Bill Hoppe - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres’ Kyle Okposo out indefinitely with concussion

BUFFALO – Concerns over Kyle Okposo’s second concussion in less than a year are heightened since the Sabres winger was hospitalized in intensive care after suffering one last March.

The Sabres announced this morning a concussion Okposo suffered when he collided with Senators winger Bobby Ryan will sideline him indefinitely.... Read the full article

Sabres’ Kyle Okposo leaves game with upper-body injury

Buffalo Sabres winger Kyle Okposo left Thursday’s 4-3 shootout win in Ottawa with an upper-body injury after colliding with Senators winger Bobby Ryan.

“Upper-body injury, we’ll know more tomorrow,” Sabres coach Phil Housley replied to reporters when asked if Okposo entered concussion protocol following the second-period collision. “Just one of those freak things.”... Read the full article

Sabres fall behind early, lose to Flames

BUFFALO – Eight hours before the Calgary Flames throttled his team 5-1, coach Phil Housley talked about the Sabres’ need to match their opponent’s desperation.

The Flames came into town reeling, losers of four straight games and seven of the last nine. Without injured No. 1 goalie Mike Smith, they’ve fallen out of a playoff spot.

“They’re three points out of a playoff spot, they’re talking about this as their season, these next two games ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Seth Griffith moves in, Danny O’Regan scratched

BUFFALO – In the AHL, Seth Griffith morphs into a different player. Over the past three seasons, the Sabres winger has been one of the league’s most lethal scorers, compiling 47 goals and 155 points in 131 outings.

During Griffith’s early-season NHL run, he mustered only two goals and three points in 18 games. Then, not surprisingly, he went on a tear with the Rochester Americans, scoring 13 goals and 34 points in 36 ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Seth Griffith confident after stint with Amerks

Sabres recall Danny O’Regan; Benoit Pouliot moves to center

BUFFALO – Nine days after the Sabres acquired Danny O’Regan from the San Jose Sharks, they recalled the forward from the Rochester Americans this morning.

So, O’Regan will play tonight against the Calgary Flames, right? Well, not exactly.

Winger Seth Griffith will return after a one-game absence. Meanwhile, with center Kyle Criscuolo (upper body) out, Benoit Pouliot, a winger all season, will skate in the middle.

... Read the full article

Sabres’ Chad Johnson one of NHL’s hottest goalies

BUFFALO – When Chad Johnson hit free agency last summer, the goalie said he could’ve pursued opportunities to join teams much better than the Sabres.

Ultimately, Johnson said his heart led to him re-signing here as a backup following a season with his hometown Calgary Flames, tonight’s opponent at KeyBank Center.

Johnson, 31, said he trusted new Sabres general manager Jason Botterill and the organization.

... Read the full article

Sabres’ Rasmus Ristolainen on argument: ‘It was funny’

BUFFALO – Sabres defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen has watched the video of his argument with Toronto Maple Leafs center Nazem Kadri from their respective penalty boxes.

“It was funny,” Ristolainen, who fought Kadri early in the second period of Monday’s 5-3 win, said this morning inside KeyBank Center.

Ristolainen said he “just exchanged a couple words with him, that’s it.”

... Read the full article

Sabres’ Kyle Criscuolo out four to six weeks with upper-body injury

BUFFALO – Sabres center Kyle Criscuolo will miss four to six weeks after suffering an upper-body injury in Monday’s 5-3 win against Toronto, the team announced today.

The injury, of course, is a blow to the entire organization. Criscuolo, who was recalled Sunday, is one of the Rochester Americans’ leading scorers with 15 goals and 34 points in 50 games. The Harvard product certainly would’ve been returned to the Amerks for the AHL playoffs ... Read the full article

Sabres start fast, beat Maple Leafs

BUFFALO – In an otherwise awful season, the Sabres and their fans can look forward to this: Monday’s entertaining 5-3 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs was just the first tilt between the longtime rivals.

The Sabres play the Leafs three more times over their next 13 contests. Just ask Leafs center Nazem Kadri.

Kadri appeared to correct Sabres defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen on the number of game left during an argument from their respective ... Read the full article