Washington Capitals - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres’ Jamie McBain to sit against Capitals, Alexander Sulzer back in

BUFFALO – As expected, Sabres defenseman Jamie McBain will be a healthy scratch tonight against the Washington Capitals.

Alexander Sulzer, a scratch five of the last six games, will replace him.

The 25-year-old McBain endured a rough night in Monday’s 3-0 loss in Pittsburgh, losing the puck on the Penguins’ first goal.

“I just want to see better,” Nolan, whose team has lost six of the last seven, said this morning inside the First ... Read the full article

Watch: Sabres goalie Ryan Miller’s amazing stick save on Mikhail Grabovski

Is this the NHL’s save of the year?

With 2:14 left in regulation in the Buffalo Sabres’ 2-1 shootout win in Washington today, goalie Ryan Miller’s amazing stick save stymied the Capitals’ Mikhail Grabovski, keeping the game tied at 1.

“That’s one of those ones where you’re just completely out of options,” Miller said following game. “The puck came through traffic, hit me right in the pads instead of the stick and I knew I ... Read the full article

Mikhail Grigorenko refuses to report to junior, future with Sabres unclear

BUFFALO – Interim coach Ted Nolan said Mikhail Grigorenko “was a little bit upset” when the Sabres told the 19-year-old prospect he was going back to the QMJHL’s Quebec Remparts.

“But this is non-negotiable,” Nolan said Saturday inside the Riverside Ice Rink. “It’s one of those things that has to be done.”

The Sabres didn’t understand just how much the demotion irked the Russian center.

Grigorenko won’t be reporting to the junior club, his agent, ... Read the full article

Goalie Ryan Miller still waiting to discuss future with Sabres’ new regime

BUFFALO – Ryan Miller appreciates Pat LaFontaine’s kind words. The hockey icon lauded his franchise goalie last week, telling reporters the Sabres would do their best to accommodate the former Vezina Trophy winner if he wants to stay here.

“It’s nice of him,” Miller, an unrestricted free agent following the season, said Saturday inside the Riverside Ice Rink. “I still need to kind of see what’s going on in the bigger picture.”

Miller said ... Read the full article

Sabres goalie Ryan Miller dynamic in shootout win against Capitals

BUFFALO – Even after Ryan Miller’s scintillating, career-best 49-save performance in the Sabres’ 2-1 shootout victory against the Washington Capitals, the goalie wouldn’t vouch for a spot on Team USA’s Olympic squad.

“It’s not up to me,” the humble Miller, who also stopped all six Capitals in the shootout, said Sunday inside the First Niagara Center.

The United States’ entry for the upcoming Sochi Games will be named following Wednesday’s Winter Classic outdoor game in ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Tyler Ennis on thunderous hit: ‘No idea that I was coming down’

BUFFALO – Sabres center Tyler Ennis was entering the Washington zone on the forecheck Sunday when he noticed Capitals defenseman Dmitry Orlov had his head down trying to keep the puck in near the right circle along the boards.

A second later, the 5-foot-9, 169-pound Ennis laid a thunderous hit on Orlov 14:56 into the third period, knocking his helmet off and drawing a roar from the 19,070 fans inside the First Niagara Center.... Read the full article

Sabres to use same lineup against Capitals; Kevin Porter ‘a little sore’

BUFFALO – The Sabres will field the same lineup today against the Washington Capitals, meaning defenseman Alexander Sulzer will sit again.

“To make a change just to make a change doesn’t seem right,” interim Sabres coach Ted Nolan said this afternoon inside the First Niagara Center. “Defense weren’t on problem last game.”

The Sabres lost a 4-3 shootout Friday in Toronto.

Goalie Ryan Miller will likely start again, Nolan said. The Sabres will “pretty much” ... Read the full article

Sabres rookie Zemgus Girgensons developing into offensive threat

BUFFALO – Sometimes, Sabres winger Matt Moulson said, he forgets Zemgus Girgensons is a still a teenager. Take, for example, the rookie’s brutish assist early in Friday’s 4-3 shootout loss in Toronto.

Girgensons held the puck almost eight seconds, skating from the bottom of the right circle into the left dot. The Maple Leafs’ Peter Holland began hectoring Girgensons behind the net.

Still, he couldn’t knock the 6-foot-2 Latvian winger off the puck. Girgensons skated ... Read the full article

Sabres know stopping Capitals star Alex Ovechkin will be difficult

BUFFALO – In Alex Ovechkin’s world, this might qualify as a slump. The slick Washington Capitals winger hasn’t scored in his last two games.

Whoa!

Ovechkin, who will face the Sabres on Sunday, hasn’t gone three straight contests without a goal all season. The Russian already has 30 goals in 36 appearances.

How do you stop him?

“Those type of players … you don’t try to say they won’t get any chances because they ... Read the full article

Regier says Sabres could trade top assets before deadline

BUFFALO – Given their 12^th-place standing with Wednesday’s trade deadline approaching, the Sabres must listen to “anything and everything” available to them, general manager Darcy Regier said Saturday after trading veteran defenseman Jordan Leopold.

Yes, that means Regier could envision himself dealing franchise cornerstones like goalie Ryan Miller and captain Jason Pominville.

“I am listening. I have talked to all 30 GMs over the last, if I say week, it certainly ... Read the full article