Florida goalie Roberto Luongo watches the puck in front of Cody Hodgson on Friday. ©2015, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald

Sabres fall apart early against Panthers, get blanked by Roberto Luongo again

BUFFALO – It’s getting ugly again. In fact, it’s starting to feel like October. The Sabres are losing every game. They can’t score. Opponents keep outshooting them.

Following an exciting 10-3 run, the Sabres have lost three straight games and seven of the last eight.

A wretched start, an early-season staple, doomed the Sabres in Friday’s boring 2-0 loss to the Florida Panthers before a capacity crowd of 19,070 fans inside a quiet First Niagara ... Read the full article

Michal Neuvirth will receive a rare start tonight. ©2015, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald

Sabres’ Rasmus Ristolainen ready to play; Goalie Michal Neuvirth to start

BUFFALO – As injuries recently weakened his defense corps, Sabres coach Ted Nolan spread out the wealth a bit, breaking up Rasmus Ristolainen, 20, and Nikita Zadorov, 19, arguably his best tandem.

“Our defense corps was a little bit in disarray for a while, and those two were probably our two shining lights,” Nolan said this morning inside the First Niagara Center.

The struggling Sabres desperately need another strong defense pair, so with Ristolainen ... Read the full article

Rasmus Ristolainen has missed two games. ©2015, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald

Sabres mix up lines; Rasmus Ristolainen ready to return

BUFFALO – While the top line remained intact, Sabres coach Ted Nolan rearranged his other three trios today, an attempt to jumpstart the struggling team.

The new lines, left to right: Brian Flynn beside Mikhail Grigorenko and Chris Stewart; Cody Hodgson with Cody McCormick and Drew Stafford; Nick Deslauriers beside Johan Larsson and Patrick Kaleta.

Injuries and illness have ravaged the Sabres recently. They haven’t had a second line with Marcus Foligno and Brian Gionta ... Read the full article

Zemgus Girgensons (28) battles Colorado’s Erik Johnson on Saturday. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald

Sabres lose game to Avalanche, Tyler Myers to injury

BUFFALO – Saturday’s 5-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche, the Sabres’ second consecutive ugly defeat, also ended their six-game home winning streak. After winning 10 of 13 contests to creep within four points of a playoff spot early last week, the Sabres have been outscored 10-2 in the last two games.

Uh-oh.

To make matters worse, injuries and illnesses are starting to ravage the Sabres. They lost three more players Saturday, including minute-munching defenseman Tyler ... Read the full article

Mikhail Grigorenko played his second NHL game this season Saturday. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald

Sabres prospect Mikhail Grigorenko feels he earned recall

BUFFALO – Mikhail Grigorenko knew the Sabres were short one forward and had the Colorado Avalanche, a team led by Hall of Fame goalie Patrick Roy, his former junior coach, coming up on the schedule.

Grigorenko, who played in Tuesday’s 5-1 loss in Winnipeg before going back to Rochester, wanted to get recalled again badly. To his relief, the Sabres summoned the Russian again Saturday morning.

“I was hoping I would get called up, especially ... Read the full article

Mikhail Grigorenko has played one NHL game this season. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald

Sabres prospect Mikhail Grigorenko back from Amerks

BUFFALO – Mikhail Grigorenko knew the Sabres were short one forward and had the Colorado Avalanche, a team led by legendary goalie Patrick Roy, his former junior coach, coming up on the schedule.

Grigorenko, who played in Tuesday’s 5-1 loss in Winnipeg before getting returned to Rochester, wanted to get recalled again badly.

“I was hoping I would get called up, especially that game against Colorado against Patrick,” Grigorenko said this morning inside the First ... Read the full article

Mike Weber fights Steve Downie on Saturday. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald

Sabres notes: Mike Weber disappointed by sitting out

BUFFALO – Following an embarrassing 5-0 loss eight days ago in Pittsburgh, defenseman Mike Weber passionately called for more anger and intensity from the reeling Sabres.

The gritty Weber sat out the next night, the first of three straight healthy scratches. The 26-year-old, an emotional presence, hadn’t missed a game since Dec. 10.

The Pittsburgh native played again in Saturday’s 6-1 loss to the Penguins inside the First Niagara Center.

“It was extremely tough,” Weber ... Read the full article

Nikita Zadorov played his third game Wednesday. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald

Sabres’ Nikita Zadorov enjoying NHL life, happy to be playing

BUFFALO – It went on for weeks. Each day, 19-year-old Nikita Zadorov, the eighth defenseman most of this season, asked Sabres coach Ted Nolan if he would play.

“He asked me every day,” Nolan said Wednesday prior to the Sabres’ 2-1 shootout loss to the Montreal Canadiens inside the First Niagara Center.

Finally, Nolan gave his assistant coaches a message: “Tell him I’ll tell him when he’s in.”

After sitting the first seven games ... Read the full article

Rasmus Ristolainen skated a career-high 25 minutes, 30 seconds on Sunday. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald

Sabres’ top defensemen could skate big minutes again versus Canadiens

BUFFALO – In Sunday’s 3-2 shootout win against Detroit, four Sabres defensemen – Josh Gorges, Tyler Myers, Andrej Meszaros and Rasmus Ristolainen – skated more than 25 minutes.

Expect to see the defensemen play big minutes tonight against the Montreal Canadiens inside the First Niagara Center. To Sabres coach Ted Nolan, it’s no big deal.

“Twenty, 24 minutes a day is not too hard, I don’t think,” Nolan said. “It’s 24 minutes of a 24-hour ... Read the full article

Brian Flynn has played only four games this season. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald

Sabres’ Brian Flynn finally playing again: ‘I had to try to be patient’

BUFFALO – In his first two seasons, the Sabres only scratched Brian Flynn three times. But the 26-year-old forward became a spare part in October, sitting out nine games, including five straight to close the month.

Now, Flynn’s making it difficult for Sabres coach Ted Nolan to take him out of the lineup. He opened the scoring in Sunday’s 3-2 shootout win against Detroit, his first goal in 25 games.

Nolan likes Flynn’s calm demeanor ... Read the full article