Mittelstadt - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres take Blues to wire but lose: ‘We were the better team’

Much of the pregame talk leading up to Friday’s 5-3 loss to the St. Louis Blues surrounded center Tage Thompson and his emergence as the Buffalo Sabres’ most lethal scoring threat.

Thompson, 24, played 41 games for the Blues in 2017-18 before they sent him to Buffalo in the Ryan O’Reilly trade following that season.

The American, the 26th overall pick by the Blues in 2016, left St. Louis a raw, skinny kid and returned ... Read the full article

Sabres look awful early, lose to surging Canadiens: ‘We were sloppy’

It took time for the Montreal Canadiens to experience the surge that often accompanies a coaching change. Martin St. Louis lost the first three games of an interim gig that increasingly looks like it will become permanent.

Wednesday’s 4-0 win over the Buffalo Sabres was the Canadiens’ fourth straight triumph. They had just eight victories all season before beating the St. Louis Blues last Thursday.

The Sabres annihilated the Canadiens earlier this season, outscoring them ... Read the full article

Rasmus Dahlin’s return gives struggling Sabres boost: ‘Our top defenseman’

BUFFALO – In his fourth season, Rasmus Dahlin has emerged as the Sabres’ most valuable player and one of the NHL’s premier young defensemen.

At 21, Dahlin, who will likely return from upper-body injury tonight, is a budding star.

“He has clearly, definitively established himself as our top defenseman,” Sabres coach Don Granato said following Tuesday’s practice inside KeyBank Center.

Dahlin’s absence in Sunday’s 7-3 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets was glaring. With the ... Read the full article

Weary Sabres miss injured Rasmus Dahlin, implode against Blue Jackets

The Buffalo Sabres weathered the Columbus Blue Jackets’ early onslaught Sunday, escaping the opening 15 minutes with a 1-0 deficit despite being outshot 16-1.

Then defenseman Mark Pysyk scored on the Sabres’ second shot on goal, igniting his weary teammates. Center Tage Thompson followed at 17:14, scoring his 20th goal.

That lead lasted 10 seconds.

Boone Jenner tied it, and Dean Kukan’s second goal of the night – he entered the game with one all ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Tage Thompson scores hat trick in dominant performance against Avs

BUFFALO – Sabres center Tage Thompson’s penchant for trying to score the so-called perfect goal has added more intrigue to his breakout season.

What might happen, say, if Thompson starts utilizing his quick release more frequently?

“When he realizes not to worry about scoring the perfect goal one inch under the bar, he’ll score double his goals,” Granato said after Thompson recorded his first NHL hat trick in Saturday afternoon’s 5-3 loss. “Just score, just ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Casey Mittelstadt set to return from injury

BUFFALO – Sabres center Casey Mittelstadt will return from his upper-body injury Saturday afternoon against the Colorado Avalanche, coach Don Granato said this afternoon.

Mittelstadt, out the last five games, has been practicing and doing extra work following the sessions with assistant coach Matt Ellis.

“He survived Matt Ellis’ workouts and physical battles,” Granato joked following today’s practice at LECOM Harborcenter. “No, but he looks good. He recovered well from a couple of really difficult ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Casey Mittelstadt could return from upper-body injury this weekend

BUFFALO – Understandably, Casey Mittelstadt wants to play right now. Having missed 41 of the Sabres’ 48 games this season, the center is likely running out of patience.

Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams said Mittelstadt wants to return from his upper-body injury tonight against the Ottawa Senators.

“We’re trying to calm him down a little bit,” Adams said this morning inside KeyBank Center.... Read the full article

Sabres’ Craig Anderson ready to face Senators; Casey Mittelstadt out again

BUFFALO – For seven seasons, Sabres goalie Craig Anderson bounced around the NHL and minors, patiently waiting for an opportunity that might never materialize.

Anderson, 40, was property of five NHL teams during that uncertain stretch, six if you count two stints with the Chicago Blackhawks. The American once spent four days with the St. Louis Blues when Sabres coach Don Granato was a first-year assistant in 2005-06.

Then in 2009-10, Anderson seized his first ... Read the full article

Sabres to make lineup change; Casey Mittelstadt progressing well

BUFFALO – After sitting out Sunday afternoon’s win, Sabres defenseman Mark Pysyk will return tonight against the New York Islanders and play his 500th NHL game.

To make room for Pysyk, Sabres coach Don Granato said Robert Hagg will be scratched. Granato expects Hagg to sit out just one game.

With seven healthy defensemen, Granato has been rotating players in and out. Jacob Bryson watched one game last week before Pysyk was scratched for the ... Read the full article

Casey Fitzgerald’s aggressive, agitating style earning notice from Sabres, others

BUFFALO – By the end of that night in Vegas, every member of the Golden Knights knew when Sabres rookie Casey Fitzgerald, the undersized defenseman playing just his seventh NHL game, was on the ice.

“And they didn’t like it,” Sabres coach Don Granato said following Saturday’s practice at LECOM Harborcenter. “It was the better players, that was the beauty of it. We can play him against better players and they’re looking over their ... Read the full article