A healthy Kozak making presence felt on Sabres

BUFFALO — The past three weeks have been the most productive of Sabres forward Tyson Kozak’s three-year NHL career. For starters, the oft-injured Kozak has played nine straight games. But beyond staying healthy, he has consistently contributed, utilizing his speed and tenacity to earn coach Lindy Ruff’s trust as a fourth-line anchor and penalty killer. kAm“w:89\6?5 4@>A6E6[ D<2E:?8 8C62E[” #F77 D2:5 @7 z@K2<’D C646?E A=2J 7@==@H:?8 %F6D52J’D AC24E:46 :? z6Jq2?< r6?E6C] “w:D <:==:?8 92D 366? 8@@5] s6E6C>:?65 :? E96 7246@77 5@E] x E9:?< H6’G6 D66? D@>6 @7 9:D 36DE 9@4<6J]”k^Am kAm~7 4@FCD6[ z@K2<’D 72DE[ 288C6DD:G6 DEJ=6 92D :>AC6DD65 E96 $23C6D :? E96 A2DE] x?;FC:6D[ 9@H6G6C[ 4@?DE2?E=J 7@C465 9:> E@ >:DD 24E:@?]k^Am kAmx7 96 A=2JD :? E@?:89E’D C@25 82>6 282:?DE E96 s2==2D $E2CD[ :E H:== >2C< ;FDE E96 7@FCE9 E:>6 :? 9:D fg\82>6 42C66C 96 92D A=2J65 `_ 4@?D64FE:G6 4@?E6DED] w6 92D ?6G6C A=2J65 >@C6 E92? `a DEC2:89E 82>6D]k^Am kAm$:?46 EFC?:?8 AC@ :? a_aa\ab[ 96 92D ?6G6C 64=:AD65 E96 dd\82>6 >2C<]k^Am kAm%96 d\7@@E\``[ `gf\A@F?5 z@K2< – E96 $23C6D =:DE 9:> EH@ A@F?5D 962G:6C E92? =2DE D62D@? – 36=:6G6D 96 92D 4@?5:E:@?65 9:D 3@5J E@ 92?5=6 E96 C:8@CD @7 H92E 42? 36 2 8CF6=:?8 gc\82>6 D4965F=6]k^Am kAm“Wx’>X 567:?:E6=J DEC@?86C[ AFEE:?8 E96 H@C< :? :? E96 DF>>6C[” D2:5 z@K2<[ H9@ >:DD65 7@FC 82>6D H:E9 2? FAA6C\3@5J :?;FCJ =2DE >@?E9]k^Am kAm$:>A=J DE2J:?8 962=E9J 7@C 2 76H H666] x E9:?< 62C=J @? E9:D D62D@?[ x’G6 ;FDE 76=E C62==J 8@@5]”k^Am kAm#F77 92D =62?65 @? z@K2<[ ab[ 962G:=J :? 5:77:4F=E D:EF2E:@?D]k^Am kAm“w6’D 82:?:?8 4@?7:56?46 H:E9 36:?8 E92E }@] ` 8FJ :? E96 7246@77 5@E E92E H6 D6?5 @FE E96C6 <:==:?8 E96 A6?2=EJ[” #F77 D2:5]k^Am kAmkDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>Qmp H9@AA:?8 hb]` A6C46?E @7 9:D DE2CED 92G6 4@>6 :? E96 5676?D:G6 K@?6[ :?4=F5:?8 gh]e A6C46?E 2E 7:G6\@?\7:G6] ~G6C2== =2DE D62D@?[ 96 DE2CE65 fe]_ A6C46?E @7 E96 E:>6 :? E96 5676?D:G6 K@?6]k^DA2?mk^Am kAmkDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>Qm“p =@E @7 @FC =:?6 DE2CED 2C6 :? E96 s\K@?6[ D@ W:E’D ?:46X 92G:?8 E92E C6DA@?D:3:=:EJ @7 ECJ:?8 E@ H:? E92E 7246@77[ 86E E96 AF4< @FE[ ECJ 2?5 8@ 96> E96> :? E96:C 6?5[” z@K2< D2:5] “*629[ :E W#F77’D ECFDEX >62?D 2 =@E] x =@G6 :E] x =@G6 A=2J:?8 @? E96 A6?2=EJ <:==[ 36:?8 :? E9@D6 A@D:E:@?D @? E96 :46]”k^DA2?mk^Am kAmkDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>Qm(:E9:? 9:D 4964<:?8 C@=6[ z@K2<[ H9@ A=2JD 46?E6C 2?5 E96 H:?8[ 8:G6D E96 $23C6D 2 4@?D:DE6?E[ DE625J 677@CE] w6’D ?@E 7=2D9J]k^DA2?mk^Am kAmkDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>Qm“*@F 6 J@F AFE 9:> :? E96 =:?6FA H92E J@F’C6 8@:?8 E@ 86E @FE @7 9:>[” D2:5 $23C6D H:?86C q64< |2=6?DEJ?