The Buffalo Sabres will face a daunting challenge in the first of a four-game homestand against the Dallas Stars. The Stars are third in the NHL with a 5-1-0 record and have allowed only nine goals in six games, while the Sabres are second-worst in the league with 26 goals allowed in seven games.
After a 4-2 win in Chicago on Saturday, head coach Lindy Ruff will stick with goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in goal but will make one lineup change, sitting sophomore winger Zach Benson in favor of veteran Jordan Greenway.
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Greenway sat against the Hawks due to a lower-body injury but practiced Monday and will take his normal spot on the checking line with Ryan McLeod and Jason Zucker.
Benson has struggled since suffering a lower-body injury at the beginning of the month, leading into the season opener against New Jersey in Czechia. After sitting the second game against the Devils, the 19-year-old has battled through his injury issue but is scoreless in six games. Ruff recognized that the youngster needs some time to get back to 100%.
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“Zach is still not right. He’s been nursing this now since Prague,” Ruff said. “I had a long discussion with him this morning, and I really feel, and now he feels the same way that he’s being affected by what he’s dealing with. and the best (thing) is we give him today (and the next) four days to see if we can get him in a better place where it doesn’t affect his play. I give him a lot of credit for for trying to play, but it is definitely affected his play, and we got to get him right.”
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