Happy Holidays
BUFFALO – On April 1, defenseman Matt Hunwick made his 521st NHL appearance, skating just over 12 minutes in Pittsburgh’s 3-1 loss in Washington.
More than eight months later, Hunwick, 33, hasn’t played another game. That should, however, change tonight for the Sabres newcomer, who has missed the first 31 contests this season recovering from a neck injury.
The Sabres plan to have Hunwick start an AHL rehab assignment with the Rochester Americans, Sabres coach ... Read the full article
BUFFALO – In his first nine pro seasons, Sabres goalie Carter Hutton hit the 50-game mark just once, in 2012-13 with the Rockford Ice Hogs, his final AHL campaign.
So while Hutton, 32, has enjoyed a solid NHL career tending goal for four teams, he has never really been the guy in the big leagues until this season.
Sure, he played a career-high 40 games as a rookie in 2013-14, but that was mostly subbing ... Read the full article
BUFFALO – Celebrations like the one the Sabres threw for Jason Pominville’s 1,000-game milestone often mean a long, distinguished career is entering its final stage.
These days, with 30 being considered old by NHL standards, very few players possess longevity like Pominville’s. Even fewer keep producing offense like they’re still in their mid-20s.
But right now, Pominville, a winger who has compiled 285 goals and 710 points over his NHL seasons, looks like he’s still ... Read the full article
BUFFALO – Of all the places it could’ve been played, it turns out Jason Pominville will hit the prestigious 1,000-game mark tonight in Ottawa, the site of the winger’s signature moment, the dynamic short-handed overtime goal against the powerhouse Senators that pushed the underdog Sabres into the 2006 Eastern Conference final.
“(I) had some great, great moments there, probably my best moment as a player there,” Pominville said earlier this week inside KeyBank Center. “The ... Read the full article
BUFFALO – If the Sabres eventually morph into a playoff team, remember the significance of the five-game road trip they just completed, especially the back-to-back wins they closed with in Los Angeles and Anaheim.
The Sabres went 3-2-0 on the 10-day trip, starting with a 3-0 victory over the Arizona Coyotes before suffering consecutive losses.
While they fell behind 2-0 in Thursday’s 5-1 setback to the San Jose Sharks, they got back in the game, ... Read the full article
For years, Martin Biron only knew about Ray Emery’s ultra-competitive side.
Their 2007 fight, the centerpiece of a memorable brawl between Biron’s Buffalo Sabres and Emery’s Ottawa Senators, ranks among the wildest goalie scraps ever and provided the seminal moment of the teams’ fierce post-lockout rivalry.... Read the full article
BUFFALO – When Alex Tuch mentioned the number of fans who would be watching him play Saturday afternoon, no one was sure if the Syracuse native was joking.
“Maybe a little bit more than 400,” the Vegas Golden Knights rookie winger said Friday.
Cheering sections for local players and even some from further locales are common at KeyBank Center. Following games, family and friends often congregate around the Zamboni entrance and wait for their hero ... Read the full article
BUFFALO – It would’ve been one of the Sabres’ most rewarding wins all season.
Shortly after Ryan O’Reilly’s own goal put the Anaheim Ducks up late Tuesday, the center redeemed himself, tying the contest with 15 seconds left in regulation.
But instead of seizing the momentum, the disjointed Sabres imploded again before the announced crowd of 16,788 inside KeyBank Center.... Read the full article
BUFFALO – Ryan Miller’s decision to sign with the Anaheim Ducks centered, in part, on his desire to be closer to his family.
The former Sabres goalie and his wife, Noureen DeWulf, an actress, have lived in the Los Angeles area with their 3-year-old son, Bodhi, for years. Naturally, coming home has eased some of the pressures that accompany the hectic NHL life.
Still, the Ducks often go on long road trips. They finished a ... Read the full article
BUFFALO – Finally, five years, five teams and 93 games into his NHL career, former Sabres center Derek Grant scored his elusive first goal Oct. 20.
For good measure, after burying a rebound in front of Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price just minutes into the Anaheim Ducks’ 6-2 win, Grant scored again late.
Crazy, right?
“Finally getting one that counted was a big step for me, and I think it jumpstarted me into being able ... Read the full article