[ H9@ D<2E6D 2=@?8D:56 z@K2< @? E96 7@FCE9 =:?6] “x 2E6 2D >F49 2D x 92G6 E92E x 42? ECFDE 6I24E=J H92E 96’D 8@:?8 E@ 5@[ H96C6 96’D 8@:?8 E@ 36]”k^DA2?mk^Am kAmkDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>Qm%96 496>:DECJ z@K2<[ |2=6?DEJ? 2?5 D@>6 @E96C 7@CH2C5D – $2> r2CC:4< 2?5 #J2? |4{6@5 3@E9 D<2E65 @? E96 =:?6 62C=:6C E9:D H66< – 56G6=@A65 @G6C E96 A2DE 76H D62D@?D 92D C646?E=J 96=A65 E96 $23C6D’ 7@FCE9 =:?6 DE2?5 @FE]k^DA2?mk^Am kAmkDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>Qm{2DE D62D@?[ E96 EC:@ C2?<65 2>@?8 E96 }w{’D 36DE 7@FCE9 =:?6D[ @7E6? A=2J:?8 2 962GJ 82>6 2?5 86?6C2E:?8 =@25D @7 E:>6 :? E96 @776?D:G6 K@?6]k^DA2?mk^Am kAmkDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>Qm“%92E =:?6 92D 8@E E@ 2 A=246 H96C6 E92E =:?6 8@E =2DE J62C[ DE2CE:?8 E@ >2<6 2 5:776C6?46 7@C FD :? 82>6D H:E9 A9JD:42=:EJ[ H:E9 E96 A6?2=EJ <:==:?8[ H:E9 49:AA:?8 :?[” #F77 D2:5] “W*@F 42?X 8@ 324< E@ 2 3:8 D68>6?E @7 E:>6 H96C6 E92E =:?6 H2D D4@C:?8 3:8 8@2=D[ 3:8 82>6Dk^DA2?mk^Am kAmkDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>Qm“p?5 J@F ?665 E92E EJA6 @7 @776?D:G6 3@@DE 7C@> 5:776C6?E A=2J6CD[ 2?5 H96? J@F 86E :E 7C@> E9@D6 8FJD[ E96 56AE9 C62==J 96=AD J@FC E62>]”k^DA2?mk^Am kAmkDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>Qmw@H 42? z@K2<[ D6G6?E9\C@F?5 A:4< :? a_a`[ `hbC5 @G6C2==[ 5:DA=2J >@C6 8C@HE9nk^DA2?mk^Am kAmkDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>Qm“}6IE DE6A :D ;FDE 36=:6G:?8 J@F 42? >2<6 2 76H >@C6 A=2JD H96? :E’D E96C6[” #F77 D2:5]k^DA2?mk^Am kAmkDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>Qmz@K2< 92D C64@C565 @?6 8@2= 2?5 EH@ A@:?ED :? `` 82>6D E9:D D62D@?] w6 92D 4@>A:=65 D:I 8@2=D 2?5 `b A@:?ED :? 9:D 42C66C]k^DA2?mk^Am kAmkDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>Qm“xE’D 567:?:E6=J D@>6E9:?8 x’G6 366? ECJ:?8 E@ H@C< @?[ 7@C DFC6[ 3FE ;FDE ECJ:?8 E@ DE2J C6DA@?D:3=6 2E E96 D2>6 E:>6[” z@K2< D2:5 @7 9:D @776?D:G6 AC@5F4E:@?]k^DA2?mk^Am kAmkDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>QmpD z@K2<’D K@?6 DE2CED :==FDEC2E6[ 96 2?5 9:D =:?6>2E6D 2C6?’E 42DE :? 2? @776?D:G6 C@=6] |2=6?DEJ? D2:5 :? A=2J:?8 2 D:>A=6 2?5 5:C64E DEJ=6[ A=2JD 42? 36 =67E @? E96 E23=6]k^DA2?mk^Am kAmkDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>Qm“xE’D ?@E E@ 2?J 72F=E @E96C E92? J@F’C6 ECJ:?8 E@ 4C62E6 >@>6?EF>j J@F’C6 ECJ:?8 E@ 86E :? @? E96 7@C64964<[” 96 D2:5]k^DA2?mk^Am kAmkDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>Qm|2=6?DEJ? D2:5 z@K2< 42? @A6? FA DA246 2?5 A=2JD 3J 4@?D:DE6?E=J FD:?8 9:D DA665]k^DA2?mk^Am kAmkDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>Qm“(:E9:? 9:D 82>6 E9:D J62C[ J@F’C6 DE2CE:?8 E@ D66 9:> >2?:AF=2E6 E92E 2 =:EE=6 36EE6C 2?5 >2<:?8 A=2JD H:E9 E92E DA246[” 96 D2:5]k^DA2?mk^Am