WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage
Offseason Edition
Victor Olofsson has scored 21 goals this season. ©2023, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – At times this season, Sabres winger Victor Olofsson has battled adversity and the perception he’s too one-dimensional.
For stretches, he has struggled at even strength and lost ice time, doing little to dispel the belief he’s simply a power-play guy who possesses a lethal shot.
Still, 45 games into the campaign, Olofsson has already registered a career-high 21 goals.... Read the full article
Ryan Miller will be the last Sabres player to wear No. 30. ©2023, Dan Hickling
BUFFALO – Growing up, Sabres legend Ryan Miller said he usually wore No. 30. Mike Gilmore, a Michigan State goalie he liked, sported it. So did some of the NHL’s best netminders at the time.
But when Miller reached junior hockey in 1997, an older goalie for the Soo Indians had the digits.
“There’s not a chance I’m getting that number,” Miller said Thursday after the Sabres retired his No. 30 and inducted him into ... Read the full article
The Sabres celebrated Ryan Miller by winning Thursday’s game. ©2023
BUFFALO – It was only fitting, right? On a night the Sabres honored Ryan Miller by retiring his No. 30 and inducting him into their Hall of Fame, the goalies stole the show in the home team’s thrilling 3-2 overtime victory.
At one end, rookie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, the Sabres’ best young netminder since Miller in the early 2000s, made several game-saving stops. Meanwhile, New York Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin made 19 of his 42 saves ... Read the full article
Eric Comrie made 18 saves on Tuesday in his first start since Nov. 16. ©2023, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – For the first time in six weeks, the Sabres have hit a bit of a rut, losing two straight games in regulation.
The good news is they got some of their mojo back in Tuesday’s 4-3 setback, generating offense again while taking the Seattle Kraken down to the wire. They looked much better than they did in Monday’s dreadful 4-0 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers.
The Sabres, however, couldn’t capitalize on chances they ... Read the full article
Rasmus Dahlin had a five-point night on Saturday. ©2023, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – A dynamic five-point outing, the Sabres’ first by a defenseman since 1989, has earned Rasmus Dahlin NHL Third Star honors for the week ending Sunday.
Dahlin, 22, performed dominantly in Saturday’s thrilling 6-5 overtime win against the Minnesota Wild, recording two goals and three assists. His second goal tied the game late regulation before he assisted on winger Victor Olofsson’s game-winning score.
A Sabres defenseman hadn’t recorded a five-game game since Phil ... Read the full article
Eric Comrie played three games with Rochester. ©2023, Rochester Americans
BUFFALO – When the Sabres convene for their pregame skate this morning, Eric Comrie will likely be one of three goalies on the ice as they prepare for the Philadelphia Flyers.
On Friday, Comrie made the third and likely final start of his conditioning assignment with the Rochester Americans, stopping 24 shots in a 3-2 home loss to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
He did not dress for Saturday’s 4-3 road win over the Syracuse Crunch.... Read the full article
Rasmus Dahlin had two goals and five points on Saturday. ©2023, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – By the end of one of the most brilliant performances by a Sabres defenseman in their 53-year history, Rasmus Dahlin was exhausted.
Dahlin, having surpassed a minute on the ice, desperately wanted to get to the bench for a breather late in Saturday’s frantic overtime against the Minnesota Wild.
“I was going to, but I have to play defense,” Dahlin said following his dynamic two-goal, five-point performance in the Sabres’ thrilling 6-5 win. ... Read the full article
Tage Thompson was selected to his first NHL All-Star Game on Thursday. ©2023, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – When Sabres center Tage Thompson learned he had earned his first selection to the NHL All-Star Game, he reflected on his long, arduous journey to one of hockey’s premier events.
While Thompson, 25, made his big league debut with the St. Louis Blues in 2017, he struggled for years to secure regular duty and reach his vast potential. He endured demotions, a season-ending injury and other setbacks before enjoying a 38-goal breakout campaign ... Read the full article
Eric Comrie was injured on Nov. 16. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – When Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin checked Senators forward Mathieu Joseph into Eric Comrie five weeks ago, the goalie said he felt “a little bit of a pop in my knee.”
“It didn’t feel very good,” Comrie said following Wednesday’s practice, his second full session since getting injured midway through the Sabres’ 4-1 loss Nov. 16 in Ottawa.
Right away, Comrie, 27, knew something wasn’t right. Still, he tried to gut out the ... Read the full article
Tage Thompson also received star honors last week. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
A dynamic three-game stretch in which Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson scored four goals and eight points has earned him NHL Second Star honors for the second consecutive week.
Thompson, 25, continued his torrid production, recording multiple points in each outing as the Sabres went 3-0-0 during the week ending Sunday.
The American scored the game-winning goal in last Tuesday’s 6-0 win over the Los Angeles Kings and Saturday’s 5-2 road win against the Arizona ... Read the full article
