Sabres' Larsson, Varone shining in expanded roles

BUFFALO -- Following the NHL Trade Deadline on March 2, the Buffalo Sabres' lineup took on a drastically different look. It also provided a big opportunity to a pair of young centers.

Johan Larsson and Philip Varone have seen playing time in Buffalo before this season, but after two trades at the deadline that saw forwards Brian Flynn and Torrey Mitchell sent to the Montreal Canadiens, as well as a lower-body injury sustained by All-Star center Zemgus Girgensons, Larsson and Varone were recalled from the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League to fill those holes. Now they’re the Sabres' top two centers heading into their game Monday against the Washington Capitals (7 p.m. ET, NBCSN, SN1).

Larsson hasn't been a stranger to the Sabres lineup this season. He's been in Buffalo since he was recalled Feb. 15, but he was playing on the third and fourth lines. Now he's between Matt Moulson and Tyler Ennis on the first line.

"It's a great opportunity. I can't ask for anything more," Larsson said. "I've just got to show it every day and work hard. If you play with those guys you have to work your [butt] off and show them you want to play with them."

Coach Ted Nolan moved Larsson to the first line March 7 against the Capitals. The Sabres lost that game 6-1 at Verizon Center, but Larsson scored Buffalo's goal. Larsson said that game made him feel like his time had come to prove what he could do.

"I actually [felt like a first-line player] when I lined up against [Nicklas] Backstrom," Larsson said. "I have to focus every shift if you play against top players in this League."

In his second game as the No. 1 center, Larsson had a goal and two assists in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on March 11. The offensive output is enough to get attention, but there's always more to it than what the numbers say.

"You've got to try to do something to separate yourself and give yourself an opportunity to stay in the NHL," Nolan said Friday. "One thing I liked about [Larsson] is he separated a lot of defensemen from the puck with his body positioning. He moved his legs offensively as well as defensively. He was gritty, he got [Maple Leafs defenseman Dion] Phaneuf a couple times, rattled him, by being a pain in the rear out there. Those are all the things you do to separate yourself."

Larsson's ice time has gone up each of the three games he's played on Buffalo's top line, topping out at a season-high 18:19 in a 2-0 loss to the New York Rangers on Saturday.

Johan Larsson

Left Wing - BUF

GOALS: 3 | ASST: 4 | PTS: 7
SOG: 24 | +/-: 2

Varone's spot on the second line has him playing with Marcus Foligno and Sabres captain Brian Gionta. Varone initially was on the first line and had a goal and an assist in a 3-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators on March 6. After that game Varone swapped with Larsson and has found chemistry as well as a reunion.

"Me and Marcus played together in Rochester almost for a year and a half straight and I like playing with him," Varone said. "He's a big body, smart, can skate. [Gionta], you can learn from him in every aspect of the game. He's a smaller-statured guy, so he's someone I can look up to and take stuff from. It seems like he's always in the right place at the right time. He's never really getting hit and always moving his feet and I'm just taking little things from him throughout the game, asking him little questions, so it's just been awesome."

Like Larsson, Varone has had a few opportunities in the past to play in Buffalo. He played nine games last season and seven games this season in January before being sent back to Rochester. Since the trade deadline he has been a full-time player counted on to produce.

Philip Varone

Center - BUF

GOALS: 3 | ASST: 1 | PTS: 4
SOG: 17 | +/-: -6

The points haven't come in big numbers yet for Varone, but that's not what he's focused on to prove himself in the NHL.

"[It's about] just being more aware on the defensive side of the puck," Varone said. "In the AHL I could kind of get away with that a little bit. I think I've been really working on that. In the AHL I probably take about 25 to 30 faceoffs a game, whereas here I take 16 or 17 so I've been bearing down more on that.

"It's just the little things. And once that starts ironing itself out and becomes second nature the offense will become second nature after that, which is kind of more what I'm going to try and bring. But at the same time you have to be responsible defensively."