Borgen looks to repeat physical performance against Bruins

Stop us if you've heard this before: The Buffalo Sabres boast a defense prospect who exudes a laid-back, calm demeanor off the ice but transforms into a wrecking ball once he laces up his skates.
That Jekyll-and-Hyde description has been used on plenty of occasions to describe Rasmus Dahlin, who's as quiet and humble off the ice as he is electric on it. But according to Chris Taylor, the same can be said about Dahlin's defense partner in Friday's opening game of the Prospects Challenge.
That person is Will Borgen, and he'll be back alongside Dahlin when the Sabres meet the prospects from the Boston Bruins at Harborcenter on Saturday night.

"It's weird that he's so easygoing off the ice but when you get him on the ice, it's like, how tough he plays and the physicality he brings," Taylor said. "We need more of it and that's why we're playing him again tonight, to see if he can back that up again for the second game in a row."

While Dahlin generated buzz from a sellout crowd on Friday with a pair of goals, Borgen captured the building's attention with his physicality. He captured the attention of the New Jersey Devils, too, with strong hits that had opposing players looking over their shoulders by the end of the night.
"I think he really enjoyed it, and obviously the fans brought that out in him," Taylor said. "They were cheering for him with every big hit. … He relishes that role and we need him to continue to do that, get under the skin of their top players and make it hard for them."
Physicality has always been a defining trait for Borgen, who was paired with Dahlin at this tournament to provide a steady presence while his partner makes the most of his offensive abilities joining the rush. Borgen was named the National Collegiate Hockey Conference's Defensive Defenseman of the Year as a junior at St. Cloud State last season.
The campaign was enough to convince Borgen that he was ready to take the next step. He signed his entry-level deal with Buffalo at the end of March, forgoing his senior season.
"I think I was ready," Borgen said. "I had my three years at college and it was the best years of my life, I loved my team, I loved playing at St. Cloud. I thought I was ready to take the next step."
Borgen played eight games with Rochester at the tail end of last season and impressed Taylor with the same traits he showed against the Devils on Friday.
"As a young defenseman, you don't know what you're going to get coming into the American Hockey League because it's not an easy league," Taylor said. "I thought he was composed with the puck, he made some good plays, he was simple.
"But again, he made the big hit, that reverse hit a lot of times that surprised a lot of guys. I liked his toughness, I liked his willingness to get in there and battle. He still needs to get a little bit stronger boxing out, but that's going to come with maturity."

Borgen is part of a wave of young players who will increase the competition level within the organization, be it in training camp or later this season. With his first camp ahead of him, he's already gotten off on the right foot.
"I think that's what everyone's trying to do, is make an impression," he said. "I mean the ultimate goal is to play in the NHL for everyone here. I'm just trying to work hard and do my best on the ice and off the ice."

Pekar made decision to focus on hockey

When we last saw Matej Pekar in July, the forward was slated to begin his collegiate career this season at the University of Miami (Ohio). Things changed earlier this week when it was announced he would be spending the year in the OHL with the Barrie Colts, where he'll play under former Sabre Dale Hawerchuk.
In the end, the decision for Pekar - who said that prior to last season, he had never even considered being drafted as a possibility - came down to facing the best competition possible.
"I went there for a visit and I was kind of still on the edge, I didn't know what to decide," he said. "I just kind of realized that I want to focus on hockey, I want to face the best players I can and get pushed right now … That should help me develop into hopefully an NHL player."
That decision made it possible for Pekar to attend the Prospects Challenge, where he's being tested against premier talent from three NHL organizations. After standing out as a physical pest at development camp - where he famously got under the skin of Dahlin and Casey Mittelstadt - he turned his forechecking into an early assist on Friday.
"I thought he got in on the forecheck really well, I thought he made a couple good plays," Taylor said. "Yeah, obviously he was a pest at development camp, ask Casey. But that's what we like. We want everybody to compete, it doesn't matter if it's in a game or in practice. We want to push each other."

Lineup notes

Brendan Guhle is expected to join the lineup on Saturday after sitting out of Friday's game as a healthy scratch, a decision Taylor said was made to give looks to lesser known players. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen will start in goal for the Sabres.
The game can be streamed live in-market on Sabres.com, with highlights to follow.