WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage
Stanley Cup Playoffs Edition
Jake McCabe practiced today. ©2015, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Finally, there’s some good news for the Sabres’ depleted defense corps: Brendan Guhle didn’t suffer a concussion Tuesday when Dion Phaneuf’s wicked open-ice hit forced him out of the Sabres’ 4-0 preseason win against Toronto.
While the rookie stayed off the ice today inside the First Niagara Center, coach Dan Bylsma said the 18-year-old should be fine. The Sabres also got one of their six injured defensemen, Jake McCabe, back today. McCabe (upper ... Read the full article
Jack Eichel zooms by Toronto’s Connor Brown on Tuesday. ©2015, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – In three NHL exhibition appearances, Sabres center Jack Eichel has generated two goals, five points and more excitement than any NHL rookie, even Connor McDavid, his counterpart in Edmonton.
To wit: Eichel, in his home preseason debut Tuesday, scored again in Sabres’ 4-0 shellacking of the Toronto Maple Leafs, his second short-handed breakaway goal.
The 18-year-old Eichel hit full speed in two strides leaving the Buffalo zone and quickly roared by Connor Brown ... Read the full article
Brendan Guhle will play his fourth preseason game tonight. ©2015, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Brendan Guhle is no longer the impressive rookie getting a long look before going back to junior. Suddenly, the Sabres defense prospect, the 51st overall pick in June, has a real chance to be on the opening-night roster in nine days.
“Definitely there’s an opportunity,” said Guhle, who will play his fourth preseason game tonight. “There’s some injuries now, whatnot. I’m not looking too far ahead of myself.”
Four notable defensemen – ... Read the full article
Johan Larsson finished last season as the Sabres’ top center. ©2015, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Dan Bylsma wanted to count them all first. So before the coach talked about the impressive center depth the Sabres have quickly assembled, he rattled off each one on the roster.
When Bylsma stopped, he had named eight: Ryan O’Reilly, No. 2 overall pick Jack Eichel, Zemgus Girgensons, Johan Larsson, David Legwand, Sam Reinhart and Tyler Ennis and Marcus Foligno, two wingers with experience down the middle.... Read the full article
Rasmus Ristolainen (55) battles Arizona’s Craig Cunningham last season. ©2015, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Sabres defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen practiced today and should play in Tuesday’s preseason game against the Toronto Maple Leafs inside the First Niagara Center.
The Sabres suddenly need the Finn, who had been sidelined by a lower-body injury all of training camp, badly. Four defensemen are injured 10 days before opening night.
Zach Bogosian and Josh Gorges are both week-to-week with lower-body injuries, Sabres coach Dan Bylsma said inside HarborCenter. Bogosian was originally labeled ... Read the full article
Justin Bailey was a 2013 second-round pick. ©2015, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – The Sabres have sent 10 players to the Rochester Americans, including Williamsville native Justin Bailey, a wing prospect beginning his first professional season.
The Sabres also sent forwards Nick Baptiste, William Carrier, Dan Catenacci, Jerry D’Amigo, Jean Dupuy Justin Kea, Jack Nevins and Phil Varone and goalie Andrey Makarov to the AHL club. D’Amigo and Varone must clear waivers.
In addition, the Sabres released forward Matt Garbowsky and defenseman Matt Prapavessis from their ... Read the full article
Cal O’Reilly had never played with his brother, Ryan. ©2015, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
TORONTO – Growing up about 140 miles away in Goderich, Ont., Buffalo Sabres center Cal O’Reilly witnessed some epic meltdowns when he beat his younger brother, Ryan, in hockey games.
“When he would lose, he would start throwing stuff – sticks and anything he could get his hands on,” Cal O’Reilly said Friday prior to the Sabres’ 6-4 preseason win against the Maple Leafs, the brothers’ first appearance together as teammates at any level ... Read the full article
Dan Catenacci grew up outside Toronto. ©2015, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
TORONTO – Instead of being in Canada’s largest city for an NHL exhibition game tonight, Buffalo Sabres prospect Brendan Guhle figured he’d likely be playing his first junior game this season about 3,000 kilometers away – hey, check the dateline – in Saskatchewan for the Prince Albert Raiders.
But the defenseman, the 51st pick in June, will play his third straight preseason game tonight against the Maple Leafs inside the Air Canada Centre.
“Good ... Read the full article
Marcus Foligno has showcased flashes of being a top power forward. ©2015, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
TORONTO – Like the coaches before him, Dan Bylsma catches glimpes of Marcus Foligno’s potential watching the 6-foot-3, 226-pound Buffalo Sabres winger on tape. But, Bylsma noted, “How often do you have to watch him?”
Coaches could examine weeks of video before finding a single Foligno highlight.
“You watch him skate and you see his size and you see what he can do on the ice,” Bylsma said Thursday after the Sabres prepared for tonight’s ... Read the full article
Derek Plante was back on the Buffalo ice this morning. ©2015, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – At home in Duluth, Minn., no one knows or cares about the goal. But when Derek Plante occasionally visits here, where he played six seasons for the Sabres, he can’t avoid talking about it.
“Everybody brings up the goal, of course,” Plante said this morning about his Game 7 first-round overtime winner against the Ottawa Senators on April 29, 1997, one of the most famous goals in Sabres history.
Plante quietly enjoyed ... Read the full article