Alex Tuch knows the importance of patience.
Tuch, a 25-year-old winger, waited six months to play in an NHL game, including almost three to wear a Buffalo Sabres jersey for the first time. Yet that didn’t make it any less disappointing for Tuch when he entered Covid-19 protocol after appearing in three games for the Sabres.
“Frustration is a good word for it,” said a masked Tuch following the morning skate Tuesday in KeyBank Center.
Tuch and winger Kyle Okposo were the latest Sabres to return from Covid-19 protocol, though neither had enough time to play in the Sabres’ game Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Okposo, 33, was second on the Sabres in points (21) when he tested positive for Covid-19, while Tuch was coming off a strong performance in Boston against the Bruins. Acquired as part of the blockbuster Jack Eichel trade, Tuch had a goal and an assist in the overtime loss at TD Garden.
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It’s unclear if either forward will be available Thursday in Nashville – both must be cleared by the coaching staff – but their returns to the ice were a welcome sight for coach Don Granato, who still has centers Tage Thompson and Peyton Krebs in Covid-19 protocol.
“Very exciting to get guys back in,” Granato said. “These are guys that have felt well for days now and they’re just waiting to be cleared. They’re excited. They were very excited to get on the ice today.”
Tuch told reporters following the optional morning skate that he was asymptomatic after testing positive for the virus, but he wasn’t able to work out much during his period of isolation. He entered protocol Jan. 4, one day after Okposo, whom he sits next to in the Sabres’ dressing room.
In three games with the Sabres, Tuch recorded one goal and two assists with four shots on goal while averaging 17:08 of ice time. He was a significant addition to a lineup that’s been without top-six center Casey Mittelstadt for much of the season, but he wasn’t in for long.
“It is what it is,” said Tuch. “A lot of guys are going through it in the league. A lot of people are going through it in the world today. I went almost a full two years without. I had no symptoms. It wasn’t that bad. It was just quarantining and sitting isolated was probably the hardest part about it. You know what, I feel OK coming out of it. I had a good skate this morning and I just want to get back to work.”
Okposo, meanwhile, is on pace for 34 assists and 51 assists, both of which would be his highest totals since 2015-16.
On the mend
Casey Mittelstadt has begun participating in rehabilitation skates during his recovery from surgery for an undisclosed injury but remains week to week. Mittelstadt, 23, has been limited to only four games this season with separate injuries. His most recent ailment that resulted in surgery has kept him out of the lineup since Dec. 7.
“He is feeling good,” Granato said of Mittelstadt. “He feels very confident. And obviously he’s gone through, he went through rehab skates, whatever, a month and a half, two months ago and he looks different. He feels different. You can see that his confidence level is really good and very encouraging.”
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A pair of goalie prospects for the Sabres were honored for their impressive play in the NCAA.
Devon Levi, who was acquired from Florida in the Sam Reinhart trade, was named the Hockey East’s goalie of the week for the second time this season after he recorded consecutive shutouts for Northeastern University against Long Island, stopping a total of 44 shots in two games. Levi’s eight shutouts this season are tied for fourth in NCAA history. Greg Gardener of Niagara University set the record with 12 in 2000.
Erik Portillo, a third-round draft choice of the Sabres in 2019, was named the Big Ten’s third star of the week after he recorded 56 saves in back-to-back wins for Michigan over UMass.
