One notable change at forward was the swapping of Kane for Girgensons on the left wing alongside Eichel. Kane has been the team's most productive scorer thus far with four goals in three games, and his speed could inject some life on a line alongside O'Reilly and Okposo, both of whom have been kept off the scoresheet so far this season.
The other most notable change is the move for Reinhart from center to the wing. Reinhart has moved back-and-forth between the two positions throughout his young NHL career, but had played exclusively at center since the start of training camp.
Reinhart admitted he's been fighting the puck this season, and said his focus is on making quicker decisions and moving his feet faster on the puck.
"I'm just going to try to relax and have fun," Reinhart said. "There's so many things going on. I know I'm not the only one when I'm saying I'm fighting the puck a little bit. I've just got to relax down low, find my game and that's what I'm going to look to do."
Defensively, the pairing of Antipin with Moulson as a fourth unit suggested they could be scratched for Buffalo's game in San Jose on Thursday. That would open the door for Gorges, a healthy scratch in all three games thus far, to make his debut.
"He's been really good, a really good teammate," Housley said. "I know it's not easy, being a veteran guy, but he should be ready for his opportunity right now and it's good of him that he's had a good attitude."
Both power-play units underwent dramatic makeovers after allowing four shorthanded goals in three games. That meant breaking up the top unit that was a major catalyst for Buffalo's success with the extra man last season, when the Sabres finished with the top-ranked power play in the NHL.
On one unit, Pominville and Kane joined Eichel and O'Reilly with Ristolainen at the point. The second unit featured Okposo, Griffith and Pouliot along with two defensemen in Beaulieu and Tennyson.
The overall focus of practice was on speed and execution coming out of the defensive zone, an area the Sabres have struggled with in their past two losses to the New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils.
"I think coming back, finding the easy option, communicating on the way back and getting out of the zone as quick as possible," Reinhart said. "That's been our toughest part and that's what we worked on today."
While they work out the kinks, the Sabres will have to balance the reality of their struggles with the fact that the season is still young. They can rebound with a strong showing on a perennially-tough California road trip against the Sharks, Kings and Ducks, which now also includes a meeting with the undefeated Vegas Golden Knights at the tail end.
"Every game is important," Ristolainen said. "Yeah, I know it's only three games, but it's six points. At the end of the year the schedule might be tough and you need every point so right now the good thing is, it's only three games so we can regroup and be strong on this tough road trip against really, really good teams."
