‘“The best part about him is practice is the game for him,” Sabres defenseman Connor Clifton said after practice Tuesday in KeyBank Center. “When he laces them up, he’s playing the same way. … Even in summertime, it’s July and he’s almost high-sticking a guy. That’s just him. He’s always on. There’s not a little level. It’s not one, two, three, four, five. And when he’s on, he’s going, he’s competing. That’s what makes it fun to watch and to play with him. He gets into those hard areas and dirty areas. Then, when the game opens up, which it always does, he has the skill to make the play.”’