Casey Mittelstadt scores the shootout-winning goal Sunday on Carolina goalie Spencer Martin. ©2024, Micheline Veluvolu

Casey Mittelstadt, UPL lead Sabres to emotional win over Hurricanes

BUFFALO – Sabres center Casey Mittelstadt smiled and laughed. You see, he stole the slick move he utilized to score the shootout winner in Sunday’s thrilling 3-2 victory from teammate Owen Power.

As luck would have it, Power, who tied the game late in regulation, went ahead of him. In stopping the defenseman and two other Sabres, Mittelstadt noticed Carolina Hurricanes goalie Spencer Martin kept coming out of the crease to challenge shooters.

So armed ... Read the full article

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen watches the action in Tuesday’s loss to Dallas. ©2024, Micheline Veluvolu

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen playing at elite level, could be Sabres’ long-coveted franchise goalie

BUFFALO – Think about it, when was the last time the Sabres had a true No. 1 goalie? Not a guy playing well and earning most of the action, but a top-flight NHL starter who could be entrenched in the crease for years.

Linus Ullmark might’ve become that guy if he had re-signed here. Robin Lehner enjoyed some success but battled personal issues. Others have seen their performance – remember how well Jonas Enroth and ... Read the full article

Robin Lehner played under former general manager Tim Murray in Ottawa. ©2017, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald

With Tim Murray gone, Sabres goalie Robin Lehner a question mark as starter

BUFFALO – Before Tim Murray acquired Robin Lehner, the former general manager cycled through an absurd number of goalies – 10, to be exact – as he tore apart the Sabres in his first season and a half as general manager.

Despite terrific play from Jhonas Enroth, Anders Lindback and Michal Neuvirth – some believed they performed too well, hurting the tanking Sabres’ chances at the top pick – Murray wanted a new ... Read the full article

Jhonas Enroth signed a one-year contract with Toronto in August. ©2016, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald

Sabres notes: Maple Leafs goalie Jhonas Enroth waited to find new job

BUFFALO – This city, Jhonas Enroth said, will always “have a soft spot in my heart.” The Swede grew up with the Sabres, often performing like the team’s goalie of the future during his 118-game run here.

But almost two years after his last appearance with the Sabres, “the feeling is starting to cool down a little bit,” Enroth said Thursday prior to the Sabres’ 2-1 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Leafs are ... Read the full article

Robin Lehner only played 21 games last season. ©2016, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald

Sabres goalie Robin Lehner out of World Cup

Buffalo Sabres goalie Robin Lehner, who’s still recovering from season-ending ankle surgery in late March, has pulled out of next month’s World Cup of Hockey, Team Sweden announced today.

Former Sabres goalie Jhonas Enroth, who signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday, will replace Lehner.

The Sabres expect Lehner, 25, to be their starting goalie in 2016-17 following a season in which he suffered a high right ankle sprain opening night and battled ... Read the full article

Kyle Okposo will sign a lucrative contract. ©2016, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald

Sabres won’t find elite talent in free agency

BUFFALO – The pickings are so slim in NHL free agency this year, perhaps the most coveted player available, Kyle Okposo, has never cracked the 30-goal or 70-point marks.

Okposo, of course, is a talented winger. The Minnesota native is coming off a 22-goal, 64-point season with the New York Islanders. He has 139 goals and 369 points in 529 NHL games over nine years, including three 20-goal seasons and two 60-point campaigns.

Yes, Okposo ... Read the full article

Sabres goalie Chad Johnson stops Anaheim’s Corey Perry on Thursday. ©2015, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald

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

Jamie McGinn backhands the puck between his legs and past Los Angeles goalie Jhonas Enroth on Saturday. ©2015, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald

Ryan O’Reilly’s overtime winner clinches Sabres’ win over Kings

BUFFALO – Usually, Ryan O’Reilly said, if he gets an open look in the slot, he likes to shoot low blocker side on the goalie. But given the Sabres center was falling in front of sliding defender Alec Martinez, he just had to take the best shot he could in overtime.

“I just tried to get it off in that area,” O’Reilly said Saturday after his 100th NHL goal – a nifty score at ... Read the full article

Los Angeles goalie Jhonas Enroth enjoyed his time in Buffalo. ©2015, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald

Kings goalie Jhonas Enroth has happy memories of Sabres

BUFFALO – Los Angeles Kings goalie Jhonas Enroth takes his fondest memories of his five year-run with the Sabres from the franchise’s darkest days.

Throughout all the losing and turmoil last season, he tended some of his best goal ever, briefly becoming the Sabres’ most valuable player.

Sure, Enroth detested losing. He usually looked beaten down after losses. Still, to the Swede, who briefly lived his dream of becoming the Sabres’ No. 1 goalie, some ... Read the full article

Linus Ullmark is 0-4-2 in his last six starts. ©2015, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald

Sabres goalie Linus Ullmark believes struggles are mental

BUFFALO – Right now, Sabres goalie Linus Ullmark’s struggles are “mostly mental things,” the Swede said this morning. In his last six starts, the rookie is 0-4-2 and has allowed 18 goals. In his last three starts, his save percentage is .859.

Remember, Ullmark, who will start tonight against the Los Angeles Kings, dazzled early on, winning four of his first six starts.

“We know that my game works,” Ullmark said inside the First ... Read the full article