Practice Report | Kozak soaking in NHL call-up

For the best of reasons, Buffalo rookie Tyson Kozak had a hectic evening last Friday. The seventh-round draft pick from 2021 was preparing for Rochester’s home game versus Syracuse when he learned he’d be joining the Sabres for his first-ever NHL call-up.

“I was pretty shocked,” Kozak said. “I was just about to warm up, then I got pulled into the office. When [coach Michael Leone] first told me, I honestly couldn’t believe it. It was a surreal moment for me.”

The 21-year-old hustled to join the Sabres, who had just lost to the Canucks in overtime, for their flight to New York.

Kozak didn’t dress for Saturday’s game against the Islanders, but he’s already learned plenty in his brief time with the NHL club.

“It’s definitely a faster game,” Kozak said after Monday’s practice, his first since being recalled. “Bigger guys, stronger guys and not many mistakes being made. So, it’s definitely a hard leap.”

Whether Kozak makes his way into the lineup during this recall could depend on the play of Buffalo’s fourth line of Beck Malenstyn, Peyton Krebs, and Nicolas Aube-Kubel, who earned praise from Ruff for their performance against New York on Saturday. The Sabres led 8-1 in shot attempts and 4-0 in scoring chances with that line on the ice.

“I thought their puck play was good, and that’s where [Kozak] fits on our team,” Ruff said. “I know what he brings, the energy, and I think he’s the type of guy that helps life other players with his infectious work ethic. We’ll evaluate that from game to game.”

Kozak has already matched his previous AHL career-high with five goals through 14 games for Rochester this season, adding an offensive dimension to the hardworking, defensively reliable identity he’s forged since turning pro in 2022-23.

Rochester assistant coach Vinny Prospal foreshadowed Kozak’s success during the Prospects Challenge this September when he compared Kozak to Anthony Cirelli, the accomplished two-way forward for the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Leone revisited that comment in October, after Kozak’s strong play had earned him a promotion to Rochester’s top line.

“I can’t say enough,” Leone said. “He’s a winning hockey player. Vinny calls him ‘our Cirelli,’ and he is. He’s a winner.”

Kozak is relishing his time with Buffalo, regardless of when or whether he enters the lineup.

“I’m just trying to soak it all in, just trying to enjoy the experience,” he said.

Here’s more from Monday’s practice at KeyBank Center.

Monday's practice lines

News and notes

1. The Sabres’ forward line shuffling, seen before and during Saturday’s loss, continued in Monday’s practice.

Jason Zucker joined Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch on the top line. At 5-on-5, that group has appeared in two games and 10:27 of ice time this season, outscoring their opponents 1-0.

JJ Peterka, meanwhile, slotted in at second-line left wing while Zach Benson moved to Dylan Cozens’ right wing. That trio has yet to appear at 5-on-5 through 24 games. In 45 minutes with Cozens and Peterka together, however, Buffalo has held a 61-percent share of 5-on-5 shot attempts.

2. Ruff provided updates on Buffalo’s three injured players, all of whom were absent from Monday’s practice.

Forward Sam Lafferty is week-to-week after exiting Friday’s game with a lower-body injury, but Ruff said he’s feeling okay and that “it could be one of those shorter things.”

Forward Jordan Greenway (middle body) skated Monday morning.

“He was [on the ice] this morning, again,” Ruff said. “We’ll just see how he’s feeling after he gets the skill skates, the skates that initially get you going, to see when or if we can get him back in practice.”

Defenseman Mattias Samuelsson (lower-body) also skated Monday, but Ruff said there’s still no timeline for his return to action.

3. Ruff was asked about Buffalo’s streakiness this season. The Sabres have experienced three three-game winning streaks and three three-game losing streaks, including their current skid since returning from California.

“This one is different, in the fact that we really played well against Minnesota,” Ruff said, citing games like that 1-0 loss where Buffalo struggled to score despite playing well and outshooting the Wild 39-30.

“Today, after reviewing the first 20 games, we decided to change practice a little bit to more small-ice games, in-tight plays, making the next play. We just feel we haven’t finished that next play a lot of times. So, just trying to breathe a little bit more confidence into our guys.”

Practice sound

Up next

The Sabres host the Avalanche tomorrow night to begin a five-game homestand. Tickets are available here.

Coverage on MSG begins at 6:30 p.m. with puck drop scheduled for 7.