Bill Hoppe - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres’ Cody Eakin injured; Vinnie Hinostroza expected to return Sunday

BUFFALO – Sabres center Cody Eakin suffered an undisclosed injury in Friday’s 5-4 win over the Minnesota Wild and missed this morning’s practice at LECOM Harborcenter.

Coach Don Granato said Eakin, who was undergoing X-rays, hasn’t been ruled out of Sunday afternoon’s game against the Los Angeles Kings.

“We will know more in a couple hours,” Granato said of Eakin’s injury.

... Read the full article

Wild finish: Jeff Skinner’s heroics help Sabres rally for thrilling win

BUFFALO – When the Sabres signed winger Jeff Skinner to an eight-year, $72 million contract, they envisioned dynamic efforts like Friday’s late two-goal outburst in a thrilling 5-4 won over the Minnesota Wild.

After the Sabres blew a third-period lead, Skinner scored twice in a span of 4:40, capitalizing on an odd bounce off the half wall at 12:20 before following his own rebound to the net at 16:40.

“Skinner, obviously, rose to the occasion ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: John Hayden thriving in gritty fourth-line role

BUFFALO – Barring injury, winger John Hayden will establish a new career high in games played later this month. After bouncing around the NHL, often as a spare forward, the Yale product has earned regular duty throughout most his first season with the Sabres.

Hayden, 27, has thrived under Don Granato, a coach he knows well from their days together at the U.S. National Team Development Program and later with the Chicago Blackhawks.

“Donny’s made ... Read the full article

Zemgus Girgensons skates with Sabres, nearing return from injury

BUFFALO – Among all the blue and white on the ice for the Sabres’ optional skate this morning, one jersey, the gold non-contact one worn by winger Zemgus Girgensons, stood out.

For the first time since Jan. 25, Girgensons, 28, skated with his teammates. A lower-body injury has sidelined the Latvian, an alternate captain, 13 straight games and 18 of the last 19 contests. While he won’t play tonight against the Minnesota Wild or ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Jacob Bryson elevating game to new level

BUFFALO – Three weeks ago, as the Sabres began rotating defensemen, coach Don Granato told general manager Kevyn Adams he believed watching a game would help Jacob Bryson.

Getting scratched wasn’t a punishment for poor play. Granato simply wanted to utilize his entire blue line, so for a seven-game stretch, four defensemen – Bryson, Robert Hagg, Mark Pysyk and Mattias Samuelsson – moved in an out.

When Bryson, 24, sat out Feb. 10, he ... Read the full article

Sabres throttle Maple Leafs, end losing streak: ‘They got rewarded’

TORONTO – Prior to Wednesday’s 5-1 victory over the Maple Leafs, the Buffalo Sabres had been mired in a season-worst rut, losing six straight games in regulation. For all the optimism they’ve generated at times this year, the cold reality they’re a rebuilding team destined for another lottery pick has been hitting home.

It hardly felt like they’d snap of their funk against the Leafs, one of the NHL’s hottest and most potent teams. The ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Casey Mittelstadt starting to look better, moves to wing

TORONTO – Casey Mittelstadt admittedly isn’t the most patient guy. Coach Don Granato has often spoken about how the Sabres forward has high expectations for himself.

“Yeah, I’m hard on myself,” Mittelstadt said prior to recording an assist in Wednesday’s 5-1 win over the Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena. “But at the same time, I think that helps me.”

Four and a half months into what was expected to be a breakout season, two significant ... Read the full article

Early adversity helped Sabres star Tage Thompson develop into special talent

TORONTO – Brent Thompson remembers his son, Tage, was beside himself that day almost eight years ago during their five-hour ride home to Long Island.

Tage Thompson, who has emerged as the Buffalo Sabres’ most lethal goal scorer this season, had just been cut from one of USA Hockey’s regional camps, and he left Syracuse angry and shocked.

If Thompson had advanced and earned one of 200 spots for the national camp at the Northtown ... Read the full article

Sabres face stiff challenge in Auston Matthews, scorching Maple Leafs

TORONTO – Having scored 18 goals during their three-game winning streak, including a whopping 10 in one contest, the Maple Leafs are perhaps the NHL’s hottest team.

Meanwhile, the Buffalo Sabres, losers of six straight games, are arguably the league’s coldest club.

For the first time since Dec. 11, the Leafs will have a full house of nearly 19,000 fans tonight in Scotiabank Arena. COVID-19 restrictions forced them to play in a near-empty or half-full ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Jack Quinn practices, nearing return from injury

BUFFALO – When Sabres prospect Jack Quinn suffered a lower-body injury early in his second NHL game Jan. 20, he pushed through and figured it wasn’t that bad.

“I guess I had a lot of adrenaline or whatever,” said Quinn, who scored his first NHL goal later that night and finished the Sabres’ 5-4 loss to the Dallas Stars. “It wouldn’t sideline me, I was thinking, I thought it’d be something I could play through ... Read the full article