BUFFALO – Sabres rookie Noah Ostlund was within earshot across the visiting dressing room in the Canadian Tire Centre, waiting to be interviewed after scoring again in Tuesday’s 3-2 overtime win, so winger Alex Tuch joked he shouldn’t heap too much praise on his linemate.

“I don’t want to give him too many props,” Tuch said in Ottawa after assisting on Ostlund’s third goal in five games since the Sabres recalled him for the third time this season.

But Ostlund, 21, deserves recognition for his recent exploits alongside Tuch and center Josh Norris.

Over the last two weeks, Sabres coach Lindy Ruff has been utilizing Ostlund, a natural center, at left wing.

The Swede has been a major contributor during the seven-game win streak the Sabres carry into tonight’s contest against the Boston Bruins at KeyBank Center.

In Tuesday’s victory, he deflected defenseman Bowen Byram’s point shot past Senators goalie Linus Ullmark as he battled in the slot 6:11 into the second period, briefly restoring the Sabres’ lead.

“He’s really easy to play with,” Tuch said. “What’s really honestly impressed me is how he’s just always played center and now he’s moved to the wing just seamlessly. It’s been a really easy transition for him, and he makes it a lot easier out there for me and Norry.”

That smooth transition might help Ostlund, the 16th overall pick in 2022, stick with the Sabres for good. Clearly, he has developed into one of their 12 best forwards, so Ruff found a spot him.

Ostlund said he last regularly skated as a winger three years ago as a rookie with Djurgardens, a pro team in his native Sweden.

“It’s pretty different, I think, especially in the D-zone,” Ostlund said.

As a winger in the defensive zone, Ostlund said he tries to stay higher. As a center, he would be more active down low.

“I’ve been able to play him anywhere at any time,” Ruff said. “He’s been a really good player for us. We’re starting to use him on the kill now, and I think that’s an area we can. We know we can use him on the power play.

“But coming off power plays or penalty kills, he’s a good guy that can slide into center, or he can play the wing for us.”

After one month earning regular duty, a roster crunch forced the Sabres to assign the 5-foot-11, 180-pound Ostlund to the Rochester Americans. on Dec. 7.

The Sabres wanted to add an extra defenseman during their six-game road trip, so Ostlund, who can be assigned to the minors without waivers, was the odd man out when they recalled Zach Metsa.

A new rule stipulates a player sent back to the AHL must play one game, so after scoring one goal and three points on Dec. 10 in the Amerks’ 6-1 road win against the Belleville Senators, the Sabres summoned Ostlund again three days later.

He scored in his first game back Dec. 14, a 3-1 road win over the Seattle Kraken.

His recent play has grabbed the attention of new general manager Jarmo Kekalainen, who replaced Kevyn Adams on Dec, 15

“I’ve been really pleased with his play in the last few games,” Kekalainen said Tuesday morning. “He’s more and more confident, more comfortable, and he’s a smart player. But there’s a perfect example of a guy that can’t just be happy about being in the NHL or staying in the NHL. He’s gonna need that drive and desire to keep getting better, and I think the ceiling is real high for that kind of hockey IQ.”

– Three Sabres prospects – defensemen Adam Kleber and Luke Osburn and forward Brodie Ziemer – are representing Team USA at the World Junior Championship that began Friday in Minnesota.