Ristolainen - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres goalie Chad Johnson showcasing calm style

BUFFALO – On the ice, despite the chaos that often develops around his crease, Sabres goalie Chad Johnson usually showcases a cool demeanor.

When Johnson’s dialed in – and that’s been nearly all season – he can almost make hockey’s toughest position look easy. The veteran, 29, often reads plays and shots perfectly, making difficult saves look routine.

Johnson mostly tends goal calmly.

“I’ve always been a guy that sort of keeps things simple,” Johnson ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Tyler Ennis ready to play

BUFFALO – Some quick updates from HarborCenter, where the Sabres practiced today without ace defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen, who enjoyed a maintenance day.

– Winger Tyler Ennis, out the last 12 games with an upper-body injury, will return Saturday afternoon against the Chicago Blackhawks, the Sabres’ last game before Christmas.

Ennis, who hasn’t played since Nov. 23, wanted to get back before the Sabres’ five-day break.

“You never want to wait because you’re competitive ... Read the full article

Kings goalie Jhonas Enroth has happy memories of Sabres

BUFFALO – Los Angeles Kings goalie Jhonas Enroth takes his fondest memories of his five year-run with the Sabres from the franchise’s darkest days.

Throughout all the losing and turmoil last season, he tended some of his best goal ever, briefly becoming the Sabres’ most valuable player.

Sure, Enroth detested losing. He usually looked beaten down after losses. Still, to the Swede, who briefly lived his dream of becoming the Sabres’ No. 1 goalie, some ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Jean Dupuy impressing with Amerks

ROCHESTER – The biggest early-season surprise on the farm hasn’t been Justin Bailey, Nick Baptiste or Evan Rodrigues – three talented AHL rookie forwards many believe will play for the Buffalo Sabres someday.

While the prospects have contributed to the Americans at times, another first-year pro has outplayed them all. Remember this name: Jean Dupuy.

Who? Just 23 games into his career, Dupuy, an undrafted center from the Ontario Hockey League’s Sault Ste. Marie ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Rasmus Ristolainen scores rare hat trick

As I wrote a week ago, before he scored the first hat trick by a Buffalo Sabres defenseman in almost 28 years, Rasmus Ristolainen is quickly becoming a star.

Ristolainen, 21, might be the Sabres’ best player. With three third-period goals Thursday in Calgary in the Sabres’ 4-3 loss to the Flames, he already has 21 points in 29 games, one more point than he compiled last season in 49 fewer games.

“He ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Rasmus Ristolainen developing into star

BUFFALO – No one could believe the number that has been attached to Rasmus Ristolainen’s stat line all season: zero.

In 606 minutes, 12 seconds on the ice spread over 25 games – that’s a team-high 24 minutes, 14 seconds a contest – the Sabres’ ace defenseman hasn’t taken a penalty.

“Zero?” Josh Gorges, Ristolainen’s defense partner, asked incredulously Thursday before saying he was “impressed” and “surprised.”

When informed Ristolainen has zero penalty minutes, ... Read the full article

World junior memories special for Sabres youngsters

BUFFALO – Eleven months ago, on the grand stages of Montreal and Toronto, Sabres winger Sam Reinhart showcased why he’s regarded as one of hockey’s top prospects, starring for Team Canada during its run to world junior championship gold.

“I had a blast, one of the best times of my life,” Reinhart said this afternoon, shortly after it was announced Buffalo would host the tournament again in 2018.

Two years ago in Sweden, defenseman Rasmus ... Read the full article

Sabres forwards struggling to generate offense

BUFFALO – Sabres coach Dan Bylsma believes Tyler Ennis’ recent erratic play is a result of pressing. The shifty winger, meanwhile, thinks he’s “just trying to play hard.”

Whatever the case, Ennis, who has zero goals in the last seven games, keeps trying to do too much.

“I think he’s trying to make a lot happen with every time he touches the puck,” Bylsma said Wednesday. “He has that mentality and (is) probably trying to ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Zach Bogosian will play this week; Zemgus Girgensons questionable for Stars

BUFFALO – Nearly two months after suffering a lower-body injury, Sabres defenseman Zach Bogosian is almost ready for his season debut.

Sabres coach Dan Bylsma said Bogosian, 25, will play this week. But based on how hard the Massena native has been practicing in recent days, could he play Tuesday when the Sabres host the Dallas Stars?

“It’s been feeling good for a little while,” Bogosian said today after skating. “So now it’s just getting ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Nick Deslauriers needs to showcase more physicality

BUFFALO – Without his gritty, sandpaper style, Nick Deslauriers morphs from a strong fourth-line winger into a journeyman the Sabres are willing to scratch.

Sure, the popular 24-year-old possesses a strong shot, chips in the odd goal and even occasionally earns fill-in duty on a scoring line.

But physicality, something Deslauriers’ game has been lacking recently, is his bread and butter.

So on Thursday following the pregame warm-up in Florida, Sabres coach Dan Bylsma told ... Read the full article