Sabres' Sam Lafferty: Opens scoring in loss

Lafferty scored a goal on five shots and added two hits in Saturday's 6-2 loss to the Kraken.

Lafferty gave the Sabres a positive start with a goal 2:37 into the contest. The winger hadn't scored since Nov. 7, a span of 18 games in which he had just two assists, though he also missed 10 contests due to a lower-body injury. When healthy, Lafferty has been a bottom-six fixture for the Sabres. He has contributed four points, 24 shots on net, 47 hits, 18 PIM and a minus-2 rating through 32 appearances. The Sabres have deployed seven defensemen in back-to-back contests, and having just 11 forwards in the lineup could open up a little extra playing time for Lafferty if head coach Lindy Ruff sticks with that composition.