What happened: Head coach Travis Green held court with reporters Tuesday afternoon following practice at KeyBank Center. Defensemen Jake Sanderson and Artem Zub joined forward Sammy Blais to address team preparations after the skate.

Why it matters: Sanderson and Zub represent central defensive pieces settling into regular pairings early in the campaign. Road practice sessions give the coaching staff dedicated ice time to refine special-teams assignments and evaluate skating conditioning.

What to watch: Game-day line rushes and morning skate drills will determine the final lineup designations.