Bogosian leaves physical, emotional practice with injury

Following a loss to the Winnipeg Jets that prompted Phil Housley to call for his team to show a greater sense of defensive urgency, the Buffalo Sabres held a physical, competitive practice at KeyBank Center on Wednesday morning.
With that physicality came emotion, and potentially a loss on defense. Zach Bogosian had to be helped off the ice while battling Evander Kane for a loose puck in the corner on one drill. On another, emotions boiled over and prompted an exchange between Kane and Justin Falk.
Housley said that the team will know more regarding Bogosian's status once he's finished being evaluated later in the day. As for the confrontation between Kane and Falk, all sides agreed that the emotions shown may have been healthy for a struggling team.

"It was just spur of the moment," Falk said. "Emotions are running high this time of year, where we're at … To be honest, maybe a little bit more stuff like that is probably what we need to get things going here, to get guys playing with a little more passion and urgency."

"It's good to see some emotion," Housley added. "It was a battle practice out there, focusing on some areas that we need to improve on, and tempers flared up. It was more about just being in the heat of the battle and guys being frustrated at where we are. Sometimes emotions get high."

Buffalo's 7-4 loss to Winnipeg on Tuesday was its fifth in a row, and Housley attributed the ongoing struggles afterward to a "lack of respect and urgency" on the defensive side of the puck. Jason Pominville, who's been on playoff teams in nine of his 12 full NHL seasons, agreed.
"I totally agree with it," he said. "Until we understand and take more pride in defending, it's tough to win. There really isn't a big difference between some of the best teams and the lower teams. The teams that are at the top, they understand how to play and how to play the right way and how to defend.
"Yes, they'll get the puck more often, they'll make their plays. But it starts with keeping the puck out of their net. We haven't done a good enough job at all with our 5-on-5 play."
The problems defending, Housley said, begin with awareness. Be it when a loose puck could result in a change of possession or a puck going from low to high could result in a shot from the point, Housley is looking for players to react and pick up their man defensively. Practice on Tuesday was designed to focus on those situations.
The practice also included 3-on-3 and 5-on-5 drills that bred competition. Bogosian's injury occurred when he and Kane fell awkwardly during a puck battle.
"It was weird," Kane said. "We were just kind of battling, got tangled up and we were both falling. Obviously he was in some discomfort and it was kind of a freak accident. Hopefully he's OK."

Kane chalked up his confrontation with Falk as being a heat of the moment exchange, and Pominville echoed Falk in saying that he actually liked seeing the emotion.
In fact, he said the Sabres need to show even more of it going forward.
"That was the one that everyone's probably going to pinpoint, but there were other plays where guys were working hard, finishing their checks and competing and battling," Pominville said. "That's what it's all about. That's what you need if you want to win. It can't only be one practice.
"Yeah, today there might be a little more anger than what there usually is, but the way we competed and the way we worked has to be that way every day."

Medical report

Bogosian's injury left the Sabres with six defensemen at practice. Marco Scandella and Rasmus Ristolainen both took maintenance days, while Victor Antipin skated with the team for the second straight day as he works his way back from an illness.
Jacob Josefson was also absent after leaving Tuesday's game with a lower-body injury in the first period. Housley said that Josefson is currently being treated as day-to-day but will be reevaluated.
Linus Ullmark continued to practice with the team as a third goaltender, which Housley said was simply insurance for Robin Lehner in the event that a high shot forced him to leave practice. Lehner was shaken up by a shot off his neck in Philadelphia on Sunday.

Guhle's debut

One of the bright spots of Tuesday's loss was the season debut for defenseman Brendan Guhle. He showed flashes of his ability to make an impact on the rush and in the offensive zone throughout the night, but the shift that stands out most was the one that led to Jack Eichel's goal in the first period.
Guhle seemingly covered every square inch of the offensive zone on that shift, keeping the possession alive early by pinching along the boards on the forecheck:
The Sabres kept possession until a delayed penalty was eventually called. No longer having to worry about a potential turnover, Guhle began to move even more freely through the zone. As Eichel took his shot, Guhle was cutting toward the net through the slot for a potential pass or rebound.
"I just think he's trying to find areas to get a puck, and he's using his speed really well," Housley said. "I talked about him last night, about the way he can use his mobility to escape in our D zone and I really like that he's making some good decisions up ice, being a part of the rush or coming from behind in the rush.
"At that point there was a delayed penalty, he was just trying to create some space, trying to get a puck. It was really great to see. His game was pretty solid last night."

Lines at practice

67 Benoit Pouliot - 15 Jack Eichel - 21 Kyle Okposo
9 Evander Kane - 90 Ryan O'Reilly - 29 Jason Pominville
28 Zemgus Girgensons - 71 Evan Rodrigues - 23 Sam Reinhart
20 Scott Wilson - 22 Johan Larsson - 17 Jordan Nolan
82 Nathan Beaulieu / 93 Victor Antipin - 47 Zach Bogosian
45 Brendan Guhle - 19 Jake McCabe
4 Josh Gorges - 41 Justin Falk
40 Robin Lehner
31 Chad Johnson
35 Linus Ullmark