McDavid - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Torrid week earns Sabres’ Dylan Cozens NHL’s Second Star honors

A torrid four-game stretch in which Buffalo Sabres center Dylan Cozens registered four goals and nine points has earned him NHL Second Star honors for the week ending Sunday.

Cozens, 21, scored in last Monday’s 6-5 overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning before adding two more goals in Wednesday’s 5-4 shootout road win over the Detroit Red Wings.

The Yukon native followed up by recording one goal and two assists in Thursday’s 6-4 loss ... Read the full article

‘Russian bear’ Ilya Lyubushkin gives Sabres’ defense much-needed grit

BUFFALO – There are two distinct sides of Sabres newcomer Ilya Lyubushkin.

There’s the gritty, high-octane defenseman who’s detested by opponents. When Lyubushkin’s on the ice, you better have your head on a swivel.

“He’s a Russian bear,” captain Kyle Okposo said Monday in KeyBank Center after the Sabres prepared for tonight’s road game against Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers. “We enjoy having him on our side, for sure. He plays a hard ... Read the full article

Sabres place Anders Bjork on waivers

BUFFALO – The Sabres on Monday placed forward Anders Bjork, a healthy scratch both games this season, on waivers, according to reports.

Bjork, 26, lost his spot in the lineup late last season and never regained it, sitting out more than a month straight.

This year, the American had an underwhelming training camp, and he never appeared to be close to cracking the forward corps.

With forward Riley Sheahan ready to be activated from ... Read the full article

2022-23 Sabres schedule features two early home stands, February break

MONTREAL – A four-game western road trip in October, two early-season four-game home stands and eight afternoon contests at KeyBank Center are among the highlights of the 82-game 2022-23 Buffalo Sabres schedule the NHL released Wednesday.

The Sabres open the campaign Oct. 13 at home against the Ottawa Senators and also host the Florida Panthers the afternoon of Oct. 14 before beginning a four-game trip Oct. 18 against superstar Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers.... Read the full article

Auston Matthews’ dominant season no surprise to Sabres coach Don Granato

TORONTO – Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews has ascended to a new level of superstardom this season, scoring an NHL-high 58 goals in 68 outings.

Matthews, who was held pointless in Tuesday’s 5-2 loss to the Buffalo Sabres, recently became the first player since Mario Lemieux in 1995-96 to score 50 goals over a 50-game stretch. Matthews is on pace to score 66 times this season, a number that hasn’t been reached since Lemieux scored ... Read the full article

Mattias Samuelsson earning trust, big minutes from Sabres: ‘An athletic giant’

BUFFALO – The poise Mattias Samuelsson possesses belies his experience. Barely 30 games into his NHL career, the Sabres consistently utilize the rookie against the opposition’s top talent.

On Thursday, Samuelsson faced Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid. In Sunday afternoon’s 5-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, the defenseman was often tasked with shutting down Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, one of the NHL’s elite duos.

At one point Sunday, with Marner roaring toward him, ... Read the full article

Jacob Bryson displaying mature game, emerging as Sabres’ best defenseman

PITTSBURGH – For a second or two, it looked like trouble was imminent. Connor McDavid, hockey’s most lethal scorer, had a head of steam as he zoomed toward Buffalo Sabres defensemen Jacob Bryson and Colin Miller late Friday.

After grabbing a 3-2 lead late in the second period, the Sabres endured an offensive onslaught from the Edmonton Oilers over the final minutes. McDavid, who had mostly remained quiet at even strength, seemed ready to explode.... Read the full article

Sabres’ Dylan Cozens scores twice in ‘amazing game,’ stops Connor McDavid

BUFFALO – Earlier this week, Sabres coach Don Granato sat down with Dylan Cozens and watched some video clips. When they finished, he asked the second-year center if he felt ready to shadow Connor McDavid, hockey’s biggest superstar.

“I watched his body language,” Granato said after Cozens starred in Friday’s 3-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers, which ended a five-game winless skid. “If his body language was different, he wouldn’t have got that matchup. I ... Read the full article

Leon Draisaitl as dynamic as Connor McDavid; Sabres to make one change

BUFFALO – Forget about Connor McDavid for a moment. The Edmonton Oilers have a player with more points than the superstar. Through 12 games, Leon Draisaitl has amassed a whopping 12 goals and 26 points, both NHL highs.

So far, McDavid, 24, has scored nine goals and 24 points.

Draisaitl, of course, is usually overshadowed by McDavid, a center widely considered hockey’s most dynamic talent.

But coach Don Granato, whose Sabres face the Oilers tonight ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Tage Thompson starting to realize potential: ‘Grown tremendously’

BUFFALO – Sabres coach Don Granato could see Tage Thompson possessed confidence. It was just that the talented center believed he would eventually reach his potential.

Granato wanted Thompson, 24, to understand the opportunity he had right now.

“I talked to him a lot in the last year about I know you are confident about success, but that confidence is somewhere off in the future, I’m going to be able to become the player ... Read the full article