The injury bug has reared its ugly head yet again for the Buffalo Sabres.
On Friday the team announced that Kyle Okposo would be out for both the Sabres upcoming games on Saturday [Tampa Bay] and on Sunday [at Pittsburgh]. Okposo's status beyond this weekend has yet to be determined.
The injury happened in the second period of Thursday's game against the Arizona Coyotes when Okposo was hit by Kevin Connauton.
"He’s our leading scorer and also a big part of our team and how we play," Sabres head coach Dan Bylsma told reporters on Friday morning. "That's something we'll miss when he's not in the lineup."
Here's how the lines looked without Okposo:
W/out Okposo, #Sabres lines this morning:
Kane-ROR-Gionta
Foligno-Eichel-Reinhart
Ennis-Erod-Moulson
Deslauriers-Zemgus-Bailey— Jourdon LaBarber (@JourdonLaBarber) March 3, 2017
*Note, Evander Kane replaced Okposo on the Sabres first power-play unit.
Bove's take:
The last thing the Sabres needed was an injury to one of their biggest contributors. At this point in the season, almost every game is a must-win.
The length and severity of the injury are surely the biggest factors, but if Okposo misses an extended amount of time the Sabres could be in trouble. Buffalo will likely recall someone like Nick Baptiste from Rochester to fill the void for the weekend unless they are comfortable with Nicholas Deslauriers.
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