The Buffalo Sabres went to Europe with raised expectations, but are coming home falling flat. The Sabres lost the first two games of the 2024-2025 season at the hands of the New Jersey Devils, giving Buffalo a heavy dose of a reality check after a strong preseason. To make matters worse, the Sabres had three players miss significant time over the two-game span due to injury – Nicolas Aube-Kubel, Zach Benson, and JJ Peterka.
Nicolas Aube-Kubel Injury
Aube-Kubel left Friday’s game with a lower-body injury and did not return. This came after fellow Sabres forwards Tage Thompson and Jordan Greenway also went to the dressing room but returned to the ice.
Right before his exit, Aube-Kubel was stopped by Devils goalie Jacob Markstrom on a shot from the slot. He’s one-third of Buffalo’s new-look fourth line formed to pester opponents, along with Beck Malenstyn and Sam Lafferty. The speedy forechecking line appeared to be starting to set a tone right before Aube-Kubel disappeared from the bench.
Peyton Krebs replaced Aube-Kubel in game two of the Global Series against the Devils. The extent of Aube-Kubel’s injury is unclear at this time.
More Aube-Kubel: How Sabres Line of Malenstyn, Lafferty, Aube-Kubel Compares Across NHL
Zach Benson Injury
Head coach Lindy Ruff confirmed after Saturday’s game that Zach Benson did not play due to a lower-body injury. Benson’s absence from the Sabres lineup in the second game of the season was a surprise, as the sophomore forward finished the game on Friday with no clear injury concern.
The injury opened up a spot for Jiri Kulich to make his season debut alongside Dylan Cozens and Jack Quinn on the Sabres second line. The trio did not perform well against the Devils, with Kulich and Cozens on the ice for both of the even-strength goals the Sabres surrendered.
How long Benson will be out is uncertain. Ruff said that it was something he dealt with throughout the game Friday night and that the injury “elevated” to the point that the Sabres determined he would not be ready to play on Saturday.
JJ Peterka Injury
Ruff also confirmed that JJ Peterka has a concussion after taking an illegal body check from Devils defenseman Brendan Dillon on Saturday. Peterka sustained the injury early in the first period and did not return to the game.
The hit was initially ruled a major penalty, but, after review, a match penalty was not awarded to Dillon and the call was reduced to a two-minute minor. Dillon and Alex Tuch also received five-minute majors after Tuch came to Peterka’s defense and challenged the defenseman.
Tuch and Tage Thompson stepped up in his absence, but there’s no denying that any extensive absence from Peterka will considerably affect Buffalo’s offense.
