Toronto Maple Leafs - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres excited to have Rick Jeanneret back: ‘A pretty special moment’

BUFFALO – To winger Patrick Kaleta, who grew up in nearby Angola listening to Rick Jeanneret call games, the greatest perk of playing for the Sabres isn’t money or prestige.

“One of the best, if not the best thing about being a Sabre is hearing your name called by Rick Jeanneret,” Kaleta said Friday inside the First Niagara Center. “I still get chills listening to some of stuff on YouTube.”

So whenever Kaleta ... Read the full article

Leafs send Sabres to embarrassing loss

TORONTO – It turns out that nice win three days earlier was an anomaly. The hapless Buffalo Sabres reverted back into a laughingstock in Tuesday’s embarrassing 4-0 loss to the Maple Leafs, getting thoroughly dominated throughout their eighth loss in 10 tries this season.

How ugly was Buffalo’s effort?

The Sabres, three weeks into their 44^th season, sprinkled a franchise-low 10 shots on Leafs goalie Jonathan Bernier. The Leafs, meanwhile, pumped 37 shots on ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Chris Stewart plays first game in Toronto after long wait

TORONTO – Incredibly, Tuesday’s 4-0 loss to the Maple Leafs, Chris Stewart’s 392^nd NHL game, was his first appearance in his hometown.

Toronto was the only city the 26-year-old Buffalo Sabres winger hadn’t played in.

How did that happen?

Stewart played in the Western Conference with Colorado and St. Louis before the Sabres acquired him in March.

“My first year I got healthy scratched here, and then the lockout year we didn’t play the ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Chris Stewart excited for first game in Toronto

TORONTO – Incredibly, tonight’s tilt against the Maple Leafs, Chris Stewart’s 392^nd NHL game, will be his first appearance in his hometown.

Toronto’s the only city the 26-year-old Buffalo Sabres winger hasn’t played in.

How did that happen?

Stewart played in the Western Conference with Colorado and St. Louis before the Sabres acquired him in March.

“My first year I got healthy scratched here, and then the lockout year we didn’t play the East, ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Josh Gorges knows his heart wasn’t in Toronto

TORONTO – Take away the character, take away the tenacity, and Buffalo Sabres veteran Josh Gorges becomes a run-of-the-mill defenseman.

The undrafted Gorges has built an unlikely 10-year NHL career by showcasing passion – on and off the ice.

“I have to play with my heart,” Gorges, whose Sabres play the Maple Leafs tonight, said Monday. “I have to play everything I got every shift.”

The 30-year-old believes he couldn’t do either of those wearing ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Michal Neuvirth set to start again in net

TORONTO – Goalie Michal Neuvirth, once thought to be the Buffalo Sabres’ backup, will make his second consecutive start tonight in Toronto, coach Ted Nolan said.

What’s going on? Wasn’t Jhonas Enroth supposed to be the No. 1 goalie?

Tonight’s contest will be Neuvirth’s third nod in the last four games.

Nolan said Monday he never anointed Enroth, who’s played six contests, the starting netminder.

“I said he won the right to start the season,” ... Read the full article

Andrej Meszaros enjoying fresh start with Sabres

TORONTO – Coach Ted Nolan noticed a little smirk on Andrej Meszaros’ face following the defenseman’s recent Buffalo Sabres debut.

Meszaros had just skated a whopping 29 minutes, 39 seconds in Tuesday’s 2-0 win against Carolina. The minutes felt like a warm welcome.

“It felt pretty good,” Meszaros said last week.

Meszaros, 28, hadn’t played that much in a 60-minute game since May 6, 2011. Back then, the Slovak had just been named Philadelphia’s top ... Read the full article

Patrick Kaleta and Johan Larsson injured early in Sabres’ preseason loss to Leafs

TORONTO – Buffalo Sabres coach Ted Nolan had no updates on Patrick Kaleta and Johan Larsson. The forwards left Sunday’s 3-2 preseason shootout loss to the Maple Leafs with apparent head injuries.

The players will be re-evaluated when the Sabres return to Buffalo, Nolan said.

The oft-injured Kaleta left the game just minutes in when Morgan Rielly’s slap shot hit the winger in the cheekbone area. Kaleta immediately skated off the ice to the dressing ... Read the full article

Goalie Andrey Makarov to start against Leafs, part of young Sabres lineup

BUFFALO – The Sabres aren’t bringing their ‘A’ squad to Toronto for tonight’s preseason contest against the Maple Leafs, but the lineup features a lot of youngsters and bubble players “that deserve to play,” coach Ted Nolan said.

“Camp’s far from over,” Nolan said this morning inside the First Niagara Center.

First, here are forward lines: Cody Hodgson, Mikhail Grigorenko, Chris Stewart; Zac Dalpe, Torrey Mitchell, Brian Flynn; Joel Armia, Johan Larsson, Nick Deslauriers; ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Zac Dalpe facing some stiff competition for roster spot

BUFFALO – Today, Sabres forward Zac Dalpe stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 195 pounds. The 24-year-old’s a former second-round pick who earned a hockey scholarship to Ohio State University.

But less than 10 years ago, Dalpe was a 5-foot-5, 110-pound teenager so desperate to get drafted into the Ontario Hockey League he hatched a plan at a weigh-in.

“I put these rocks in my pocket, and I weighed in at like 114,” Dalpe recalled Saturday inside ... Read the full article