Buffalo Sabres: Is the Kid Line on the verge of a resurgence?
By Sion Fawkes
You can confidently say JJ Peterka and Jack Quinn are becoming legitimate playmakers for the Buffalo Sabres. And while Dylan Cozens has had a rough season, he could be turning things around with four points and two goals in his last three contests.
But in last night’s comeback win over the Los Angeles Kings, wow, did the Kid Line show up or what? On Wednesday, the trio of Peterka, Quinn, and Cozens scored eight points and four goals, with Peterka leading the way with two.
While plus-minus isn’t the most telling stat these days, it’s also worth noting they combined for plus-11. So is the Kid Line resurging when the Sabres need a hot February after the All-Star Break ends, or is this just an outlier?
Jack Quinn played in his 16th game since returning from an Achilles injury, and with 11 points, he’s been a pivotal factor for the Sabres. Quinn’s defensive play increases his value, and if he stays healthy and keeps up his two-way game, look for him to be one of the main reasons the Blue and Gold end up with some hard fought wins in February, March, and April.
The Buffalo Sabres Kid Line could be resurging down the stretch
Last night, JJ Peterka tied his rookie points total with 32, and it only took him 48 games. If he keeps up this pace, Peterka will score 54 to 55 this season with between 27 and 28 goals and assists apiece.
His skating has been a force all season, and he’s constantly finding ways to get behind opponents to shoot the puck. Peterka has become a player other teams must account for even when he’s not scoring, and that further adds immense value to the Kid Line moving forward.
Finally, Dylan Cozens is a player who, even if he’s not having a great year statistically, showed us last year he can be a playmaker with the puck. While he only has six points in the calendar year, they have all come in the last six games.
His leadership qualities and edge have remained on display, and even if he doesn’t produce consistently with the puck, the chemistry he’s built with Quinn and Peterka when they are on the same line makes him a pivotal part of the unit.
If each individual player plays to their strengths and Buffalo Sabres head coach Don Granato keeps them together, there is no reason the Kid Line won’t surge from now until mid-April. And it’s coming at a time when Buffalo needs a unit to step up and make plays on both ends of the ice.
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(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)