WASHINGTON – Don Granato chose one word when asked following the preseason opener what will allow Jack Quinn to carve out a full-time role with the Buffalo Sabres.
“Clutch,” Granato, the Sabres’ second-year coach, said Sunday afternoon.
Quinn needed only one preseason game to showcase that unteachable trait. Lobbying to make the roster out of training camp, the 21-year-old winger buried a pass from Brett Murray with under two minutes remaining in regulation to tie the score and help send the game to overtime.
Veteran winger Vinnie Hinostroza then clinched a 4-3 win for the Sabres over the Washington Capitals with a tip-in goal off a pass from defenseman Lawrence Pilut in Capital One Arena.
Quinn, who was named the American Hockey League’s top rookie last season, didn’t need a remarkable shot to beat goalie Hunter Shepard. One side of the net was open following a tic-tac-toe passing play that began with JJ Peterka’s work on the bumper. Dylan Cozens pushed the puck through traffic toward the front of the net and Murray made a short pass over to Quinn, who scored with 1:05 left on the clock.
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However, the goal was the latest moment that illustrated Quinn’s desire to have the puck when the outcome hangs in the balance.
“He’s a clutch player,” Granato continued. “He’s one of those players that when games are on the line and pressure mounts, he embraces that. He wants the puck on his stick. Some guys don’t. … Incredible internal drive and obviously a skill set to match.”
Quinn wasn’t the lone standout. Cozens had a goal and an assist; prospect center Tyson Kozak’s wrist shot from the slot made it 2-2 in the second period; Pilut had a pair of assists while playing his first NHL game in almost three years; Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 24 saves; and Lukas Rousek ended a seven-round exhibition shootout that was held following the game.
Granato made it clear following the come-from-behind win that he wasn’t using this game to evaluate because it occurred on the fourth day of training camp. The regular season doesn’t begin until Oct. 13. But it’s important for Quinn to take advantage during a game in which he’s facing mostly prospects and skating on a line with a proven NHLer like Cozens.
Quinn, drafted eighth overall by Buffalo in 2020, finished with four shots on goal, only one behind Cozens’ team-high, in 15:58 of ice time. At 5-on-5, Quinn skated next to Cozens and Peterka. And on the power play, Quinn was in his usual position, posted up in the circle waiting to fool goalies with his powerful, deceptive right-handed shot.
“I thought our line was pretty good all game,” Quinn said. “We had a lot of chances. It was cool to see that one go in at the end to tie it up.”
Quinn and Peterka will have multiple preseason games to prove they’re ready for the NHL, and the competition will improve as rosters are whittled down. There aren’t any notable questions Quinn has to answer about his game. He’s reliable defensively, fast enough to play in Granato’s system and seemed to master the AHL with his 26 goals and 61 points in 45 regular-season games with the Amerks. It's still important to show that he's among the Sabres' top 12 forwards.
You won’t hear Quinn go into detail about his plan for the rest of training camp. It’s no secret where he wants to be when the Sabres host the Ottawa Senators on opening night.
“Try to make the NHL and be full-time this year,” he said of his focus.
Here are other observations from the game:
1. Strong impression
Kozak admittedly needed a few practices to adjust to the increased pace of training camp practices. He was the Sabres’ top performer at the Prospects Challenge with four goals, but it’s different when competing against NHLers.
A seventh-round pick in 2021, Kozak looked comfortable on the ice against the Capitals. He collected the centering pass from Riley Sheahan and scored with a shot off the crossbar to make it 2-2 in the second period. Kozak, 19, came close to adding another goal later in the period. His simple, direct style of play and aggressiveness on the forecheck will help him continue to ascend.
“Definitely an unreal feeling,” he said. “Kind of surreal, especially being a late-round draft pick and all that. Yeah, just kind of taking it day-by-day and not trying to get too far ahead of myself.”
2. Breakout coming
All signs point to a breakout season from Cozens, who told reporters Friday that he’s determined to score more goals in the NHL after he had two in the second half of last season. Cozens, 21, earned consecutive scoring chances on the same shift, capped by a backdoor chance that required goalie Zach Fucale to make a pad save.
Cozens broke through at 4:25 into the second period when he collected a pass from Peterka in the slot, skated through the slot and to the right circle, where Cozens unleashed a wrist shot through traffic that went inside the far post for a power-play goal to make it 1-1.
It’s important to note that Cozens showed a willingness to shoot and attack the middle of the ice. He was an alternate captain for this game, as well as Hinostroza and Casey Fitzgerald. Cozens also led all Sabres forwards with 19:13 of ice time.
“I’ve spoken that we have so many great leaders in our group and guys that are potential future captains, that have captain potential added to them,” Granato said. “Dylan is obviously one of those. I don’t think that’s a secret to anyone who watches our games. …It was an easy one to put an A on Dylan for the things I said and the roster we had today.”
3. Getting better.
Matt Savoie got better with every shift and earned his first scoring chance late in the first period off a rebound. Savoie also hit the post with a wrist shot from the high slot in the third. Savoie, 18, will benefit from the experience of facing a Washington defense corps that included three NHL regulars. Now, we wait to see how long he remains in camp.
4. Strong impressions
Jiri Kulich is physically ready for the NHL, but he’ll start the season in Rochester to learn the same lessons that helped Peterka have a breakout year with the Amerks. Kulich, 18, can make plays with the puck when there’s little time and space, as he did on the pass to setup Cozens for a prime scoring chance.
Rousek, 23, continues to impress with his speed on the forecheck and playmaking. His centering pass to Kulich in the slot led to a quality scoring chance from the slot early in the first period.
This was a strong first game for Murray, who also screened Fucale on Cozens’ goal. Luukkonen, meanwhile, stopped six of seven shots in the shootout. It's too early in camp to evaluate goalies, but he had some impressive saves.
5. Back in Buffalo
Pilut finished with two points in his first game with the Sabres since March 2020. The 26-year-old spent the past two seasons in Russia before returning to Buffalo on a two-way contract this summer. He took advantage of a first-pairing role Sunday and led the team in ice time with 22:33. The Sabres likely won’t have a spot available for Pilut at the start of the regular season, but his performance against the Capitals showed why he’s an important depth addition and how he can benefit from playing in Granato’s system.
“Coming back to the organization, the feeling coming back and putting that blue and gold on, it’s terrific,” Pilut said. “I think the whole squad today battled really hard, we never gave up and we got a good outcome from it. We just competed all over the ice and did our job out there.”
6. Lineup
With a split squad, the Sabres had a younger, prospect-laden lineup. Cozens centered Quinn and Peterka; Peyton Krebs was between Kulich and Rousek; Savoie made his debut alongside Rasmus Asplund and Hinostroza; and Murray was with Kozak and Sheahan.
On defense, Pilut was paired with Fitzgerald; Jeremy Davies skated alongside Chase Priskie; and tryout Spencer Sova was with Kale Clague.
7. Next
The Sabres’ preseason schedule continues Tuesday with a game in KeyBank Center against the Philadelphia Flyers in 7 p.m. Buffalo hits the road again Wednesday with a game in Columbus against the Blue Jackets at 7 p.m.
