BUFFALO – When Sabres forward Josh Dunne recently traveled to Italy to watch his sister, Joy, a forward for Team USA, and his girlfriend, Ella Shelton, a defenseman for Team Canada, compete in the Olympics, he set some ground rules for when the countries faced each other.

“I was sitting with my family, and my girlfriend’s family was right behind me,” Dunne said of the Feb. 10 meeting, a 5-0 shellacking the heavyweight Americans laid on the Canadians. “And I was like, ‘You know what? I’m not standing up at all, only if Ella or Joy score. I’m not going to make a single emotion.’”

Neither player scored in that contest, so Dunne stayed seated. But how might he react from afar today as he watches the countries, the fiercest of rivals, compete for a gold medal at the Milano Cortina Games?

“It’s a win-lose situation no matter what,” Dunne said following Wednesday’s practice in LECOM Harborcenter, the Sabres’ first session following the Olympic break. “I’m just so proud of them both, I’m so happy for them both. To get to the highest level, the Olympic gold medal game, they’ve both earned it, they’ve both worked so hard. …

“So for me, in a way, it’s stress free because I’m just watching them enjoy themselves and living out their dream. So it’s a good problem to have, I’ll put it that way.”

The US has steamrolled the competition entering today’s game, going 5-0 and outscoring its opponents a stunning 31-1.

“I think it’s so good for women’s hockey everywhere,” Dunne said. “You see these … women, the plays they’re making out there, it’s unbelievable. Just the growth of the game, I think it’s so good for the next generation, seeing the continued growth.

“The U.S. and Canada challenging each other, that rivalry, I think, helps young girls out there watching everywhere, inspires them. These women are so much fun to watch.”

Dunne, whose parents are still in Italy, said attending the Olympics was “a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” he said.

– In the near future, Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and winger Zach Benson, both of whom were injured prior to the Olympic break, could start practicing again, Ruff said.

Ruff said Luukkonen, whose lower-body injury forced him to miss the Milano Cortina Games, skated on his own Wednesday.

“He’s within days of joining us,” Ruff said.

Meanwhile, Ruff said Benson was to undergo another evaluation Wednesday that will determine if he can practice today.

In other injury news, Ruff said winger Jordan Greenway, who has battled pain after undergoing two hernia surgeries, has started “a different type of treatment” after recently meeting with the doctor.

“He’ll be out a period of time,” he said. “And if that works, he can get back. I really won’t put any time frame on it right now.”

Greenway did not practice Wednesday.

SOME OTHER injury updates are below:

– Center Josh Norris (upper body) and forward Josh Dunne (mid-body) both practiced Wednesday in a non-contact role. Dunne hadn’t skated with the team since his last outing Jan. 12.

If Wednesday’s session went well for them, Ruff believes they can start practicing in a contact role.

– Center Jiri Kulich, who hasn’t played since Nov. 1 because of blood clot issues, is still under protocol and will be evaluated again in early March.

“That should be where he’s able to progress or we’ve got to keep him where he’s at,” Ruff said. “He’s been skating but when you’re dealing with a blood clot, there’s protocol you’ve got to follow.”

– Winger Justin Danforth, who broke his kneecap Oct. 15, and defenseman Conor Timmins, who broke his leg Dec. 18, are skating again.

– The Sabres, who hadn’t skated as a team since their last game Feb. 5, practiced for a little more than an hour Wednesday without captain Rasmus Dahlin and center Tage Thompson, both of whom are competing at the Milano Cortina Games.

“Today was more about conditioning and compete,” Ruff said. “… We went over where we had kind of mapped out. But with shorter numbers, with only having one short of four lines and only five D, the reps are more, and, obviously, that leads to guys exerting more than they usually do.”