Tyler Myers chats with reporters this morning. ©2014, Margaret Hickling, Olean Times HeraldBUFFALO – Here are some quick updates on several of the injured Sabres. With the season finally over, most players will tell you exactly what happened to them.
– Defenseman Tyler Myers said he broke a couple of ribs when he crashed into the net March 25 in Montreal.
“It’s coming along quite well,” Myers said this morning inside the First Niagara Center. “I had a week of hope after it happened. It turned out we found a couple of broken ribs. …
Mike Weber talks to the media this morning. ©2014, Margaret Hickling, Olean Times HeraldBUFFALO – Almost a year ago, well before the rebuilding Sabres started what would quickly become the most tumultuous season in franchise history, defenseman Mike Weber heard about former general manager Darcy Regier’s warning the team’s rabid fan base would endure some suffering.
“To be honest with you, you hear those things but you never think things are going to get as bad as they did,” Weber said this morning as the Sabres cleaned out their lockers and held their end-of-season …
Ville Leino couldn't score in 58 games this season. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times HeraldBUFFALO – It happened every time Ville Leino touched the puck, whether the Sabres center was 10 feet from the net or in another zone.
The 18,804 fans inside the First Niagara Center cheered the Finn wildly throughout Sunday’s season finale, hoping he would score his first goal in his 58th appearance. Some implored him to shoot.
Alas, Leino couldn’t score, completing what was arguably the worst season ever for a Sabres forward.
“I haven’t thought about it much here,” Leino said about …
Connor Knapp made 22 saves Sunday. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times HeraldBUFFALO – On March 15, more than 4,000 miles from Buffalo, Sabres goalie Connor Knapp stopped 24 shots in the Alaska Aces’ 4-2 win against the Colorado Eagles in Anchorage.
Twenty-nine days later, Knapp, the sixth goalie on the organization’s depth chart, made his first NHL start in the Sabres’ 4-3 shootout loss to the New York Islanders.
Knapp grew up in York, a small town about 30 miles from Rochester.
“It’s crazy,” the 23-year-old told a throng of cameras and reporters after …
Connor Knapp played in relief on Saturday. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times HeraldBUFFALO – Connor Knapp, the sixth goalie on the Sabres’ depth chart, will make his first NHL start this afternoon against the New York Islanders.
The Sabres recalled goalie Andrey Makarov from Rochester today on an emergency basis. But the 20-year-old Russian played for the Americans the last two days.
“Makarov, this will be his third game in three nights,” Sabres coach Ted Nolan said this afternoon inside the First Niagara Center. “They play again Wednesday. We know how crucial it is …
Andrey Makarov could receive his first NHL start today. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times HeraldBUFFALO – Yes, the Sabres will have a full lineup for this afternoon’s season finale against the New York Islanders inside the First Niagara Center.
The injury-ravaged club, which lost five players in Saturday’s 4-1 loss in Boston, today recalled winger Nick Deslauriers, goalie Andrey Makarov and defenseman Mark Pysyk from Rochester on an emergency basis.
Makarov could make his first NHL start against the Isles. The 20-year-old Russian played Friday and Saturday for the Americans, who have won five straight games.
Connor …
John Scott and his teammates have endured a lot this season. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times HeraldMercifully, 193 days after it started, the most tumultuous season in Buffalo Sabres history will end around 7:30 p.m. Sunday inside the First Niagara Center.
The finale can’t come quickly enough for the reeling Sabres, losers of six straight games and 17 of their last 19.
In a season filled with turmoil, the Sabres endured arguably their roughest game this afternoon in Boston, losing five more players to injury, including goalie Matt Hackett, in the 4-1 setback to the Bruins.
Eleven players are …
Connor Knapp would become the NHL-record ninth goalie to dress for the Sabres this season. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times HeraldBUFFALO – With goalie Andrey Makarov sent back to Rochester to help the Americans secure a playoff spot, the Sabres recalled Connor Knapp today.
If Knapp backs up Matt Hackett on Saturday in Boston, the Sabres would set an NHL record by dressing their ninth goalie this season, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
They’ve recently lost goalies Jhonas Enroth, Nathan Lieuwen and Michal Neuvirth to injuries and also traded Ryan Miller and Jaroslav Halak. Ryan Vinz, a team employee, also dressed …
Jake McCabe played three years of college hockey. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times HeraldBUFFALO – Instead of playing his fifth NHL game Thursday in New York, Sabres defenseman Jake McCabe figured he’d be 100 miles away in Philadelphia, at the Frozen Four with the University of Wisconsin.
“I wasn’t expecting to be done that early,” McCabe, whose Badgers were eliminated March 28, said Wednesday inside the First Niagara Center.
But the 20-year-old junior had a nice consolation prize waiting after the surprising exit from the NCAA Tournament, a three-year, entry-level NHL contract he signed last …
John Scott has played a career-high 54 games this season. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times HeraldBUFFALO – John Scott understands you can’t always change your reputation in a few months. The Sabres tough guy believes anti-fighting fans might always consider him a goon.
“I guess the people who have that in their mind they don’t really look at me as a hockey player ever,” Scott said Wednesday inside the First Niagara Center. “So it doesn’t really matter what I do. But I like to think I changed peoples’ minds out there. You hope so.”
Scott hopes fighting …
