Dallas’ Jordie Benn (24) hits the Sabres’ Tyler Ennis in the face Saturday. ©2015, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald

Sabres hold on for tight victory over Stars

BUFFALO – The Sabres often possess an uncanny ability to weather a fierce storm. Sure, opponents have pummeled them regularly this season. But they can also take a beating and come out on top.

The Dallas Stars dominated early in the Sabres’ 3-2 win Saturday, pumping shot after shot on goalie Jhonas Enroth. Just 18 seconds in, they left Tyler Seguin open, gifting a prime scoring chance to the superstar. Enroth stymied Seguin, one of ... Read the full article

Jason Spezza joined Dallas in the summer. ©2015, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald

Former Sabres coach Lindy Ruff happy to have Jason Spezza with Stars

BUFFALO – Right away, Lindy Ruff and Jason Spezza buried the hatchet. For years, as Ruff coached the Sabres and Spezza starred for the Ottawa Senators, the two were adversaries.

At the height of the fierce post-lockout Sabres-Senators rivalry, Ruff sent Adam Mair on the ice to jump Spezza, a move that helped ignite the infamous 2007 brawl between the teams after Chris Neil leveled Sabres co-captain Chris Drury.

Spezza, who was dealt to Ruff’s ... Read the full article

Lindy Ruff talks to Patrick Eaves (18) today. ©2015, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald

Now with Stars, Lindy Ruff and Jason Spezza can laugh about past

BUFFALO – Right away, Lindy Ruff and Jason Spezza buried the hatchet. For years, as Ruff coached the Sabres and Spezza starred for the Ottawa Senators, the two were adversaries.

At the height of the fierce post-lockout Sabres-Senators rivalry, Ruff sent Adam Mair on the ice to jump Spezza, a move that helped ignite the infamous brawl between the teams after Sabres co-captain Chris Drury was injured.

Spezza, who was dealt to Ruff’s Dallas Stars ... Read the full article

Nikita Zadorov earned regular duty earlier this season. ©2015, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald

Sabres’ Nikita Zadorov back in; Marcus Foligno could return Sunday

BUFFALO – The Sabres will make one lineup change tonight against the Dallas Stars, inserting 19-year-old defenseman Nikita Zadorov for Andre Benoit.

Zadorov has struggled in recent weeks, becoming a healthy scratch after earning regular duty throughout November and December.

What does Sabres coach Ted Nolan want to see from the Russian?

“With a young defenseman, you just want to make sure you grab those young mistakes real quick, want to make sure they don’t ... Read the full article

Chris Stewart could be traded soon. ©2015, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald

Heated meeting between Ted Nolan and Chris Stewart ignited winger

BUFFALO – Ted Nolan wanted to rattle Chris Stewart’s chain a bit, get the enigmatic veteran thinking. The Sabres coach saw a big, powerful winger playing a soft game.

So Nolan challenged Stewart during a meeting shortly after the 27-year-old’s Dec. 9 benching.

Their chat got heated.

“He got mad, he got angry,” Nolan told the Times Herald on Friday inside HarborCenter. “I got a little bit angry myself. Sometimes people think I’m a ... Read the full article

Tyler Myers (57) missed today’s practice. ©2015, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald

Sabres’ Tyler Myers ready to play

BUFFALO – Relax, Sabres fans. Defenseman Tyler Myers, whose name is making the rounds in trade rumors with the March 2 deadline approaching, missed today’s practice inside HarborCenter for a maintenance day, coach Ted Nolan said. Ditto for Josh Gorges, Myers’ partner.

“They’ve been playing a lot of hockey lately,” Nolan said.

Both will play Saturday, Nolan said.

The Sabres could change goalies against Dallas. Michal Neuvirth, out last week after injuring his ankle during ... Read the full article

St. Louis goalie Jake Allen stones Brian Flynn on a third-period breakaway. ©2015, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald

Sabres don’t want moral victory from loss to Blues

BUFFALO – Thursday’s 3-0 loss to the St. Louis Blues was the Sabres’ 34th defeat this season and their 15th setback in the last 16 games. But against an NHL powerhouse, the league’s worst team held its own, carrying the play for stretches and generating some prime scoring chances.

If the Sabres converted a couple of opportunities – they had two clear-cut breakaways – then they might have upset the NHL’s hottest team. Instead, ... Read the full article

Steve Ott played two seasons in Buffalo. ©2015, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald

Ex-Sabres captain Steve Ott grateful for support in Buffalo

BUFFALO – They’re still all over town. Go to a Sabres game, walk around the mall or do some grocery shopping, and you’ll inevitably see someone wearing a No. 9 Steve Ott Sabres jersey.

“Must’ve been on sale when I got traded or something,” Ott joked Thursday prior to the St. Louis Blues’ 3-0 win, his first game in Buffalo since the Sabres dealt him Feb. 28. “I don’t know. Maybe they were just giving ... Read the full article

Steve Ott hasn’t played a game in Buffalo yet with St. Louis. ©2015, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald

Former Sabres captain Steve Ott ready for Buffalo return with Blues

BUFFALO – Look out, Patrick Kaleta. Former Sabres captain Steve Ott said he wants a little revenge for the time you guys fought almost five years ago.

“He doesn’t really know, but I still owe him one for raising the roof when we got in a fight here,” Ott joked today after his St. Louis Blues prepared for tonight’s game. “I’ll be playing him a little harder than the others. But Patty’s one of my ... Read the full article

Marcus Foligno (82) will miss his 18th straight game tonight. ©2015, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald

Sabres’ Marcus Foligno nearing return; Nikita Zadorov out against Blues

BUFFALO – Before Marcus Foligno broke his hand fighting Boston’s Matt Bartkowski on Dec. 21, the Sabres center was enjoying perhaps the best run of his young career.

Foligno had just been moved to the middle by Sabres coach Ted Nolan. He had a three-game goal streak during the team’s torrid run earlier in December.

Still, Foligno, who could return this weekend, doesn’t want a do-over. Bartkowski hit Sabres captain Brian Gionta high after ... Read the full article