BUFFALO – In rookie Jiri Kulich’s absence, the Sabres have filled some of the void by moving forwards around and recalling Tyson Kozak.
The Sabres have done well as Kulich, 20, recovers from a lower-body injury, going 2-1-0 entering Friday’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
When the Czech center is ready to play – he’s on track to return Monday afternoon against the Seattle Kraken, the start of a four-game road trip – Sabres coach Lindy Ruff will be forced to move one of his pivots.
It likely won’t be Kulich, who has looked comfortable playing his natural position after beginning the season skating as a winger.
“My gut tells me keep him at center,” Ruff said in KeyBank Center. “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.
“I think it’s helped his offensive game, too. That puts us in a situation where he comes back, somebody will have to go to the wing.”
Right now, Kozak, Dylan Cozens, Peyton Krebs and Ryan McLeod are the Sabres’ four centers. Tage Thompson, who usually serves as their top center, has been playing right wing because he’s nursing an undisclosed injury.
Krebs was skating as a winger before Kulich was injured Jan. 6. Cozens and McLeod have also spent time on the side this season.
Expect McLeod, who recorded his first NHL hat trick in Wednesday’s 4-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes, to remain in the middle when Kulich returns.
McLeod has played up and down the lineup, mostly pivoting the third line. He has also spent time on the fourth line and ended Wednesday’s game on the top trio between Thompson and Jason Zucker.
“I think he fit pretty good in that second- or third-line center spot,” Ruff said of McLeod. “There was good chemistry with (Jordan) Greenway and Zucks. After that, it’s just been trying to see what works, and we’ve tried some other people in different places.”
Krebs has recently enjoyed success centering Zach Benson and Jack Quinn on the third line.
“I think we have a good dynamic of kind of all different players,” Krebs said of his line. “… (At) the same time, we like to do the same thing.”
Kulich, of course, likes to shoot. He possesses one of the NHL’s heaviest shots. But not long ago, he lacked the confidence to utilize it. He scored his first goals on tips and around the net.
Then he scored twice Dec. 23 in the Sabres’ 7-1 road win over the New York Islanders by unleashing his lethal shot.
“To be honest, when I scored after my first shot, then I just didn’t think that if I’m going to shoot, I’m going to miss,” said Kulich, who has scored seven goals and nine points in 31 games this season. “So I didn’t really think about it. Maybe that’s why, too, (I started) believing (in) my shot, because to be honest, I didn’t know how to beat the goalies.
“So I was struggling how to beat the goalies. It was great after I scored my first goal with my shot. So, yeah, I felt more confident.”
Kulich also takes confidence from playing center.
“Just my thing,” he said. “I don’t have a problem to play wing, but I’m a center, I feel more confident, too, getting the speed to get more pucks, make the next play.”
Notes: Penguins superstar Sidney Crosby began Friday’s game having scored 29 goals and 85 points – the highest total he has compiled against any non-divisional opponent – in 60 career games against the Sabres. … The Sabres scratched winger Nicolas Aube-Kubel and defensemen Jacob Bryson and Dennis Gilbert (all healthy). … The Sabres have Saturday off and practice Sunday in Seattle. … The Penguins began a seven-game road trip Friday.
