Practice Report | News and notes from Friday's skate at KeyBank Center

Tage Thompson and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen will be out for the second straight game when the Buffalo Sabres visit the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday, coach Lindy Ruff announced following Friday’s practice at KeyBank Center.

Jordan Greenway, meanwhile, is questionable for the game after leaving practice due to what Ruff described as a nagging injury that the forward has been playing through of late.

“Today it bothered him enough that he had to leave the ice,” Ruff said.

Ruff said it is possible that the Sabres will recall a forward from Rochester to step in if Greenway is unable to play against the Flyers.

Thompson and Luukkonen both remain day to day with their injuries, which forced them to leave Monday’s game against Montreal. Thompson skated on his own ahead of practice on Friday. Luukkonen practiced with the team, but Ruff said the Sabres will exercise patience with their next game not until Wednesday in Los Angeles.

“We just feel with where the schedule is, why push him in when we have four or five more days before we play again?” Ruff said

Here’s more from Friday’s practice.

News and notes

1. Ruff talked about the necessity of having depth, something that came into play with Thompson and Luukkonen out against the Blues on Thursday. Ryan McLeod stepped into Thompson’s role centering a line with Alex Tuch and had a goal and an assist in the overtime victory.

“I think every team needs it,” Ruff said. “You have to find ways to win when some of your key personnel are out. That is what your American League team is for, some of your young guys that are developing. It’s their opportunity to step in, maybe some of the guys with lower minutes. It’s an opportunity for them to step up in the lineup and play more key minutes, and a lot of times those players take advantage.”

2. The Sabres have three goalies on their roster after claiming James Reimer off waivers on Wednesday. With Luukkonen out for tomorrow’s game, Reimer’s presence allows Ruff to have a security blanket behind Devon Levi, who earned the win against St. Louis.

Reimer shared the net with both Levi and Luukkonen depending on the drill at Friday’s practice.

“We’ll take that day-to-day, really,” Ruff said of the three-goalie situation. “It’s not ideal. Sharing a goal, even in practice, isn’t ideal. So, we’ll take that day-to-day. If (Luukkonen) gets healthy, if that’s Wednesday, we feel he’s really good right now. We’ll cross that bridge when it comes.”

3. Bowen Byram has recorded two goals and five assists in the last seven games while skating alongside Rasmus Dahlin on the top defense pair.

However, Ruff lauded Byram's defensive play, which, alongside his recent offensive breakout, has him tied for the team lead with a plus-9 rating.

“(What’s impressed me is) the fact that he’s been able to play that number of minutes and be quick to coverage in his own end,” Ruff said. “I think sometimes when players play a lot of minutes, their fatigue hurts their play away from the puck. I think his ability to maintain a high level of play away from the puck, his compete down low, physicality to end plays, has still been there.”

Practice Sound

Up next

The Sabres open a stretch of four consecutive road games in Philadelphia on Saturday. Coverage on MSG begins at 6:30 p.m. with puck drop scheduled for 7.