Granato sees offensive potential in Byram, Dahlin pairing

Don Granato called upon two defensemen to take the ice for the start of overtime against the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday, a rarity since the NHL went to 3-on-3 for the 2015-16 season.

Such is the offensive potential Granato sees in Bowen Byram and Rasmus Dahlin, who have played as defense partners in both games since Byram was acquired from Colorado last Wednesday.

“It's something we'll do,” Granato said regarding the overtime decision. “Watching those two players, Dahlin and Byram together, they did a lot of very special things out there [against Edmonton], a lot of subtleties that I think it will become more and more noticeable consistently.”

That thinking has also encouraged the Sabres to utilize Byram and Dahlin on the same power-play unit, with Dahlin positioned at the point and Byram on the right flank. All told, they had 17:52 of shared ice time against the Oilers. 

Monday’s practice at KeyBank Center represented their first chance to get repetitions with one another outside of a game scenario.

“I think it’s going to be fun to see these two guys evolve a game together,” Granato said. “They’re both independently highly skilled players that play an up-tempo offensive, initiate offense-movement game that I think paired up together, you sense and feel the excitement they have of that.

“And there’s going to be lots of – I’m sure – impressive stuff in regard to that with them as a pair. And equally, they’re both very competitive guys, which is a real key in all of this.”

Here’s more from Monday’s practice.

1. Jordan Greenway was back on the ice with the team after missing Saturday’s game due to an injury. He skated on a line with Dylan Cozens and Zach Benson.

2. Here’s how the Sabres lined up in full:

Forwards

28 Zemgus Girgensons – 72 Tage Thompson – 89 Alex Tuch

12 Jordan Greenway – 24 Dylan Cozens – 9 Zach Benson

53 Jeff Skinner – 19 Peyton Krebs – 77 JJ Peterka

50 Eric Robinson – 17 Tyson Jost – 71 Victor Olofsson / 13 Lukas Rousek

Defensemen

4 Bowen Byram – 26 Rasmus Dahlin

25 Owen Power – 10 Henri Jokiharju

78 Jacob Bryson – 75 Connor Clifton

38 Kale Clague

Goalies

1 Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

31 Eric Comrie

3. The Sabres continue their homestand Tuesday against the Detroit Red Wings. The Sabres trail the Red Wings by seven points for the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference with two more head-to-head matchups remaining after Tuesday.

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.