Bill Hoppe - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Loss to Penguins still painful for Sabres

BUFFALO – It lingered. This morning, less than a day after the Sabres imploded again, blowing an early three-goal lead, the 4-3 loss in Pittsburgh still stung.

“This game should be painful, one we got to learn and get better from as a result,” Sabres coach Dan Bylsma said this afternoon following a team meeting inside KeyBank Center.

Remember, the Sabres, whose playoff hopes are hanging by a thread, have frittered away third-period leads and ... Read the full article

Sabres blow lead, lose late to Penguins

PITTSBURGH – For one period Sunday, everything went right for the Buffalo Sabres.

They jumped out to a seemingly commanding lead, scoring three times by the 18:07 mark. The Penguins, meanwhile, couldn’t beat Sabres goalie Anders Nilsson, who stopped all 13 first-period shots. One Penguins goal was called back following a review. They also hit a post.

Still, a 3-0 advantage hardly felt commanding.

The reeling Sabres have a penchant for blowing late leads. The ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Justin Falk replaces injured Dmitry Kulikov

PITTSBURGH – For more than two weeks, as Buffalo Sabres defenseman Justin Falk sat out seven straight games as a healthy scratch, the 28-year-old still felt some rare comfort.

Falk, of course, wanted to play badly. But the one-year contract extension the journeyman signed Feb. 6 softened the blow of leaving the lineup following more than three months of near-regular duty.

“It does definitely makes things a little bit easier when your out of the ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Justin Falk in for injured Dmitry Kulikov

PITTSBURGH – A month ago, the Buffalo Sabres awarded defenseman Justin Falk a one-year contract extension because the 28-year-old, a quiet offseason addition, provided some strong depth as the injuries ravaged the blue line.

Then the defense corps got healthy, leaving Falk the odd man out again for seven games.

But with defenseman Dmitry Kulikov out with an upper-body injury for this afternoon’s tilt against the Penguins, Falk will play his first game since Feb. ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Dan Bylsma believes Sidney Crosby still NHL’s best

PITTSBURGH – For years, as Sidney Crosby kept producing Hall of Fame numbers despite battling a concussion that threatened to derail his career, Buffalo Sabres coach Dan Bylsma heard the same questions about the Penguins superstar.

“I got the question, ‘Is he playing as good as he ever has? Is he not playing as good as he ever has? Is he better now than he was two years ago?’” said Bylsma, who coached Crosby six ... Read the full article

Sabres goalie Robin Lehner’s shootout struggles continue in loss to Lightning

BUFFALO – To Sabres goalie Robin Lehner, shootouts are “different.” Players have all the time they need, allowing them to speed up, slow down and try things that wouldn’t be allowed in regular play.

“It’s not hockey,” Lehner said following Saturday’s 2-1 shootout loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning before 18,935 fans inside KeyBank Center.

It might not be regular hockey, but it still counts, and Lehner has been brutal in shootouts all season, ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Evan Rodrigues earning keep

BUFFALO – On a team featuring 11 veterans earning more than $3 million, Evan Rodrigues, a rookie 15 games into his NHL career, was arguably the Sabres’ best player during two wretched road losses last weekend.

Let that sink in.

“It’s a little disappointing Rodrigues is one of our best players,” Sabres general manager Tim Murray said Wednesday. “It’s great for him. But I’m not sure that’s what should’ve happened in those two games.”... Read the full article

Sabres’ Evan Rodrigues now NHL regular

BUFFALO – On a team featuring 11 veterans earning more than $3 million, Evan Rodrigues, a rookie 14 games into his NHL career, was arguably the Sabres’ best player during two wretched road losses last weekend.

“It’s a little disappointing Rodrigues is one of our best players,” Sabres general manager Tim Murray said earlier this week. “It’s great for him. But I’m not sure that’s what should’ve happened in those two games.”

Still, the ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Kyle Okposo week-to-week; Nick Deslauriers moves into lineup

BUFFALO – With leading scorer Kyle Okposo week-to-week after hurting his ribs, instead of recalling a forward, the Sabres will dress Nick Deslauriers for tonight’s tilt against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Deslauriers, a healthy scratch the last four games, has zero points this season. Okposo has 19 goals and 43 points.

The Sabres can’t exactly fill Okposo’s void.

Sabres coach Dan Bylsma said Okposo has the same injury winger Evander Kane suffered opening night, meaning ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Jack Eichel enjoying career-best stretch

BUFFALO – Sabres center Jack Eichel understands his history of scoring and penchant for shooting the puck has helped label him a goal scorer.

After all, the talented American has scored 39 times in his short career. In only 43 games this season, he has pumped a whopping 173 shots on goal, the NHL’s highest total since his season debut.

Still, Eichel, 20, said when he gets the puck on his stick, his first ... Read the full article