The post-Pominville era begins Friday.

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Kevin Porter scored twice Tuesday. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
04:03:13
Hodgson, Miller, Ott, Pittsburgh Penguins, Pominville, Porter, Regier, Rolston
Bill Hoppe     Olean Times Herald
0

PITTSBURGH – The stunning victory might serve as one final reminder of the potential the 2012-13 Buffalo Sabres possess.

On Tuesday, the reeling Sabres limped into Consol Energy Center losers of four straight, just hours away from a possible fire sale before the trade deadline hits at 3 p.m. today.

The mighty Penguins, winners of 15 straight, awaited them. The powerhouse club had blanked its last three opponents and stood just two victories from tying the NHL’s longest-ever winning streak.

Incredibly, the Sabres …

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Luke Adam spent more than a year in the minors. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
04:03:13
Adam, Biega, Crosby, Flynn, Hasek, Leino, Miller, Pardy, Pittsburgh Penguins, Pominville, Porter, Portland Pirates, Regehr, Rochester Americans, Scott, Vanek
Bill Hoppe     Olean Times Herald
0

PITTSBURGH – One day this winter, Luke Adam finally had enough. The 22-year-old cleared his head and stopped wondering about his future with the Buffalo Sabres.

In just a few months last season, Adam suffered a stunning decline, morphing from a first-line NHL scoring threat into a forgotten AHL player repeatedly bypassed for recalls.

But fretting wasn’t helping Adam’s career.

“That’s what got me in trouble,” Adam said Tuesday prior to the Sabres’ 4-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins inside Consol Energy Center, …

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Jochen Hecht was recently scratched. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
03:18:13
Flynn, Foligno, Gerbe, Hecht, Kaleta, Porter, Rolston
Bill Hoppe     Olean Times Herald
1

Considering the Buffalo Sabres have lost two straight, six of seven (1-3-3) and rank 14th in the Eastern Conference with only 10 wins and 24 points, this shouldn’t be hard, right?

So, assuming the Sabres put agitator Patrick Kaleta back in the lineup Tuesday in Montreal, which forward should Ron Rolston scratch?

The Sabres’ interim coach didn’t want to bench anyone Sunday in Washington when Kaleta was eligible to play following a five-game boarding suspension. Of course, sitting a sixth game irked …

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Kevin Porter has played 10 games with the Sabres. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
03:15:13
Ennis, Flynn, Foligno, Leino, Porter, Rochester Americans, Rolston
Bill Hoppe     Olean Times Herald
0

BUFFALO – Right now, the Sabres’ roster is at the 23-man limit. Center Tyler Ennis and winger Ville Leino are set to return from injuries, so moves will have to be made before the Sabres host the Ottawa Senators on Saturday afternoon.

“We’re actually meeting this afternoon on it to figure it out,” interim Sabres coach Ron Rolston said this afternoon following practice inside the First Niagara Center. “But it will be solved by tomorrow.”

What might the Sabres do?

Would they send …

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Brian Flynn already has two goals. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
03:15:13
Ennis, Flynn, Foligno, Hodgson, Kaleta, Leino, Porter, Rochester Americans, Rolston, Stafford
Bill Hoppe     Olean Times Herald
0

BUFFALO – It appeared their time together could be brief. When interim Sabres coach Ron Rolston put Marcus Foligno, Kevin Porter and Brian Flynn together on a line March 5, he united two recent recalls with Foligno, a struggling rookie fresh off his first NHL benching.

All three had never played together during nearly four months with the Rochester Americans.

But Rolston, the Amerks’ coach until his Feb. 20 promotion, knew their talents. With the Sabres struggling to stay out of the …

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Steve Ott (9) wants more support from the home crowd. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
03:14:13
Ehrhoff, Flynn, Foligno, Gerbe, Grigorenko, Hodgson, Leopold, Miller, Ott, Porter, Rolston, Scott, Stafford
Bill Hoppe     Olean Times Herald
1

BUFFALO – The Sabres’ power play is awful, and their legions of fans know it. Not only does it rank 30th, it’s operating at a paltry 11.2 percent. No one else is lower than 13 percent.

In Tuesday’s 3-1 triumph over the New York Rangers, the Sabres blew all five opportunities and allowed another short-handed goal, their NHL-high fifth this season.

During one third-period chance, they iced the puck and went offside in the first 61 seconds, drawing the ire of the …

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Martin Biron has become one of the NHL's best backup goalies. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
03:13:13
Biron, Brennan, Ennis, Flynn, Gerbe, Grigorenko, Kaleta, Leino, Leopold, New York Rangers, Porter, Rolston, Scott
Bill Hoppe     Olean Times Herald
0

BUFFALO – When the 113-day NHL lockout ended and Martin Biron left his East Aurora home for his backup goaltending gig in New York, the 35-year-old’s wife and four children stayed behind.

With a shortened season, a new house and the school year in full swing, the loquacious former Sabre didn’t want to uproot his family.

For now, Biron’s living alone in New York, an arrangement that has worked out “OK.”

“There’s times I’m sitting for three, four, five hours consecutive in my …

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Brian Flynn skated 8:50 on Saturday. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
03:03:13
Cassidy, Flynn, Foligno, Hodgson, Kaleta, New Jersey Devils, Pominville, Porter, Rochester Americans, Rolston, Scott, Vanek
Bill Hoppe     Olean Times Herald
0

BUFFALO – In Brian Flynn’s mind, he “had no business getting drafted.” Getting bypassed during two consecutive NHL Entry Drafts was no slight.

“I wasn’t very good,” the 24-year-old Flynn acknowledged Saturday afternoon prior to making his NHL debut in the Sabres’ 4-3 shootout win over the New Jersey Devils inside the First Niagara Center. “I was undersized. But I think that helped me a lot. Ever since then I’ve gotten better every year.”

Flynn improved each season at Maine, upping either …

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Brian Flynn will make his NHL debut this afternoon. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
03:02:13
Cassidy, Flynn, Foligno, Hodgson, New Jersey Devils, Pominville, Porter, Rochester Americans, Rolston, Scott, Vanek
Bill Hoppe     Olean Times Herald
1

BUFFALO – When Thomas Vanek sat out practice as a maintenance day Friday, interim Sabres coach Ron Rolston thought his leading scorer would play today against the New Jersey Devils.

“Coming back this morning, he still was sore,” Rolston said earlier this afternoon inside the First Niagara Center.

Vanek (upper body) will sit today, although Rolston believes it’s just a short-term injury. The slick winger could return Sunday in New York versus the Rangers.

Meanwhile, rookie Brian Flynn will make his NHL debut …

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James van Riemsdyk fires in his second goal of the game past Tyler Myers and Ryan Miller on Thursday. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
02:22:13
Ennis, Foligno, Miller, Ott, Porter, Rolston, Ruff, Sulzer, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vanek
Bill Hoppe     Olean Times Herald
0

TORONTO – Well, maybe it wasn’t Lindy Ruff’s fault after all. Perhaps the Buffalo Sabres are simply a bad hockey club.

If they couldn’t cobble together a strong, 60-minute effort Thursday, a day after the Sabres axed the NHL’s longest-tenured coach, will they ever?

With the franchise reeling and Ron Rolston making his debut as interim coach, the Sabres played another terrible second period, allowing two goals, the difference in the 3-1 loss before a capacity crowd of 19,743 fans inside the …

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