Bill Hoppe - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres’ Sam Reinhart improved game quickly

BUFFALO – The improvements, Sabres coach Dan Bylsma said, have been “drastic.” In a matter of months, winger Sam Reinhart has transformed himself from a raw prospect into a first-line NHL talent.

Reinhart, of course, possessed supreme hockey intelligence when the Sabres drafted him second overall in 2014. Now, the rookie, 20, has developed the physical tools to compliment his strong mind.

“You have to give him a lot of credit for his diligent work,” ... Read the full article

Sabres begin Christmas break

BUFFALO – One last sweat and out the door.

The Sabres practiced – or, perhaps more appropriately, scrimmaged loosely – for almost an hour this morning inside HarborCenter before beginning their five-day Christmas break. They don’t play again until Saturday in Boston.

“You’re looking at six days of really not any activity at all,” Sabres coach Dan Bylsma said. “I really kind of wanted to get here and get a sweat.”

The Sabres will enjoy ... Read the full article

Sabres blow late lead, lose shootout to Blackhawks

BUFFALO – Ten minutes after the Sabres’ 3-2 shootout loss to the Chicago Blackhawks ended Saturday afternoon, center Ryan O’Reilly looked inconsolable.

“It’s embarrassing, pathetic and it’s not good enough,” O’Reilly said quietly.

Minutes earlier, with the Sabres down three men and clinging to a 2-1 lead, O’Reilly had nearly sealed the game, narrowly missing an empty net from his own blue line.

The Blackhawks then seized their fresh opportunity during a frantic finish, getting ... Read the full article

Patrick Kane stars in Blackhawks’ win over Sabres

BUFFALO – The only cheers for Patrick Kane came before his starring role in the Chicago Blackhawks’ 3-2 win against the Sabres on Saturday, when the South Buffalo native was announced in the starting lineup.

Then a large portion of the 18,870 fans inside the First Niagara Center booed their hometown superstar all afternoon – from the first period until he scored the dramatic tying goal late in regulation and the slick shootout winner.

Kane, ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Matt Moulson to skate on fourth line

BUFFALO – Struggling Sabres winger Matt Moulson, who hasn’t scored a goal in 21 straight games, will skate on the fourth line this afternoon against the Chicago Blackhawks, coach Dan Bylsma said.

“He’s down on the fourth line,” Bylsma said inside the First Niagara Center. “That doesn’t really change what we need to see from him, what he needs to bring.”

Moulson, 32, needs to score goals. He has only four in 32 games. ... Read the full article

Sabres goalie Chad Johnson showcasing calm style

BUFFALO – On the ice, despite the chaos that often develops around his crease, Sabres goalie Chad Johnson usually showcases a cool demeanor.

When Johnson’s dialed in – and that’s been nearly all season – he can almost make hockey’s toughest position look easy. The veteran, 29, often reads plays and shots perfectly, making difficult saves look routine.

Johnson mostly tends goal calmly.

“I’ve always been a guy that sort of keeps things simple,” Johnson ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Tyler Ennis ready to play

BUFFALO – Some quick updates from HarborCenter, where the Sabres practiced today without ace defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen, who enjoyed a maintenance day.

– Winger Tyler Ennis, out the last 12 games with an upper-body injury, will return Saturday afternoon against the Chicago Blackhawks, the Sabres’ last game before Christmas.

Ennis, who hasn’t played since Nov. 23, wanted to get back before the Sabres’ five-day break.

“You never want to wait because you’re competitive ... Read the full article

Sabres goalie Chad Johnson shines in shutout win over Ducks

BUFFALO – Chad Johnson will garner the headlines from the Sabres’ 3-0 win over the Anaheim Ducks, and he should. The goalie dazzled Thursday, stopping a career-high 44 shots, a franchise-record for a shutout.

But the Sabres received contributions throughout the lineup in their third win in four games and 14th overall this season.

The fourth line, so bad last game, was the Sabres’ best trio for chunks of the night, creating defenseman’s Jake McCabe’s ... Read the full article

Chris Stewart has mixed memories of Sabres tenure

BUFFALO – Former Sabres winger Chris Stewart jogged his memory a little, all the way back to last season, the most tumultuous of his eight years in the NHL.

“What was the phrase they were using,” Stewart asked Wednesday after his new team, the Anaheim Ducks, practiced, “‘Tank for McEichel?’”

Yes, that’s the correct one, Chris.

Coming to the rink every day quickly became a difficult experience for Stewart in 2014-15. He learned firsthand winning ... Read the full article

Sabres treating Ducks like elite team

BUFFALO – The Anaheim Ducks, a chic preseason Stanley Cup pick this season after coming within a game of reaching the final a season ago, morphed into a mess earlier this year.

Still, after losing nine of their first 10 games and getting shut out five times, the Ducks have rebounded to a 11-13-5 record and won three of their last four contests entering tonight’s game against the Sabres.

“You look at that lineup, it’s ... Read the full article