By KEVIN OKLOBZIJA
Tyson Kozak doesn’t have the dash and flash of the top prospects in the Buffalo Sabres organization.
Nor does he have the resume that says he’ll someday be an NHL player. He was, after all, a seventh-round draft pick, chosen after 192 others had heard their names called.
But what he does have is an undeniable desire to succeed, which is why he joined the Sabres on Friday night for their trip to Long Island. The recall, prompted by an injury to Sam Lafferty, is the first for the third-year forward.
“He’s a winner,” Rochester Americans coach Michael Leone said. “He’s going to play for a long time and he’s going to help somebody win.”
Kozak learned of the promotion shortly before warmups and was scratched from the Amerks lineup for the game against the Syracuse Crunch.
“It was pretty emotional for him,” Leone said. “This is a real example of how valued he is.”
Kozak has scored 5 goals and 1 assist in 14 games this season. He also has 24 penalty minutes. His game is all about work ethic and tenacity.
“To see a player that doesn’t even get on the power play – talk about doing it right,” Leone said. “He’s been unbelievable. It’s a really good message for the group: It’s a team sport. It’s not about points, it’s not about individual accolades, it’s about playing team hockey and winning, and Tyson Kozak’s a winner.”
His teammates were elated.
“Selfishly we’d love to have him here but you saw the big Buffalo (equipment) bag and gear starting to get packed and people couldn’t have been more excited for him,” defenseman Jack Rathbone said.
Said winger Isak Rosen: “He’s one of my closest friends here and it’s super-fun to see him go up. He really earned it.”
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