Miller - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Stars coach Lindy Ruff enjoying Dallas, ready to face Sabres for first time

BUFFALO – Lindy Ruff still catches himself.

At times, the Dallas Stars’ coach still refers to the Sabres, the team he coached for 15 seasons, as “we.”

“I’ve slipped up the odd time with that one,” Ruff, whose Stars face the Sabres tonight, said this afternoon inside the First Niagara, his first visit back since his Feb. 20 dismissal.

Other times, Ruff will thumb to the Sabres’ statistics page instead of Dallas’.

Breaking old ... Read the full article

Sabres trade Thomas Vanek to Islanders for Matt Moulson and picks

BUFFALO – In the short-term, the hapless Sabres are no better after dealing co-captain and top scorer Thomas Vanek to the New York Islanders late Sunday for 30-goal winger Matt Moulson and a first-round pick in 2014 and second-round selection in 2015, general manager Darcy Regier said.

But the shocking trade, which Regier worked on with counterpart Garth Snow “off and on for a while,” wasn’t about improving the 2-10-1 club immediately.

“This is more ... Read the full article

Sabres trade co-captain Thomas Vanek to Isles

BUFFALO – In a stunning development, the Sabres have traded 29-year-old co-captain Thomas Vanek, arguably their top player, to the New York Islanders for Matt Moulson, their 2014 first-round pick and a 2015 second-round pick.

The slick winger, an upcoming unrestricted free agent, has expressed an interesting in leaving the Sabres if their rebuilding process takes too long.

Clearly, the Sabres’ awful 2-10-1 start couldn’t convince Vanek to stick around.

In the 29-year-old Moulson, the ... Read the full article

Woeful Sabres fall to Bruins, lose John Scott to likely suspension

BUFFALO – Finally, the hapless Sabres began showcasing some progress Wednesday. Slow starters all season, they played a sturdy first period against the mighty Boston Bruins.

Hey, take it where you can find it, right?

Even after falling behind 2-0 just 40 seconds into the second period, they battled back, slicing the Bruins’ lead to 3-2 after 18-year-rookie Nikita Zadorov scored his first NHL goal, a nifty one at that, late in the period.

Maybe ... Read the full article

Sabres rookie Nikita Zadorov ready for more minutes in second NHL game

BUFFALO – If you enjoyed watching Sabres rookie Nikita Zadorov thump opponents during his NHL debut, get ready to see more of the 18-year-old Russian tonight against the gritty Boston Bruins.

Sabres coach Ron Rolston plans to play the 16^th overall pick in June more than the 11:01 he skated in Saturday’s 4-2 loss to Colorado.

“Matchup-wise, he’s got size, and he’s physical,” Rolston said this morning inside the First Niagara Center. “He ... Read the full article

Sabres goalie Ryan Miller seeing personal results from new approach

BUFFALO – As a goalie, Ryan Miller has learned, often the hard way, the bulk of his duties are confined to one area – the blue crease he patrols about 65 times a season for the Sabres.

For years, the game’s other aspects consumed Miller, hurting his play. Now, the 33-year-old knows those elements “are beyond my control.”

“I can’t do other parts of the game on the ice,” Miller said last week. “I can ... Read the full article

Sabres’ lineup against Avalanche unclear; Nikita Zadorov could debut

BUFFALO – Since the Sabres had an optional skate this morning, you’ll have to wait until tonight to see their lineup against the upstart Colorado Avalanche.

This much is known: Cody McCormick, who blocked a shot in Thursday’s 3-0 loss to Vancouver, is out. The forward is day-to-day, Sabres coach Ron Rolston said.

Winger Zemgus Girgensons, who took a shot off his face Tuesday, will return after a one-game absence. The rookie has ditched ... Read the full article

Struggling Sabres make rookies dance; Nikita Zadorov to make NHL debut soon

BUFFALO – One by one they danced, each Sabres rookie taking a turn at center ice as teammates laughed and cheered following Friday’s practice inside the First Niagara Center.

Johan Larsson showcased, well, all sorts of crazy moves, including some breakdancing. Zemgus Girgensons twerked like Miley Cyrus at the MTV Video Music Awards.

“Twerking on skates, that’ll be the first time,” Sabres winger Tyler Ennis said.

When you’re 1-7-1 and hours removed from a shutout ... Read the full article

Sabres start meekly again, get blanked by Canucks

BUFFALO – Nine games into what is quickly becoming the worst season in the Sabres’ 43-year history, the hapless team appears finished.

In Thursday’s feeble 3-0 loss to the Vancouver Canucks, the Sabres (1-7-1) showcased more of what makes them arguably the NHL’s worst team: terrible starts, a porous defense and no goal scoring.

So much for building on Tuesday’s 4-3 shootout triumph over the Islanders, the Sabres’ only win this season.

Where’s their frustration ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Cody Hodgson doesn’t want to revisit past; Zemgus Girgensons out

BUFFALO – About 16 media members, most of them from Vancouver, surrounded Sabres center Cody Hodgson this morning.

The Canucks, of course, traded Hodgson on Feb. 27, 2012 amid speculation his relationship with the team had soured, he wanted more playing time and his father had become too involved in his hockey affairs.

Naturally, Hodgson didn’t want to talk about any of that.

“I’m happy to be here for the next six years,” Hodgson, who ... Read the full article