BUFFALO – Three minutes into the first period of Monday’s 5-1 win, Sabres right wing Jack Quinn zoomed into the Winnipeg Jets zone alongside center Ryan McLeod and defenseman Bowen Byram, who pinched in down the opposite wing.

When Quinn quickly dished the puck, the pass just missed McLeod as he charged down the slot.

No problem. Byram grabbed it in the left circle and quickly beat goalie Eric Comrie, his fourth goal in the last 10 games.

“I’m not sure if he was trying to pass it to me or Ryan, but it got to me, and I just tried to get the shot off quickly,” Byram said following Tuesday’s practice in KeyBank Center.

Byram, 24, had already scored five times in 26 games this season entering Wednesday’s road contest against the Philadelphia Flyers, a 16-goal pace over a full campaign.

He scored seven goals in 82 appearances last season and a career-high 11 times in 73 total games with the Sabres and Colorado Avalanche in 2023-24.

Byram has scored each of his recent goals at the net or in the circle.

“I feel like I’ve always been comfortable doing it, but just trying to get up when I can and when it’s appropriate to,” he said. “The forwards have done a good job of getting us D the puck.

If he keeps playing aggressively, Byram could certainly crack the 15-goal mark.

“I don’t think anything’s a stretch,” he said. “I don’t really think about that stuff.”

Sabres coach Lindy Ruff wants Byram to jump up in the play more frequently.

“I think he goes in spurts where he’ll be that wide guy getting up the ice,” Ruff said. “That part is evident. There are times I’d like to see him a little bit more active where it’s important on the rush, if teams are tracking, they got three, we need four. If we don’t have that fourth guy (to) generate that extra opportunity, he’s the one guy that can get there.”

– Sabres defense prospect Radim Mrtka, the ninth overall pick this year, has been named to Team Czechia’s roster for the upcoming World Junior Championship.

After beginning the season with the Rochester Americans, Mrtka, 18, has registered one goal and 12 points in 12 games with the junior Western Hockey League’s Seattle Thunderbirds.