WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage
Calder Cup Playoffs Edition
Chris Stewart (right) aided teammate Marcus Foligno. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Late in the first period of Wednesday’s 6-1 exhibition win, Washington Capitals tough guy Dane Byers challenged Sabres winger Marcus Foligno to a fight. Foligno, who was playing his second game after undergoing offseason shoulder surgery, declined the invitation.
A second later, Sabres winger Chris Stewart zoomed in and pummeled Byers.
“It meant a lot, and obviously he’s a good team guy to stick up for anybody on this team,” Foligno said this ... Read the full article
Brian Gionta, a candidate to be captain, has worn an ‘A’ this preseason. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – How close is Ted Nolan to naming a new Sabres captain?
“Uh, real close,” the coach said this afternoon inside the First Niagara Center.
Don’t expect an announcement today, however.
“It hasn’t officially happened yet, but we all know who the leadership is going to be on this team,” he said. “We’ll officially sit down with people. We haven’t talked to anybody yet.”
The Sabres open the season one week from today.
In ... Read the full article
Sam Reinhart (center) celebrates his first preseason goal with Marcus Foligno (82) and Tyson Strachan (24). ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Seven minutes, 10 seconds into the third period Wednesday, with the Sabres up four goals against the Washington Capitals, top prospect Sam Reinhart finally found some open ice.
Reinhart, by his own admission, had been pressing this preseason. The savvy 18-year-old couldn’t score or even create opportunities, and it gnawed at him. The hockey IQ fans have heard about so much rarely materialized.
But as Wednesday’s contest dragged on, the center got open ... Read the full article
Mikhail Grigorenko skates this morning. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Two weeks into training camp, center Mikhail Grigorenko remains the Sabres’ biggest surprise. Two more impressive outings could earn the Russian prospect a roster spot.
“He’s been looking really good,” Sabres coach Ted Nolan said this morning inside the First Niagara Center. “He’s strong on the puck. He’s been making some really good plays. So the biggest thing right now is keep seeing him do it.”
Grigorenko has two more preseason opportunities, tonight ... Read the full article
Sam Reinhart possesses plenty of skill. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – A goal or even a little more assertiveness tonight would greatly boost top prospect Sam Reinhart’s chances of making the Sabres right out of junior hockey.
Time could be running out for the 18-year-old, the No. 2 pick in June. Only two exhibition games are left.
Through three appearances, Reinhart has zero points, just two shots on goal and a minus-1 rating while averaging 16 minutes, 16 seconds of ice time. Incredibly, ... Read the full article
Patrick Kaleta impressed the Sabres this training camp. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Patrick Kaleta’s facial injury isn’t as bad the Sabres originally feared, and the winger could miss as little as a month, coach Ted Nolan said Tuesday.
“It’s still serious,” Nolan said inside the First Niagara Center. “It’s not going to be a three-month thing. It’s could be a less-than-month type of thing. So we’re thankful for that.”
Kaleta and forward Johan Larsson were injured early in Sunday’s 3-2 shootout exhibition loss in Toronto. ... Read the full article
