Casey Cizikas returned after missing six games with an upper-body injury, playing wing on a line with Brock Nelson and Alan Quine.
“Excited to get him back,” coach Doug Weight said before the game. “Certainly the reliability and the responsibility he has defensively, forechecking, he has a big engine and brings a lot of energy.”
Cizikas said the coaches left his return date largely up to him, and rather than hurry back he used the All-Star break to get fully comfortable.
“It was just a matter of making sure I wasn’t rushing coming back,” he said.