WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage
Offseason Edition
Mikhail Grigorenko has played one NHL game this season. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
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
Marcus Foligno scored in three straight games last week. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – After scoring a goal in three consecutive wins recently, his hottest stretch since he burst into the NHL almost three years ago, Sabres center Marcus Foligno believes he has finally turned a corner in what has often been an enigmatic career.
“Yeah, I do,” Foligno said Thursday following practice inside HarborCenter. “I feel a lot better in myself and the way I’ve been playing, the way I’ve been seeing the ice, and just ... Read the full article
Canisius College players skate at HarborCenter recently. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Instead of dressing at the First Niagara Center and busing to the Riverside Ice Rink or another local facility Thursday, the Sabres simply put on their sandals or sneakers and walked across the street in their uniforms to HarborCenter, the new $170 million facility that opened earlier this fall.
Practicing outside the First Niagara Center is no longer a hassle. Naturally, the Sabres’ first session inside the sparkling facility had a huge “wow” ... Read the full article
HarborCenter impressed Drew Stafford. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Instead of dressing at the First Niagara Center and busing to the Riverside Ice Rink or another local facility today, the Sabres simply put on their sandals or sneakers and walked across the street to HarborCenter, the new $170 million facility that opened earlier this fall.
Practicing outside the First Niagara Center is no longer a hassle. Naturally, the Sabres’ first session inside the sparkling facility had a huge “wow” factor.
“It’s beautiful,” ... Read the full article
Tyler Ennis is the Sabres’ leading scorer. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Around this city and the Sabres, speedy Tyler Ennis is a star, the most dynamic offensive threat on a low-scoring team. Around the NHL, however, the winger is still a bit of an unknown.
Ennis’ name mostly pops up national circles when he scores a highlight-reel goal.
That could be starting to change.
One goal and five points during the three straight home wins just earned Ennis the NHL’s first star for the ... Read the full article
Cody Hodgson was a healthy scratch Thursday. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – As the Sabres warmed up before practice this afternoon, coach Ted Nolan and Cody Hodgson skated around the ice together and talked about the season-long slump that forced the struggling center into the press box Thursday.
What was Nolan’s message to Hodgson, who will play again Saturday? The 24-year-old’s trying to work too hard, and that’s forcing him to do things out of his character.
“You don’t need Cody to be banging bodies,” ... Read the full article
Sabres goalie Jhonas Enroth makes a second-period save Thursday. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – The Sabres have lived oh-so dangerously in their victories this season. Getting outshot by double digits and handling the puck for just a small portion of the game is usually a recipe for disaster.
Somehow, the rebuilding club has managed to find success with opponents controlling most of the play.
Despite getting outshot 45-19, the Sabres won again Thursday, using two third-period goals to rally and beat the Calgary Flames 4-3 before an ... Read the full article
Josh Gorges wears No. 4 because of Jean Beliveau. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Josh Gorges considers himself old school. He believes defensemen should wear single-digit numbers. So after sporting No. 26 with the Montreal Canadiens for years, the veteran wanted a low number when the Sabres acquired him.
Gorges had a couple of choices. He settled on No. 4, partly because iconic Canadiens legend Jean Beliveau, who died Tuesday at age 83, wore it during his illustrious Hall of Fame career.
Beliveau is hockey royalty.
“What ... Read the full article
Josh Gorges played for Montreal before the Sabres acquired him. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Josh Gorges considers himself old school. He believes defensemen should wear single-digit numbers. So after sporting No. 26 with the Montreal Canadiens for years, the veteran wanted a low number when the Sabres acquired him.
Gorges had a couple of choices. He settled on No. 4, partly because iconic Canadiens legend Jean Beliveau, who died Tuesday at age 83, wore it during his illustrious Hall of Fame career.
Beliveau is hockey royalty.
“What ... Read the full article
Tim Schaller was recalled Tuesday afternoon. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Tim Schaller had just eaten lunch and gotten comfortable on the couch Tuesday afternoon in Rochester when Americans coach Chadd Cassidy phoned the center.
“Get yourself to Buffalo tonight,” Cassidy told Schaller, who had been sent down following his NHL debut Saturday.
Schaller hopped in his car and arrived at the First Niagara Center around 4 p.m.
The Sabres summoned Schaller for their 2-1 shootout win against the Tampa Bay Lightning because forward ... Read the full article
