The Buffalo Sabres hope to resume their winning ways after the Christmas holiday break against the Boston Bruins at KeyBank Center on Saturday, but will have to do it without Rasmus Dahlin. The Sabres team captain travelled to Sweden to visit his fiancee over the break, and is making his way back to Buffalo. Head coach Lindy Ruff indicated it was doubtful that he would play against Boston, but that he should be back for the club’s upcoming three-game road trip starting in St. Louis on Monday.
Bowen Byram, who had three points and the game-winning overtime goal in Ottawa on Tuesday moved to the top pairing with Mattias Samuelsson at the club’s morning skate on Saturday and quarterbacked the first power-play unit. Jacob Bryson and Zach Metsa will play against the Bruins, and defenseman Ryan Johnson has been recalled from AHL Rochester.
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Forward Jason Zucker skated with the club for the first time since being injured in Calgary on December 8, the last time the Sabres lost. The veteran winger indicated that he is unsure how long it will be before he returns to the lineup, and that he might not travel with the club next week, but said in jest that there is no hurry.
"They got rid of the dead weight,” Zucker said. “ "It's been fun to watch, obviously terrible watching, but it's been great to see the guys playing really well throughout the lineup, everyone from goaltenders on out, are playing really well."
In a bit of a surprise, the Sabres will not be starting Alex Lyon – winner of six straight –, but will instead go with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen between the pipes. Luukkonen started in the 3-1 win in New Jersey on December 21, but is .500 (5-5-1) on the year. The Bruins did not skate on Saturday, do to travel restrictions because of the holiday break, and according to Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe, backup Joonas Korpisalo will start for the Bruins.
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