's our challenge," Housley said. "See how we measure day in and day out against really good teams. Columbus was a good example.
" … You see where those teams are and you watch them and realize that it's tough to win. That's our challenge moving forward."

Individuals, too, feel they have something to prove. Kyle Okposo admittedly struggled at times to begin this season, but scored nine points (4+5) in eight games entering the bye and was and was one of the team's defensive standouts against Columbus.
"I really want to get back at a level that I know I'm capable of, being an elite player," he said. "I feel like it's been a trying year for me mentally, but there's some things I really liked about my game in the last 20, I'm really looking forward to just keep getting better.
" … You come to work and you want to be at your best, you want to prove to yourself and prove to everybody that you still have it, you're a good player. I think that we all should take that into consideration."

Changes on the back end

Nathan Beaulieu, who missed five games with the flu back in December, is day-to-day with an illness and did not practice on Wednesday. The loss coincides with the continued recovery for Victor Antipin, who has practiced but not yet played since experiencing his own bout with the flu.
Antipin said Wednesday he was unable to eat for two days while ill, which ultimately caused him to lose 10 pounds. He's been building his strength since, but Housley said he's not yet sure whether or not Antipin will be ready to return in New York on Thursday.
"We'll see," the coach said. "That's an evaluation that's ongoing day-to-day because of just where he was and then you get a five-day break. We'll evaluate that tomorrow."
The other possibility is that Casey Nelson makes his season debut after being recalled on Wednesday morning. Nelson, 25, has played 18 games for Buffalo during the past two seasons but said his experience with a winning team in Rochester this season has made him a changed player.
"My game has totally changed on the back end," he said. "I just feel more comfortable and responsible than I was even at the beginning of the year. I think it helps the forwards as well and just spreads throughout the locker room and hopefully I can bring that here."
Nelson's recall also came in the wake of a lower-body injury to Brendan Guhle, who is day-to-day. Guhle impressed in two games for the Sabres going into the bye week, averaging 16:58 and scoring his first career point with an assist against Columbus.
"We want him back healthy if he does come up, we don't want to put any pressure on him and put him in a position not to succeed," Housley said. "I really liked what he brought the last two games for us, especially the Columbus game. A lot of times it was him and Jake up in the rush, and I'm all for that kind of hockey."

Lines at practice

67 Benoit Pouliot - 15 Jack Eichel - 21 Kyle Okposo
9 Evander Kane - 90 Ryan O'Reilly - 29 Jason Pominville
28 Zemgus Girgensons - 71 Evan Rodrigues - 23 Sam Reinhart
20 Scott Wilson - 22 Johan Larsson - 17 Jordan Nolan
Defense: 4 Josh Gorges, 6 Marco Scandella, 19 Jake McCabe, 34 Casey Nelson, 41 Justin Falk, 55 Rasmus Ristolainen, 93 Victor Antipin
40 Robin Lehner
31 Chad Johnson