Jhonas Enroth tries to make a stop in front of Adam Pardy on Saturday. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times HeraldBUFFALO – Sure, the Sabres needed some good fortune to down the Philadelphia Flyers 1-0 on Saturday afternoon. Christian Ehrhoff’s pass off the end boards created the game’s only goal. Daniel Briere hit the crossbar behind Sabres goalie Jhonas Enroth with just a single tick left in the game.
Still, they deserved their 17th win this season and first in three games. The Sabres, so vile during Thursday’s 5-1 home loss to Montreal, earned their breaks before the capacity crowd of …
Chad Ruhwedel played 13 minutes Saturday. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times HeraldBUFFALO – On Friday night, a day after UMass Lowell lost to Yale in the NCAA Frozen Four semifinal, Chad Ruhwedel checked his phone on the tarmac when the River Hawks’ flight from Pittsburgh landed in Boston.
“It says, ‘Call me immediately’ from my advisor, my mom, too,” the 22-year-old first team All-American defenseman said Saturday after making his NHL debut in the Sabres’ 1-0 win over the Philadelphia Flyers.
The undrafted Ruhwedel knew his strong junior season generated interest from the …
Chad Ruhwedel was playing NCAA hockey earlier this week. ©2013, Gil Talbot, UMass-LowellBUFFALO – What does interim coach Ron Rolston know about defenseman Chad Ruhwedel, the free agent from UMass Lowell the Sabres signed to a two-year, entry-level contract today?
“Not much,” Rolston said this afternoon inside the First Niagara Center.
Rolston will know a whole lot about Ruhwedel by about 5:30 p.m. The 22-year-old, who finished his three-year NCAA career earlier this week, will made his NHL debut against the Philadelphia Flyers this afternoon.
Ruhwedel flew in this morning and just met Rolston and …
Tyler Myers played 39 games this season. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times HeraldBUFFALO – With 2:17 left in the second period of Thursday’s dismal 5-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens, Sabres defenseman Tyler Myers absorbed P.K. Subban’s wicked one-timer from the point with his leg.
After blocking the lethal shot, Myers hobbled off seconds later when the Canadiens converted their five-on-three power play.
The 23-year-old finished the game, though, skating 25:37, his third-highest total this season, while blocking a game-high four shots.
Following the contest, Myers found out he had broken a bone in his …
Jhonas Enroth played well Thursday. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times HeraldBUFFALO – Tonight in Philadelphia, Jhonas Enroth will take a backseat to goalie Ryan Miller again, a place the backup is well accustomed to.
With Miller entrenched as the franchise netminder and Enroth struggling, the 24-year-old has only played sporadically this lockout-shortened season.
The original plan called for Enroth to spell Miller regularly, start about 10 or 12 of the 48 games. So far, 25 tilts into the season, the Swede has only earned three nods.
But fresh off a strong 27-save performance …
Thomas Vanek tucks the tying goal past Philadelphia goalie Ilya Bryzgalov on Sunday. ©2013, Dan Hicking, Olean Times HeraldBUFFALO – It was as if nine months hadn’t passed. One game into a new season, the Sabres kept exorcising their old demons, picking up where they left off last winter and spring during an exciting 5-2 triumph over the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday inside a noisy First Niagara Center.
Thomas Vanek enjoyed an opening day that will forever live in Sabres lore, recording two goals and a career-high five points to start the lockout-shortened 48-game season.
But splendid performances from Vanek …
Mikhail Grigorenko skated 15 shifts during his NHL debut Sunday. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times HeraldBUFFALO – Ten minutes after the Sabres’ 5-2 opening-day win over the Philadelphia Flyers had ended, Steve Ott was still thinking about that nifty chance beside the net slick rookie center Mikhail Grigorenko had created for him.
Sure, Ott was excited about his power-play goal that opened the scoring just 11:07 into his Sabres debut. But the opportunity that had gotten away was still playing inside his head at bit.
“I kind of feel bad. He set the table,” Ott said Sunday …
Marcus Foligno poses for a photo with a fan this morning inside the First Niagara Center. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times HeraldBUFFALO – All seems forgiven. The hockey-deprived Sabres fans look amped for this afternoon’s season opener against the Philadelphia Flyers. Thanks to the NHL 113-day lockout, it’s been 288 days since the Sabres last played a game.
Right now, however, it feels like the NHL never left. The First Niagara Center will be packed and jumping today. Fans spent the week gobbling up discounted merchandise and wondering if 18-year-old Mikhail Grigorenko could crack the lineup (he’ll play today).
The Sabres are the …
Darcy Regier has owner Terry Pegula's support. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times HeraldBUFFALO – To his supporters, Darcy Regier’s a victim. Poor ownership handcuffed the general manager multiple times. Look at the Sabres teams he built, they say. The 1998-99 club came within two games of the Stanley Cup. Two dynamic post-lockout teams also nearly won it all.
If he had been given more tools or just some help re-signing his own talent, who knows how far the Sabres could’ve gone?
Regier’s detractors believe he should’ve been axed 10 years ago. He’s too enamored …
Ville Leino's questionable for this afternoon's season opener. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times HeraldBUFFALO – The Sabres have their first injury of the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season.
“A nagging little” problem that flared up kept Ville Leino from practicing Saturday, coach Lindy Ruff said.
The winger’s questionable for this afternoon’s season opener against the Philadelphia Flyers inside the First Niagara Center.
Leino, who left practice early Friday, plans to skate this morning before making a decision. It’s believed he’s nursing a leg injury.
“If he feels like he’s good, ready to roll, we’ll get him in,” Ruff said.
Leino’s …