Buffalo Hockey Beat -- Buffalo, NY & NHL Hockey Coverage

Top Sabres prospects, AHL role players contributing to Amerks’ playoff success

The Rochester Americans just won their second Calder Cup Playoff series, and winger Jack Quinn, the AHL’s top rookie, hasn’t scored a goal.

Injuries have sidelined goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and defenseman Mattias Samuelsson, two of the Buffalo Sabres’ other top prospects, the entire postseason.

On Thursday, the Amerks, who eked into the playoffs, defeated the top-seeded Utica Comets 4-2 and clinched the North Division semifinal without their injured captain, Michael Mersch, a 26-goal ... Read the full article

Amerks rally to beat Comets, advance to next round of Calder Cup Playoffs

For the first time since 2004, the Rochester Americans have won two series in the Calder Cup Playoffs.

Forwards Arttu Ruotsalainen, Sean Malone and Mark Jankowski scored third-period goals Thursday as the Amerks rallied to defeat the top-seeded Utica Comets 4-2 and win the best-of-five AHL North Division semifinal 3-2.

After Ruotsalainen’s power-play goal tied it at the 3:21 mark, Malone put the Amerks up at 6:45, beating Utica goalie Nico Daws from above the ... Read the full article

Amerks’ Peyton Krebs thriving in AHL playoffs after long stint with Sabres

ROCHESTER – Having last experienced the postseason in 2017, when he was playing midget hockey at home in Calgary, Peyton Krebs wanted this opportunity badly.

Krebs, 21, has performed dynamically for the Americans this month, showcasing his elite playmaking skills and compiling an AHL-high eight assists during the Calder Cup Playoffs.

Following a successful 48-game stint with the Buffalo Sabres, the center has buoyed the Amerks’ first postseason run since 2005, returning to the AHL ... Read the full article

Utica’s Nolan Foote scores a first-period goal on Rochester goalie Aaron Dell on Tuesday.

Amerks fall to Comets, can’t close out series: ‘Wanted to finish it off now’

ROCHESTER – In opening up a series lead and putting the Utica Comets on the brink of elimination from the Calder Cup Playoffs, the Americans hadn’t seen the best out of the AHL powerhouse.

The top-seeded Comets only showcased flashes of their slick regular-season form throughout the first three games of best-of-five AHL North Division semifinal. In a do-or-die scenario Tuesday, you figured they would come out roaring.

Well, in Game 4, the Comets gave ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect JJ Peterka becoming dominant presence with Amerks

ROCHESTER – JJ Peterka could be one-and-done in the AHL. The Buffalo Sabres prospect just enjoyed the greatest offensive campaign in a teenage season since 1976. Over the weekend, the German winger was the most dynamic player in the Calder Cup Playoffs, recording five points, including a hat trick, in two Americans wins.

After a 28-goal, 68-point regular season, the excitement and pressure that accompanies postseason hockey has helped Peterka transform into a dominant presence.... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Lukas Rousek growing comfortable with Amerks

ROCHESTER – Considering the Americans boast one of the AHL’s deepest forward groups, it’s easy for rookie winger Lukas Rousek to be overshadowed.

In center Peyton Krebs and wingers JJ Peterka, Jack Quinn and Arttu Ruotsalainen, they possess four of the AHL’s top young talents.

Sean Malone and Michael Mersch each cracked the 20-goal mark. Brandon Biro, Mark Jankowski and Brett Murray all spent time with the Buffalo Sabres this season.... Read the full article

Arttu Ruotsalainen secures another Amerks OT win, puts Comets on brink

ROCHESTER – In his brief time playing with Peyton Krebs, winger Arttu Ruotsalainen has learned he must always be ready for the Americans center to adroitly feed him the puck anywhere on the ice.

“He’s an incredible player and he sees those passing lanes that others can’t see,” Ruotsalainen said Sunday after converting Krebs’ slick feed on the power play 1:39 into overtime, securing another wild 4-3 win and a 2-1 series lead against ... Read the full article

After dynamic season, Sabres prospect Jack Quinn adjusting to playoff hockey

ROCHESTER – Right now, winger Jack Quinn acknowledged he’s frustrated. In the Americans’ first three playoff games, opponents neutralized the slick Buffalo Sabres prospect, holding him pointless.

How significant is that? Well, in establishing himself as one of the AHL premier talents this season, Quinn never went more than two games without recording a point.

“As an offensive player, we all want to produce and score,” Quinn said following Thursday’s practice at Blue Cross Arena. ... Read the full article

Sabres sign prospect Aleksandr Kisakov to entry-level contract

The Buffalo Sabres have signed winger Aleksandr Kisakov, a second-round pick in 2021, 53rd overall, to a three-year, entry-level contract, the team announced Wednesday.

Kisakov, 19, led Dynamo Moskva, a junior MHL team in his native Russia, with 56 points and ranked second with 26 goals in 2021-22. He had a team-high seven points, all assists, in six playoff contests.

The 5-foot-10, 150-pound Kisakov also earned a four-game recall to Dynamo’s parent club in the ... Read the full article

Sabres stay put in NHL Draft Lottery, have top-10 pick again

For the 10th straight year, the Buffalo Sabres will have a top-10 pick in the NHL Draft.

The Sabres stayed put in Tuesday’s NHL Draft Lottery, receiving the ninth and 16th overall selections.

After finishing 24th overall, the Sabres had just 5 percent odds – the ninth-highest in the lottery – for the top pick.... Read the full article