Bill Hoppe - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Devon Levi matured as Sabres’ backup goalie, excited to play for Rochester: ‘Happy to be here’

ROCHESTER – As goalie Devon Levi watched game after game, sometimes for more than a week at a time, he embraced the unique experience and lessons serving as the Buffalo Sabres’ backup offered him.

Levi, who on Monday was assigned to the Americans, had never been a No. 2 in his life. So he used the last month or so to learn what he called “a new kind of process.”

“Not playing as much ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Isak Rosen generated offense for Rochester, tried to evolve before recall to Buffalo

ROCHESTER – Don’t let Isak Rosen’s numbers fool you. The four goals and team-leading 13 points the Buffalo Sabres prospect has scored in 14 games illustrate just part of his performance this season.

Rosen, who on Monday was recalled by the Sabres, has been an offensive driver for the Americans in the opening weeks of his third AHL season.

Still, other aspects of the winger’s game need work.... Read the full article

Sabres send Devon Levi to Rochester; Buffalo recalls prospect with Jordan Greenway injured

BUFFALO – Before Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen suffered an injury, Devon Levi played just four of the Sabres’ first 15 games, hardly an ideal workload for a young goalie.

Levi, 22, must play regularly. Starting once over a three-week stretch, as he did after allowing six goals in a loss Oct. 17, doesn’t help him. Having recently added veteran James Reimer from waivers, the Sabres have an established backup option behind Luukkonen, who has recovered from his ... Read the full article

Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin scoring goals, piling up points during streaks

Right now, Buffalo Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin is on an offensive tear, having scored five goals and 14 points in the last 10 games.

In Saturday’s 5-2 road loss to the Philadelphia Flyers, the slick defenseman scored Buffalo’s first goal, a power-play tally that extended his goal streak to four games and his point streak to six contests.

Both streaks are the second-longest of the Swede’s eight-year career.... Read the full article

Sabres recall Jiri Kulich from Rochester

The Buffalo Sabres have recalled rookie forward Jiri Kulich from the Rochester Americans prior to tonight’s road game against the Philadelphia Flyers.

Coach Lindy Ruff told reporters in Philadelphia that Kulich will play tonight. The Sabres summoned Kulich because winger Jordan Greenway left Friday’s practice with an undisclosed injury.... Read the full article

Sabres’ UPL, Tage Thompson won’t play versus Flyers; Jordan Greenway injured

BUFFALO – In Tage Thompson’s absence against the St. Louis Blues, centers Ryan McLeod and Dylan Cozens picked up the slack for the Sabres’ leading scorer.

McLeod scored once and created linemate Alex Tuch’s late tying goal in Thursday’s 4-3 overtime win by deftly feeding him from behind the net.

Earlier in the third period, Cozens knocked down Oskar Sundqvist before racing to the net and converting a rebound. While officials overturned the goal because ... Read the full article

Mature effort helps Sabres rally to beat Blues in OT: ‘Learning the game’

BUFFALO – The competitive balance in the NHL has perhaps never been higher, meaning the difference between the top and bottom teams is slim.

There are no gimme games, as coaches will tell you. Still, this week, two teams – the St. Louis Blues and Montreal Canadiens – limped into KeyBank Center reeling and ripe to be exploited.

The Sabres nearly lost both games.

But forget the Sabres needed to late rally and overtime Thursday ... Read the full article

Sabres’ James Reimer geared up to be back; Tage Thompson, UPL out injured

BUFFALO – On Wednesday night, hours after the Sabres reclaimed him on waivers, goalie James Reimer told his wife, April, he’s looking forward to wearing some matching gear again.

After the Anaheim Ducks claimed him from Buffalo on Oct. 7, Reimer wore the black and red pads he planned on using when the Sabres sported their third jerseys. The red clashed with the Ducks’ orange color scheme.

Instead of a painted mask, he wore a ... Read the full article

Injured Sabres Tage Thompson and UPL could face Blues; Mattias Samuelsson out long-term

BUFFALO – Sabres center Tage Thompson and goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen both missed Wednesday’s practice and are day to day with their respective injuries. Coach Lindy Ruff said they could play in tonight’s home game against the St. Louis Blues.

That’s the good news for the Sabres. The bad? Ruff said the lower-body injury defenseman Mattias Samuelsson suffered in Monday afternoon’s 7-5 loss to the Montreal Canadiens will sideline him “weeks.” The injury, however, isn’t season-ending.... Read the full article

Sabres boost goalie depth by claiming James Reimer on waivers

BUFFALO – Goalie James Reimer is back with the Sabres after a five-week stint playing for the Anaheim Ducks.

The Sabres on Wednesday reclaimed Reimer on waivers from the Ducks, who took the veteran Oct. 7 after Buffalo put him on the wire.

Anaheim goalie John Gibson’s recent return from an appendectomy made Reimer, 36, expendable. Reimer played two games for the Ducks, compiling a 0-2-0 mark with a 4.50 goals-against average and an .864 ... Read the full article