Bill Hoppe - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres goalie Chad Johnson earns start against Sharks

BUFFALO – In his sixth NHL start Thursday, rookie goalie Linus Ullmark dazzled again, stopping 38 shots in the Sabres’ 3-2 win in Florida. But two nights earlier in Tampa Bay, Chad Johnson looked sharp throughout the Sabres’ 4-1 win, making 31 stops.

So which netminder will Sabres coach Dan Bylsma use tonight against the San Jose Sharks inside the First Niagara Center? Johnson will make his 12^th appearance this season.

“I think for ... Read the full article

Significant wins have Sabres primed to go over .500

BUFFALO – Eighteen NHL teams, including nine in the Eastern Conference and four in the Atlantic Division, have more points than the Sabres’ 16. At 8-8, they’re one of 20 clubs at .500 or better.

On the surface, and without fully understanding their recent turbulent past, the Sabres’ start might look a bit pedestrian. But having won three straight games and six of eight, they’ve roared back into the playoff picture. In the last two ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Zach Bogosian practices; Mike Weber having knee surgery

BUFFALO – Just how antsy was defenseman Zach Bogosian to join his Sabres teammates for practice at noon today?

“I was here at like 8 o’clock, I think,” Bogosian said this afternoon after skating inside the First Niagara Center. “I was a little excited. It’s nice to be around the guys.”

Bogosian, who’s been sidelined with a lower-body injury since the third day of training camp, is finally nearing a return. While there’s no timetable ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Tyler Ennis knows he can improve

BUFFALO – When Dan Bylsma and Tyler Ennis discuss the speedy Sabres winger’s play, the coach rarely has to give the young veteran his opinion.

That’s because Ennis, who can often be critical of his own game, usually beats Bylsma to the punch.

“He tells me the same thing he’s told you,” Bylsma said Monday following practice inside the First Niagara Center. “I know (he’s) probably been a little hard on himself a handful of ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Zach Bogosian progressing

BUFFALO – When general manager Tim Murray pulls the trigger on the Zach Bogosian trade, coach Dan Bylsma joked, it’ll help the Sabres.

After all, the Sabres will be receiving a minute-munching first-pair defenseman.

“It’ll be a good trade made when Tim makes it,” Bylsma cracked this afternoon inside the First Niagara Center.

Fourteen games into the season, Bogosian, who suffered a lower-body injury early in training camp, is still sidelined. There is, however, some ... Read the full article

Rasmus Ristolainen’s late goal pushes Sabres past Canucks

BUFFALO – There were still 16.8 seconds left on the clock, but Rasmus Ristolainen figured what the heck, his second goal of the game, the winner in the Sabres’ exciting 3-2 victory against goalie Ryan Miller’s Vancouver Canucks, needed to be celebrated wildly.

So the defenseman skated to center ice, slid down on his knees and yelled out as the capacity crowd of 19,070 fans roared Saturday afternoon. Tyler Ennis, whose dynamic effort created the ... Read the full article

Sabres fans and goalie Ryan Miller salute each other

BUFFALO – Ryan Miller wanted to thank everyone in the building. So when the stirring video tribute honoring the former Sabres goalie ended Saturday afternoon, he skated out from his crease, raised his stick and turned around as he applauded the crowd that was roaring for him.

“I can take a second to turn around and make sure everyone knows it’s everybody and not just raising the stick,” Miller said following the Vancouver Canucks’ 3-2 ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Ryan O’Reilly and Tyler Ennis to be broken up

BUFFALO – Ryan O’Reilly and Tyler Ennis, the Sabres’ top center-wing duo all season, will be broken up to start this afternoon’s game against the Vancouver Canucks, coach Dan Bylsma said.

“There’s not a lot to it,” Bylsma said this morning. “Tyler’s pressing a little bit in certain circumstances, certain situations. I think maybe just a different look for our line in terms of possibly playing a team that has one line that’s their top ... Read the full article

Former Sabres goalie Ryan Miller’s heart remains in Buffalo

BUFFALO – Part of what makes this city a great place, former Sabres goalie Ryan Miller believes, is once you show people who you are and they accept you, Buffalo will always be a part of your life.

Miller, whose Vancouver Canucks face the Sabres this afternoon, spent nine seasons in Buffalo not only as the starting goalie, but as a face of the franchise in the community.

“A lot of guys have been asking ... Read the full article

Former Sabres goalie Ryan Miller ready for emotional return

BUFFALO – So far, Ryan Miller’s first visit here since the Sabres traded him Feb. 28, 2014 has been “a little surreal” and “a little bit emotional,” the goalie said this afternoon.

Of course, Miller, the Sabres’ franchise cornerstone for almost 10 seasons, is excited to be back. He’ll play his first game as opponent here Saturday afternoon with the Vancouver Canucks.

As usual, Miller, who talked to the media after the Canucks practiced this ... Read the full article