Bill Hoppe - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Injury gave Sabres’ Mattias Samuelsson chance to reset mentally, find game

BUFFALO – Looking back on it, Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson considers the lower-body injury he suffered earlier this season to be a blessing in disguise.

A few months ago, Samuelsson, 24, acknowledged he was “just in my head about a lot of things.”

“Worrying about things we can’t control,” he told the Times Herald following Thursday’s practice in KeyBank Center. “When you’re like that, you’re obviously not playing your best and not playing free.”

... Read the full article

Ryan McLeod’s three goals help Sabres beat Hurricanes; Buffalo records zero shots in odd third period

BUFFALO – In these parts, there are rarely normal games. The Sabres, you see, often make things interesting. They like to do things differently.

In beating the Carolina Hurricanes 4-2 on Wednesday, they took a 3-0 lead into the third period before gutting out a much-needed win despite recording zero shots on goal in the final 20 minutes.

How did the Sabres score late without the benefit of a shot? Well, as center Ryan McLeod ... Read the full article

Former Sabres goalie Dustin Tokarski thriving with Hurricanes

BUFFALO – About to turn 35, an advanced age for a goalie, and coming off a season in which he played just 24 games for the Rochester Americans, Dustin Tokarski found few suitors on the open market.

Finally, in September, Tokarski signed a tryout to attend the Ottawa Senators’ training camp.

When the Senators released the former Sabres backup at the end of camp, he went home to Saskatchewan.

“Just waiting for an opportunity, and ... Read the full article

Injured Sabres rookie Jiri Kulich close to playing

BUFFALO – Sabres winger Jiri Kulich, who has missed the last two games with a lower-body injury, participated in this morning’s optional pregame skate and could play as soon as Friday, coach Lindy Ruff said.

“Friday’s a longshot but should be good to go after that,” Ruff said of the Sabres’ home game against the Pittsburgh Penguins. “But I wouldn’t rule out Friday, either.”

If Kulich, 20, doesn’t play Friday, he could return for ... Read the full article

Even amid tough season, trading Dylan Cozens makes little sense for Sabres

BUFFALO – Three days later, center Dylan Cozens still felt the sting of Saturday afternoon’s embarrassing 6-2 loss, an ugly game in which he registered a ghastly minus-4 rating as the Sabres blew an early two-goal lead.

As he has matured over his five-year NHL career, Cozens, an emotional competitor, said he has learned to stop dwelling on poor games.

“Or else it will just eat at you and kind of take over,” the ... Read the full article

Rasmus Dahlin growing into new role as Sabres captain, on offensive tear

BUFFALO – On Sunday, a day off for the Sabres, captain Rasmus Dahlin put on his snowsuit and cheered on the Bills during their 31-7 thumping of the Denver Broncos at Highmark Stadium.

With Saturday afternoon’s ugly 6-2 loss still fresh in his mind, the AFC Wild Card game in chilly Orchard Park offered Dahlin a bit of a diversion amid the Sabres’ struggles.

“Trying to get my mind off hockey for a day,” Dahlin ... Read the full article

Sabres blow another lead, implode late in loss to Kraken: ‘Hard one to explain’

BUFFALO – Don’t blame the Sabres’ problems on talent. They possess plenty of it. No, their sorry standing and penchant for blowing multi-goal leads can be traced to between the ears.

They’re fragile mentally, and at the first sign of adversity they often crumble.

Saturday afternoon’s embarrassing 6-2 loss to the hapless Seattle Kraken, a game in which the Sabres led 2-0 in the first period, only reinforced that.

“Mental, all mental,” captain Rasmus Dahlin ... Read the full article

Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen recapturing elite form of last season

BUFFALO – In winning five of his last seven starts, goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has reemerged as the Sabres’ backbone, helping them shake off a disastrous stretch in which they plummeted to the Eastern Conference basement.

Over the past three weeks, the Finn has regularly showcased the stellar form that made him one of the NHL’s elite netminders throughout the second half of last season.

Luukkonen was at his best in Thursday’s 4-0 road win over ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Mattias Samuelsson likely to miss game against Kraken

BUFFALO – Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said defenseman Mattias Samuelsson is “still pretty sick” and likely won’t play in this afternoon’s home game against the Seattle Kraken.

Samuelsson missed Thursday’s 4-0 road win over the Ottawa Senators. The Sabres had him travel back to Buffalo separately from the team.

In other news, winger Beck Malenstyn, who has missed the last two games because of illness, practiced Friday but likely won’t play today.

... Read the full article

After feeling ‘little bit lost’ in his game, Sabres’ Alex Tuch busts out of slump

BUFFALO – As his slump dragged on and the losses piled up, Sabres winger Alex Tuch said he felt “a little bit lost” in his own game.

Tuch, 28, believes he often played too conservatively, focusing on his defense. He was simply trying not to be scored against before getting off the ice.

“Especially when you lose, you either go too far on your offense, too far on the defensive, and I think I wasn’t ... Read the full article