Practice Report | Sabres hit the road with key injuries at forward

The Buffalo Sabres face some uncertainty in their forward group as they hit the road for a four-game trip to Boston, Utah, Minnesota and Winnipeg.

Following Sunday’s practice at KeyBank Center, Sabres coach Lindy Ruff provided updates on the statuses of JJ Peterka (lower body), Josh Norris (undisclosed) and Jiri Kulich (concussion), each of whom was absent from the on-ice session.

Peterka, who’s missed Buffalo’s last two games with what Ruff called a “nagging” injury, skated on his own Sunday morning and appears closest to re-entering the lineup.

“JJ is coming (on the trip) – feeling really good,” Ruff said, adding that it’s “possible” Peterka plays Monday in Boston. “Obviously he hasn’t practiced, but got a really good report on him today.”

The injury interrupted a red-hot stretch for the German winger. Peterka has collected 10 points (4+6) in nine games since the 4 Nations Face-Off break. Extend that to the Sabres’ Jan. 21 win in Vancouver, and Peterka has 19 points (9+10) in 17 games. He's already set a career high with 51 points this season after tallying 50 in 2023-24.

Norris, too, was unavailable for Saturday’s shootout win over the Vegas Golden Knights. The center, with a goal and an assist through three games with his new team, has received treatment for his undisclosed injury.

“If everything went well today with the off-ice treatment, he’ll be making the trip,” Ruff said.

Norris’ 200-foot game has produced early results for the Sabres, including the primary assist on Tage Thompson’s third-period game winner Monday versus Edmonton. Thompson did win 12 of 19 faceoffs against Vegas, but he’s at his most potent offensively when playing on the wing. A healthy and available Norris greatly enhances Buffalo’s first line, so the Sabres eagerly await his return to the ice.

Kulich, lastly, exited Saturday’s win after absorbing a second-period hit to the head from Brett Howden; Ruff acknowledged postgame that the Sabres would have a better idea of his status on Sunday.

Indeed, Kulich is “not feeling as well today,” Ruff said, and is in concussion protocol. His recovery progress will dictate when he joins the team on the road.

Here’s more from Sunday’s practice.

1. Forwards Isak Rosen and Brett Murray, recalled from Rochester on Sunday morning, skated with the team and rotated into the fourth line. Here are Buffalo’s full lines from practice:

Leading the Amerks with 27 and 23 goals, respectively, Rosen and Murray could provide a scoring boost to the bottom of Buffalo’s lineup if given the opportunity. Whether they get that opportunity likely depends on the statuses of Peterka, Norris and Kulich.

Rosen’s most recent Sabres game came March 8 in Florida, while Murray’s last NHL action was a two-game stint with Buffalo in December of 2023.

2. Forward Peyton Krebs, who fought Howden in response to the hit on Kulich, drew effusive praise from his teammates postgame.

“Thanks to him, we got this win, honestly,” said captain Rasmus Dahlin. “He works so hard every day, he’s a huge piece of this room and he’s a team-first guy. Every team needs a guy like him.”

Krebs’ impact went beyond the fight. His backchecking effort broke up an earlier 2-on-1 rush for Vegas, as well as Tomas Hertl’s last-minute charge toward the empty net when Buffalo trailed 3-2; the pressured Hertl didn’t connect on a pass to Jack Eichel, paving the way for Dahlin’s game-tying goal with 14 seconds remaining.

“There’s not a play he ever quits on – he’s got a great engine,” Ruff said Sunday of the former first-round pick (by Vegas in 2019).

“That is the type of engine that keeps you in the game and keeps you on a team. … Where he was drafted, more as a skill (guy), to becoming this guy that can go up the lineup, go down the lineup, get involved physically. He defends well, he battles hard in the faceoff dot. I think he has to claw for almost every inch he gets in this league, and you’ve got to give him a lot of credit for fighting for that.”

Ruff added that Krebs, who has five goals and 12 assists this season, could at times prioritize scoring a bit more. The 24-year-old got 1:08 of ice time in Saturday’s overtime period – a testament to Ruff’s belief in his skating ability and offensive potential.

Up next

The road trip begins Monday against the Bruins. Coverage on MSG begins at 6:30 p.m. with puck drop scheduled for 7.