Eight games left.

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Kaleta
Tyler Ennis has zero points in the last five games. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
04:11:13
Adam, Ennis, Enroth, Hecht, Hodgson, Kaleta, Miller, Montreal Canadiens, Rolston, Scott, Vanek
Bill Hoppe     Olean Times Herald
0

BUFFALO – The clock is ticking loudly again on the Sabres’ lost season. With eight games left, the 11th-place club, who hosts the Montreal Canadiens tonight, is six points behind the eighth-place New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference playoff chase.

After three straight wins, the Sabres fell 4-1 Tuesday in Winnipeg. Incredibly, they’re 2-9-2 against the feeble Southeast Division, by far the NHL’s worst group of teams.

The Sabres have beaten the fourth-place Canadiens three of four meetings this season, including …

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Ryan Miller slides across his crease to stop a shot by New Jersey’s Steve Sullivan on Sunday. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
04:08:13
Gerbe, Hecht, Kaleta, Miller, New Jersey Devils, Ott, Rolston, Scott
Bill Hoppe     Olean Times Herald
8

BUFFALO – Not long ago, the Sabres might’ve wilted under the intense pressure, lost a game like Sunday’s 3-2 shootout win over the freefalling New Jersey Devils.

For at least 15 minutes – from late in the first period until midway through the game – the Devils hemmed the Sabres in their own zone, pumping chance after chance on goalie Ryan Miller as they sustained almost constant pressure.

It looked like the reeling Devils enjoyed a marathon power play.

The 18,703 fans inside …

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Jochen Hecht has played 10 seasons with the Sabres. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
04:08:13
Adams, Hecht, Kaleta, New Jersey Devils, Patrick, Pominville, Rolston, Scott, Vanek
Bill Hoppe     Olean Times Herald
1

BUFFALO – Thirty-one days ago, it appeared Jochen Hecht’s long career here could be ending. In his fifth game as interim coach, Ron Rolston scratched the versatile forward, the first benching of his 10-season Sabres career. Rolston had already slashed the German’s minutes dramatically.

Hecht, a favorite of former coach Lindy Ruff, was seething.

But Rolston complimented Hecht’s play following the scratch, saying the German was only benched so the Sabres could add some toughness.

Hecht has played all 14 games since then. …

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Steve Ott (9) got knocked down by Zdeno Chara on Sunday. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
04:02:13
Hasek, Hodgson, Kaleta, Leino, Miller, Ott, Pittsburgh Penguins, Rolston, Scott, Vanek
Bill Hoppe     Olean Times Herald
0

PITTSBURGH – At the 12:01 mark of the first period in the Buffalo Sabres’ 2-0 loss to Boston on Sunday, hulking Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara cross-checked Steve Ott, sending the agitator flying into the boards.

Ott hit his head and skated off to the dressing room before returning. But in addition to Chara’s minor penalty, Ott received an unsportsmanlike conduct embellishment penalty.

Did interim Sabres coach Ron Rolston agree?

“No, unless you want to launch yourself head-first into the boards as an embellishment,” …

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Boston goalie Anton Khudobin makes a point-blank stop on Kevin Porter on Sunday. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
04:01:13
Boston Bruins, Hasek, Hecht, Hodgson, Kaleta, Miller, Ott, Pominville, Rolston, Scott
Bill Hoppe     Olean Times Herald
0

BUFFALO – In coach Ron Rolston’s mind, the Sabres’ 2-0 loss to the Boston Bruins on Sunday “was probably one of our best games” since he took over the struggling club on an interim basis 40 days ago.

Never mind the Sabres’ fourth straight loss (0-2-2) dropped them to 13th place in the Eastern Conference, three points behind the eighth-place New York Rangers. Forget that Anton Khudobin, a relatively unknown backup goalie, only made a few notable saves among his 26 …

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Chris Kaleta played two games with the Cincinnati Cyclones. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
03:25:13
Kaleta
Bill Hoppe     Olean Times Herald
0

BUFFALO – Sabres winger Patrick Kaleta couldn’t wipe the grin off his face while talking about his 25-year-old brother’s recent professional debut with the Cincinnati Cyclones.

Chris Kaleta, a Division III star with Cortland, played with the ECHL club March 15 and 16. Fifteen goals and 28 points in 24 games during his senior season earned the forward some notice.

“Going in, he knew he was probably only going to get two games,” Patrick Kaleta said last week inside the First Niagara …

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Drew Stafford battled Clarke MacArthur (16) in his last appearance Thursday. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
03:24:13
Ennis, Foligno, Gerbe, Hecht, Kaleta, Leino, Montreal Canadiens, Rolston, Scott, Sekera, Stafford, Vanek
Bill Hoppe     Olean Times Herald
0

MONTREAL – In just 32 days on the job, interim coach Ron Rolston has quickly put his mark on the Buffalo Sabres, scratching five regular forwards.

Prior to Saturday, struggling winger Drew Stafford had escaped a benching, only receiving some fourth-line duty for his poor play. With a two-goal effort last Saturday and the shootout-tying score Thursday, it appeared the assistant captain would keep dressing.

But Stafford, who has only four goals and a team-worst minus-12 rating in 31 games, was a …

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Drew Stafford has struggled all season. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
03:23:13
Enroth, Foligno, Gerbe, Hecht, Kaleta, Miller, Montreal Canadiens, Rolston, Scott, Stafford, Vanek
Bill Hoppe     Olean Times Herald
0

MONTREAL – Naturally, getting benched for tonight’s game against the Canadiens is disappointing, Drew Stafford said. The struggling Buffalo Sabres winger, who has only four goals in 31 games this season, hasn’t been a healthy scratch in years.

But the 27-year-old veteran, an assistant captain, understands why interim coach Ron Rolston will sit him.

“I mean, it’s no secret I haven’t been getting on the score sheet,” Stafford said this afternoon following Buffalo’s skate inside the Bell Centre. “But other than that, …

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John Scott (32) declares victory after bloodying Toronto’s Frazer McLaren during the first period Thursday. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
03:22:13
Ehrhoff, Ennis, Foligno, Kaleta, MacArthur, Miller, Ott, Pominville, Rolston, Scott, Toronto Maple Leafs
Bill Hoppe     Olean Times Herald
0

BUFFALO –For 65 wildly entertaining minutes Thursday, the Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs fought, traded goals and battled for every inch as they zoomed up and down the ice before a noisy bipartisan crowd of 19,070 fans inside the First Niagara Center.

The Sabres’ 5-4 shootout victory was NHL hockey at its fiercest and most exciting.

“They got their money’s worth tonight,” interim Sabres coach Ron Rolston said about the capacity crowd.

Fittingly, Sabres agitator Steve Ott, who buzzed around all night thumping …

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Thomas Vanek (26) will be skating with Tyler Ennis (63) tonight. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
03:19:13
Ennis, Gerbe, Hodgson, Kaleta, Leino, Miller, Montreal Canadiens, Pominville, Rolston, Ruff, Vanek
Bill Hoppe     Olean Times Herald
0

In reality, the Buffalo Sabres’ top trio – Thomas Vanek, Cody Hodgson and Jason Pominville – should’ve been broken up or tweaked weeks ago.

Since roaring out of the gate as the NHL’s best line in January, the line has cooled off considerably.

Vanek, once hockey’s most lethal scoring threat, has only three goals and eight points in the last 15 games. Pominville has three goals and eight points in the last 19 contests.

Not the kind of production you’d expect from your …

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Beat coverage of the Buffalo Sabres from the Olean Times Herald

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