By Staff Reports and information from Sabres.com
The Buffalo defenseman missed 20 game with a sprained MCL injury.
RALEIGH, N.C. – The Buffalo Sabres have had to be patient as their defensive corps has inched closer to full health in recent weeks. Now, it looks like the wait is over.
Zach Bogosian, who has missed the past 20 games with a sprained MCL, returned to the lineup against the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday night. The Sabres lost 2-1 in a shootout.
Bogosian’s return to action led the Sabres to send defenseman Taylor Fedun back to the Rochester Americans on Saturday where he had a goal and assist in the Amerks 3-2overtime win over the St. John’s IceCaps.
Along with Rasmus Ristolainen, Jake McCabe, Dmitry Kulikov, Josh Gorges and Cody Franson, Bogosian completes the compliment of top six defensemen Buffalo went into the season, hoping they would be able to dress almost every night. However, injuries throughout the first 29 games of the season threw a wrench in those plans, with the team already dressing 11 different skaters on the blue line.
This top group of 6 has only played together 9 times, and Saturday tonight was the first time they all suited up in the same game since Nov. 1 (that’s when, in the first period, Bogosian sustained his knee injury).
“I’d like to get them out there and playing a number of games together,” Sabres coach Dan Bylsma said before the game. “He’s been out for quite a long time now and he’s going to have to get his feet wet right away. Being a part of that six D-group is going to be work for all of them, getting the six back together.”
Standings watch
The win gives Carolina 33 points on the season and they stay ahead of Buffalo, who now have 31. The Hurricanes are eight points out of the final Wild Card spot, held by Philadelphia. Buffalo, meanwhile, is six points behind Ottawa for second place in the Atlantic Division with a game in hand and four points behind third-place Boston with two games in hand.
“At the end of the day here, we’re pushing for playoffs,” said team captain and Greece native Brian Gionta. “We’re pushing for teams ahead of us. That team’s the next team ahead of us, [we were] back by a point, and we need to find a way to get two points out of that.”
Up next
The road trip continues for Buffalo as the Sabres head to southern Florida to face the Florida Panthers on Tuesday.
The Panthers, who also are outside the playoff picture with 33 points, beat Colorado by a 3-1 score Friday night in Denver and are off until they host Buffalo.