Philadelphia’s Scott Laughton falls in front of Robin Lehner on Dec. 22. ©2018, Hickling Images, Olean Times Herald

Sabres goalie Robin Lehner day-to-day with lower-body injury

BUFFALO –With  Sabres goalie Robin Lehner day-to-day with a lower-body injury, Chad Johnson will start this afternoon’s tilt against the Washington Capitals and Linus Ullmark has been recalled, coach Phil Housley said.

Housley said Lehner’s injury built up over time. The Swede wasn’t hurt in Saturday afternoon’s 4-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings.

The injury, of course, could hurt Lehner’s trade value. The Sabres likely want to deal Lehner, who has an expiring contract, ... Read the full article

Josh Gorges joined the Sabres in 2014. ©2018, Hickling Images, Olean Times Herald

Sabres’ Josh Gorges wondering about uncertain future

BUFFALO – Josh Gorges said he wonders if this is it, if he has just about reached the end of his NHL career. Right now, the graying 13-year veteran can’t even keep a regular spot on the Sabres’ weak defense corps.

Gorges, 33, has become a spare part on the league’s second-worst team, sitting out 10 of the last 13 games as a healthy scratch entering this afternoon’s tilt against the Washington Capitals.... Read the full article

Jason Pominville tries to put the puck past Los Angeles goalie Jonathan Quick on Saturday afternoon. ©2018, Hickling Images, Olean Times Herald

Sabres winless in afternoon games

BUFFALO – The Sabres have performed terribly in afternoon games this season, going 0-5-1. In their last two, including Saturday’s ugly 4-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings, opponents have outscored them 11-3.

The reeling Sabres, who are a point away from falling in dead last in the NHL, have another afternoon tilt Monday against the Washington Capitals, who got annihilated 7-1 on Saturday in Chicago.

Yikes!... Read the full article

Robin Lehner makes a save on Los Angeles’ Nate Thompson Saturday afternoon. ©2018, Hickling Images, Olean Times Herald

Disinterested Sabres implode early against Kings

BUFFALO – The NHL trade deadline hits in eight days, and based on the feeble effort given in Saturday afternoon’s ugly 4-2 loss, some Sabres are waiting for the phone to ring.

Clearly, some players want to get the heck out of town.

Against a Los Angeles Kings team that had lost three straight games, the Sabres showcased nothing early on, falling behind 1-0 while getting outshot 19-8 in the first period.... Read the full article

Alex Iaffalo signed as a free agent with Los Angeles. ©2018, Hickling Images, Olean Times Herald

Sabres notes: Buffalo homecoming special for Eden’s Alex Iafallo

BUFFALO – The bus carrying family and friends from The Towne House, the tavern Alex Iafallo’s parents, Barb and Tom, own and operate in Hamburg, to KeyBank Center on Saturday was missing two notable passengers.

Eden natives Barb and Tom Iafallo.

Instead of watching Alex face the Sabres in his first NHL game in Buffalo, the Iafallos were in Columbus, Ohio, because their daughter, Julianna, a forward on the Ohio State women’s hockey team, was ... Read the full article

Anaheim’s Rickard Rakell scores on Robin Lehner on Feb. 6. ©2018, Hickling Images, Olean Times Herald

Sabres goalie Robin Lehner to start against Kings

BUFFALO – Fresh off a strong 33-save effort, Sabres goalie Robin Lehner will start this afternoon’s tilt against the Los Angeles Kings.

Lehner, who struggled in Sunday’s 5-4 loss to Colorado, rebounded nicely in Thursday’s 3-2 overtime loss in Ottawa.

“It’s good to see him bounce back,” Sabres coach Phil Housley said inside KeyBank Center. “In that game, if it wasn’t for Robin, we wouldn’t have been in the game. He made some key saves, ... Read the full article

Kyle Okposo (21) skates away from Calgary’s Troy Brouwer last season. ©2018, Hickling Images, Olean Times Herald

Sabres’ Kyle Okposo piling up points

BUFFALO – Late in Thursday’s 3-2 overtime loss, Sabres defenseman Casey Nelson stymied a rush and quickly dished the puck up to winger Kyle Okposo.

Okposo then zoomed through the neutral zone and into the high slot when he noticed center Evan Rodrigues streaking down the right wing.

“I saw that their D was kind of shading over toward (Evander Kane), so I just tried to take the middle,” Okposo explained Friday. “I was ... Read the full article

Jordan Nolan (17) bears down on Montreal’s Philip Danault (24) on Oct. 5. ©2018, Hickling Images, Olean Times Herald

Sabres’ Jordan Nolan excited to face Kings again

BUFFALO – Jordan Nolan won two Stanley Cups in Los Angeles, so while the Sabres winger already played against the Kings in October, facing his old team for the second time will still be special.

“I have a lot of friends on that team, that’s where I started my career and we were successful from the start, so you always have that kind of bond no matter where you go,” Nolan, who was claimed on ... Read the full article

Chad Johnson has won two straight starts. ©2018, Hickling Images, Olean Times Herald

Sabres’ Chad Johnson could attract interest before trade deadline

BUFFALO – After winning two games in a four-day span, doubling his season total, Sabres goalie Chad Johnson will likely take a back seat again to Robin Lehner tonight in Ottawa.

Lehner loves facing the Senators, his old team, and is 5-0-2 against them since joining the Sabres in 2015. A terrific outing could convince a playoff contender searching for a netminder – hello, Philadelphia! – to pursue the Swede.... Read the full article

Nick Baptiste scored early in Tuesday ©2018, Hickling Images, Olean Times Herald

Sabres’ Nick Baptiste embracing fourth-line role

BUFFALO – In the NHL, Sabres winger Nick Baptiste often skates short minutes on the fourth line, a role much different than the one he enjoys in the AHL.

But Baptiste, 22, has embraced his job as a fourth-line checker during his recalls to the Sabres this season, scoring two goals in nine games.... Read the full article