Buffalo Hockey Beat - WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage

While clinching the Atlantic Division is nice, the Sabres have a much bigger goal in mind

BUFFALO – No one saw this coming. Sure, securing that elusive spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and ending their NHL-record 14-year drought certainly felt like a possibility for the Sabres this season, at least before they fell into last place.

But a division championship?

Heck, after Monday’s 5-1 road win over the Chicago Blackhawks clinched the Atlantic, even coach Lindy Ruff acknowledged he’s surprised how far the Sabres, who ranked last in the Eastern ... Read the full article

After trade, scratch, Sabres newcomer Logan Stanley settling in on defense

BUFFALO – Sabres defenseman Logan Stanley knows it sounds a bit odd. After all, he fell out of the lineup after playing 14 straight games following his arrival from the Winnipeg Jets before the trade deadline.

But sitting out Wednesday’s 5-3 road win over the New York Rangers as a healthy scratch infused him with some much-needed confidence.

After being given a chance to reset, Stanley responded by enjoying his best outing with the Sabres ... Read the full article

Sabres hope to have injured rookie Noah Ostlund back for playoffs

BUFFALO – Coach Lindy Ruff said the Sabres hope to have injured rookie Noah Ostlund back for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

“Getting better,” Ruff said following Saturday’s practice in LECOM Harborcenter. “Just one of those injuries that are just pain management. As soon as we get that reduced, he’ll be back.”

Ostlund, 22, has missed the last eight games with an upper-body injury. The postseason starts next Saturday and Sunday. A full schedule will be ... Read the full article

Colten Ellis dynamic as Sabres shut out Blue Jackets, stay in first place

BUFFALO – When the Sabres claimed rookie goalie Colten Ellis off waivers six months ago, it felt like his first trip to the NHL might be fleeting.

After all, they grabbed Ellis to provide insurance after Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen suffered another injury late in the preseason. Carrying three goalies, of course, is a luxury, and that roster spot can often be better utilized on a forward or defenseman.

But Ellis, who dazzled Thursday in his first ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Goalie Alex Lyon could be sidelined into playoffs; Josh Doan makes ‘selfless’ play

BUFFALO – Injured Sabres goalie Alex Lyon could be sidelined for the start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, coach Lindy Ruff said prior to Thursday’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

“Right now, (he’ll be out) a week, and we’ll go from there,” Ruff said of the strained muscle Lyon recently suffered during practice.

The postseason begins April 18 and 19. A schedule won’t be released until next week.... Read the full article

Sabres reassign top defense prospect to Rochester Amerks

The Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday reassigned top defense prospect Radim Mrtka from his junior team, the Seattle Thunderbirds, to the Rochester Americans.

Mrtka, the ninth overall pick in 2025, began the season in Rochester before the Sabres sent him to Seattle.

Seattle’s season ended Friday in the first round of the Western Hockey League Playoffs.... Read the full article

After trips to minors and nearly losing career, Sabres’ Luke Schenn evolved to reclaim spot in NHL

BUFFALO – Luke Schenn, the physical, stay-at-home defenseman, figured his NHL career could be over. As the game became evolved and became faster, he never adapted.

Early in 2018-19, his 11th season, the Anaheim Ducks waived him. When he cleared, he reported to the San Diego Gulls having never played a game in the minors.

“When you get passed up by 31 NHL teams, you go on waivers, and it’s not because it’s a ... Read the full article

Sabres bounce back against Lightning, earn much-needed win: ‘Our guys had great pushback’

BUFFALO – In a grueling six-month, 82-game NHL season, slumps are inevitable. That the Sabres avoided losing two straight games in regulation for almost four months illustrates how dynamically they performed for more than half of the schedule.

But a slump finally materialized last week – albeit a short one – when in dropping back-to-back contests, the Sabres looked nothing likes themselves.

One of the league’s elite teams looked out of whack defensively and struggled ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Beck Malenstyn adding offense; Buffalo makes change on defense

BUFFALO – In their exit meeting last season, Sabres coach Lindy Ruff challenged Beck Malenstyn to convert more of the offensive opportunities his role as a heavy presence on the fourth line offered him.

Ruff told the 6-foot-3, 209-pound Malenstyn he saw about seven or eight opportunities “that were like, ‘Hey, you really need to execute that.’”

Showcasing subtle finish around the net or putting a softer touch on a pass would help him finish ... Read the full article

Sabres to make lineup change against Lightning

BUFFALO – Right now, the Sabres have a deep roster – 26 healthy bodies, to be exact – meaning a whopping six players must be scratched each game.

Coach Lindy Ruff has tried to keep the extras involved, moving guys in and out. Still, two players – defensemen Luke Schenn and Michael Kesselring – have recently sat out for weeks.

Tonight, Schenn, who arrived March 6 in trade with the Winnipeg Jets, is expected to ... Read the full article