“They’ve Settled Into A Pair” | Buffalo Sabres Coach Don Granato On Connor Clifton, Jacob Bryson

“They’ve Settled Into A Pair” | Buffalo Sabres Coach Don Granato On Connor Clifton, Jacob Bryson

Play saw once this season already what kind of challenge do the Kraken present uh obviously every every team’s a challenge in this league great environment um they play a very uh physical very intense very high-paced game um and with a lot of pressure so um we’ve got to obviously uh prepare for

That and um we I thought we played just reviewing film we played really really well specifically early and didn’t convert on chances uh uh in our last last game at home and obviously that’s a big part of the game converting but the way that just the second and third went

Saturday is that a good learn good quick learner going into this game just the way that red wings were able to pressure and maybe use that going into this game yeah you know I thought what the Red Wings did the other day was sit back a

Lot and you know they were they were comfortable with that lead and really work to protect it we we didn’t do some simple things that we we could have made some things a little simpler generated more shots instead of trying to carry through coverage uh but yes every game

Is a learner um there’s get some pieces that’s the beauty of the sport and also the unfortunate thing of the sport there’s there’s uh thousands of little Ines that you um you can do and and and use and need to improve on so no different we’ve talked you know a couple

Of times throughout the year about how Dylan’s used the PK know to gain confidence at five on five is can that have a similar effect with Benson and the way that he’s he’s kind of helped you guys in the PK yeah I mean it’s uh anytime players and we’re talking about

Benson and cousins in that regard uh you know explore a different area they’re they’re they’re learning new tools uh that they can obviously apply five on five so uh I think it has helped Benny and it’s helped his confidence obviously um you know cousins uh he and Greenway

Are three penalty killers and they’re all on the same line right now and um I think their communication has been great uh but there’s no question that Benny is you know really better every day what have you liked about the way Clifton and Bryson have kind of settled into a pair

This last stretch I like that they’ve settled into a pair they they look good together they’re complimentary uh you know skill sets and um reading reading plays together it takes time for defenseman uh you know so many of your reads are contingent upon your partner whether you can be uh

Aggressive or not uh in so many situations whether he has your back um or he’s supporting that aggressive play and um those two guys have developed a nice chemistry do you anticipate any lineup changes No not tonight okay I we didn’t have an opportunity to ask you

Just about Devon after the the roster move um specifically the opportunity to play in Rochester I mean what have I guess you management whe the reports been just in terms of how he’s been able to take advantage of that opportunity yeah he he has he has uh taken advantage

Of it he’s done very well um played ver obviously played very well um and it’s it’s good he’s in he’s in a he’s in a rhythm he’s been able to get games obviously you know op’s been the guy here making it run and you know for for

To have that uh resource of Rochester and that competitive level has been great for his not only for just keeping him fresh but for his development have you guys made a decision if he plays tomorrow night yet are you gonna wait to see how tonight goes yeah obviously we

Brought him here so when we have the information after tonight we can make that decision um you know in all in all likelihood you would you would rotate two guys uh but we’ll see um you know tonight not only do you have the game you you travel and you go through

Customs and you don’t know how long you know you don’t know what time you’re going to get in uh but it’ll probably be in the morning um even though it’s a close and short flight but um but yeah we’ll wait till after but the obvious is

Is is such you know Devon’s here and um it’s it’s uh probably induced with a back to back and and he’s in a rhythm uh playing games um that uh um you know makes it easier for us as a as another resource to make that decision after

Time D can I talk someone in just about how you guys play well when you are playing that uptempo pressure game as well pressuring teams in their end you talk about how Seattle that’s the way they want to play as well not to go too much back to the first time you played

But what are the keys to making sure you don’t let them get to their pressure based on how you want to play well they’re going to they’re going to pressure they’re going to play their game um you know I think for us we’re a far better team than we were a couple

Years ago coming in here I mean you know uh we still have lots of pieces of our young Decor but they’re a lot more experienced and you know yeah so I think I expect our guys to be much better in that regard and we’ve played much much

Better obviously in the last you know two two and a half months um we’re in a different area than our franchise has been um with this group you know since every guy in that lock room’s got here I don’t know that they’ve played this well you know defensively but there’s certain

Things you’ve got to you know I mean that doesn’t mean you’re going to be that great every night or or great every night I should say um but but by and large you’ve seen that group develop from the defensive side of the game and that’s what gave us trouble in this

Building their for check their pressure um our pressure reads our pressure our ability to withstand pressure is is uh with more confidence with more even even physical strength than we had two years ago uh with our young players is is dramatically different and now is the

Test let’s see let see the progress uh um you know in game one uh of this year with with them the first game against them I should say it was Game 41 it was in January you know we we absolutely uh push the pace that game um we just

Didn’t convert early and and obviously you know how important that is

Buffalo Sabres head coach Don Granato spoke with the media ahead of the team’s game against the Seattle Kraken on March 18, 2024. He discussed Connor Clifton and Jacob Bryson’s chemistry, the matchup with the Kraken, and more.

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