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Practicing Thursday at KeyBank Center, the Buffalo Sabres once again focused on late-game, 6-on-5 situations.

In Wednesday’s 4-2 win over Carolina, Buffalo yielded a 6-on-5 goal to Martin Necas before Ryan McLeod’s awarded, empty-net goal secured the victory.

“We bent but we didn’t break,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said of a third period in which the Sabres were officially outshot 8-0.

Following the Necas goal, Ruff used his timeout to settle the team and reiterate his recent coaching points:

“We had fresh bodies out there. We were being too careful. We had opportunities for pressure and to get on top of them and force them to make a quicker play…

“So I said just go play. That guy’s got the puck, go put pressure on him.”

On Jan. 8, the Sabres blasted AC/DC music during 6-on-5 practice to simulate raucous environments like they experienced in Colorado. This time, Ruff shouted out the remaining time on the clock as Buffalo rotated through its lines and handled defensive-zone pressure.

Wednesday’s game got closer than the Sabres would’ve liked after building a 3-0 lead, but Ruff feels that surviving the opponent’s late-game push, which they’ve failed to do at times this season, will help the Sabres moving forward.

“I think this, alone, should push us along the way,” Ruff said. “We made it through it.”

Here’s more from Thursday afternoon’s skate.

Thursday's practice lines

Following his 35-save performance against Carolina, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was absent from practice for maintenance, Ruff said. An EBUG (emergency backup goalie) practiced in his place.

Forwards
17 Jason Zucker71 Ryan McLeod72 Tage Thompson
77 JJ Peterka24 Dylan Cozens89 Alex Tuch
9 Zach Benson19 Peyton Krebs22 Jack Quinn / 20 Jiri Kulich
29 Beck Malenstyn48 Tyson Kozak81 Sam Lafferty
96 Nicolas Aube-Kubel
DefensemenGoalies
26 Rasmus Dahlin4 Bowen Byram47 James Reimer
25 Owen Power10 Henri Jokiharju
23 Mattias Samuelsson75 Connor Clifton
78 Jacob Bryson8 Dennis Gilbert

News and notes

1. Jiri Kulich (lower body) skated for a second straight day but is unlikely to play Friday versus Pittsburgh.

"Kulich is doing well," Ruff said. "I don't believe he's gonna be an option tomorrow.”

Buffalo's coach left little doubt about the rookie forward’s position when he does return.

“My gut tells me to keep him at center,” Ruff said. "He’s used his speed, he comes out of the defensive zone with the puck a lot better than being on the wall. There’s times he’s been able to just be kind of a one-man breakout. And I think it’s helped his offensive game too. That puts us in a situation where, when he comes back, someone will have to go to the wing, but I think that’s what this league is about.”

2. Ruff also provided an update on forward Jordan Greenway, who’s “progressing” after undergoing surgery for a middle-body injury in December:

“He’s on a schedule that he’ll be skating now for still a couple weeks on his own to see where he’s at.”

3. Buffalo’s penalty kill went 3-for-3 in Wednesday’s win and, since Dec. 23, ranks third in the NHL with an 88-percent success rate.

“We’re getting serious buy-in by the four on the ice,” said defenseman Connor Clifton, who leads the team with 2:58 of shorthanded time on ice per game this season.

“It starts with our neutral zone. I think earlier in the year, we were letting them (get) into our zone clean, get their head up and make plays. And when you give them a free entry, they’re going to get some rush chances and they’re going to get extended zone time.

And then in zone, it’s just been great. … We’ve finally found a rotation and it’s been really effective in killing some good power plays as of late.”

In comparison, during the 13-game winless streak, the Sabres killed off just 69.2 percent of shorthanded situations.

“Overall, I think executing the small stuff like staying in lanes, not giving up the seam plays, not making that big mistake where a failed clear costs you an unbelievable chance,” Ruff added of the recent success.

4. Clifton missed time during Wednesday's second period, as he required stitches after taking a stick to the nose. He finished the night with a team-high-tying four hits, including some booming ones, in 16:37 of ice time.

"I was a little mad, I won't lie, so kind of took it out on them," Clifton said. "I've found I haven't been stepping up too much, honestly, in the middle of the ice like I did last night, really since my suspension – back of my mind, maybe. It is a big part of my game, playing physical and being hard to play against."

In October 2023, at the beginning of his time with the Sabres, the defenseman was suspended two games for an illegal check to the head.

Clifton also recorded the primary assist on McLeod's first-minute goal Wednesday, earning his first point since Dec. 20 to snap a 10-game drought.

"I never really value my play on whether I'm producing offensively or not," said Clifton, who's up to eight points this season. "But it's nice to get those."

5. The Sabres concluded practice by singing happy birthday to Jason Zucker, who’s celebrating his 33rd.

Check out Tuesday’s story to read about the veteran’s impact through half a season in Buffalo.

Lindy Ruff addresses the media

Up next

The Sabres host the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday to conclude the three-game homestand. Tickets are available here.

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