Ryan Miller made 38 saves Saturday. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times HeraldMONTREAL – This one could’ve gotten ugly early as the Buffalo Sabres bumbled around their own zone and the Canadiens kept relentlessly applying pressure.
Somehow, though, the Habs missed a slew of prime chances during the first period Saturday.
If they didn’t misfire in front of Ryan Miller, the franchise goalie gobbled it up. His play and a little luck kept the Sabres in the game.
Just a few weeks ago, the struggling team might’ve trudged through the game and crumbled eventually, blowing …
Drew Stafford battled Clarke MacArthur (16) in his last appearance Thursday. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times HeraldMONTREAL – In just 32 days on the job, interim coach Ron Rolston has quickly put his mark on the Buffalo Sabres, scratching five regular forwards.
Prior to Saturday, struggling winger Drew Stafford had escaped a benching, only receiving some fourth-line duty for his poor play. With a two-goal effort last Saturday and the shootout-tying score Thursday, it appeared the assistant captain would keep dressing.
But Stafford, who has only four goals and a team-worst minus-12 rating in 31 games, was a …
Drew Stafford has struggled all season. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times HeraldMONTREAL – Naturally, getting benched for tonight’s game against the Canadiens is disappointing, Drew Stafford said. The struggling Buffalo Sabres winger, who has only four goals in 31 games this season, hasn’t been a healthy scratch in years.
But the 27-year-old veteran, an assistant captain, understands why interim coach Ron Rolston will sit him.
“I mean, it’s no secret I haven’t been getting on the score sheet,” Stafford said this afternoon following Buffalo’s skate inside the Bell Centre. “But other than that, …
Drew Stafford has only four goals this season. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times HeraldMONTREAL – The rumors, Drew Stafford said, are simply not true. The struggling Sabres winger doesn’t want to be traded. The 27-year-old would like to stay in Buffalo, his only NHL home.
Right now, Stafford’s focusing on busting out of his long offensive slump. Asking to be dealt with two years and more than $8 million left on his contract, well, that would be the easy way out.
“No matter how bad it gets, as far as the lack of offense, the …
Thomas Vanek has battled injuries all season. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times HeraldMONTREAL – When Christian Ehrhoff’s point blast hit Thomas Vanek squarely in the hip early in the Sabres’ 3-2 overtime win here on Tuesday, the slick winger thought the worst.
“I thought he broke my hip because it was puck on bone,” Vanek said Friday after practicing inside the First Niagara Center, his first session back on the ice.
But the Sabres’ leading scorer has healed quickly. He felt good during the short skate and believes he can return tonight against the …
Thomas Vanek (26) will be skating with Tyler Ennis (63) tonight. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times HeraldIn reality, the Buffalo Sabres’ top trio – Thomas Vanek, Cody Hodgson and Jason Pominville – should’ve been broken up or tweaked weeks ago.
Since roaring out of the gate as the NHL’s best line in January, the line has cooled off considerably.
Vanek, once hockey’s most lethal scoring threat, has only three goals and eight points in the last 15 games. Pominville has three goals and eight points in the last 19 contests.
Not the kind of production you’d expect from your …
Jhonas Enroth struggled until recently. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times HeraldSee, this is what happens when you have a backup goalie you trust. You can, you know, play him occasionally.
Jhonas Enroth will start tonight for the Sabres against the Canadiens in Montreal, his third nod in six games after receiving only two in the first 24 contests.
This was originally the Sabres’ plan; Enroth would spell No. 1 netminder Ryan Miller regularly, start about every fourth game.
With Enroth playing well again – he won his first game in 16 months last …
Tyler Myers struggled so badly earlier this season he was scratched twice. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times HeraldBUFFALO – The Sabres’ coaching staff recently conveyed a straightforward message to Tyler Myers, their struggling franchise defenseman.
“They don’t care if I only get one more point the whole year,” Myers said Friday. “As long as my defensive game is good and where it needs to be, then they’ll be happy. Obviously, I know I can bring more to the table. It’s just a matter of doing the right things first and then finding that balance.”
My, times have changed.
Myers compiled …
Pavel Datsyuk and the Detroit Red Wings will now be visiting Buffalo regularly. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times HeraldBUFFALO – The NHL Players’ Association consented to the NHL’s realignment plan this afternoon, meaning the league will use a four-division format next season.
The Sabres will play in a new Eastern Conference division featuring four Northeast Division holdovers – the Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs – and three newcomers – the Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning and Western Conference transfer Detroit Red Wings – pending the approval of the Board of Governors.
Realignment also means a …
Jason Pominville celebrates his shootout-winning goal Thursday. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times HeraldBUFFALO – As the final seconds ticked away Thursday toward the Sabres’ fourth straight loss, thousands of disgusted fans left the First Niagara Center. The remnants of the crowd of 18,866 booed their struggling team mercilessly.
During one of the final whistles, The Who’s “Won’t Get Fooled Again” blared loudly from the speakers, including the never-more-appropriate verse, “Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.”
Were the Sabres trying to create a good atmosphere or reminding their faithful that coach Lindy …