WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage
February Edition
Brian Flynn (right) battles Boston’s David Warsofsky on Thursday. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Brian Flynn, the undersized scorer, still wasn’t ready for NCAA hockey. So following two years of prep school, the Sabres center spent a season playing junior in New Hampshire.
“I scored a lot. But then you realize it’s not all about scoring,” Flynn said Friday inside the First Niagara Center after the Sabres prepared for tonight’s game in Boston against the Bruins. “I weighed probably 160 pounds. Trying to go to college (at) ... Read the full article
Cody Hodgson blocked a shot Thursday. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Newly acquired winger Linus Omark will meet the Sabres later today in Boston and play Saturday against the Bruins, interim coach Ted Nolan said.
“He’ll take a spot in the lineup,” Nolan said after the Sabres’ brief practice this morning inside the First Niagara Center. “I’m not 100 percent sure exactly where we’ll put him yet. But he’ll play tomorrow night.”
The Sabres dealt a conditional sixth-round draft pick to Edmonton on Thursday ... Read the full article
Drew Stafford (right) celebrates his go-ahead goal Thursday with Christian Ehrhoff. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Break ‘em up. Not only have the Sabres won consecutive games in regulation for the first time all season, they’ve scored eight goals while wowing crowds again inside a lively First Niagara Center.
The Sabres had eight goals in their previous seven games before starting this mini-streak.
Thursday’s 4-2 triumph versus the Boston Bruins might’ve been the best of their nine victories this trying season.
Against the class of the Eastern Conference, Drew ... Read the full article
Brad Marchand played for Ted Nolan in 2005-06. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Ted Nolan only coached Boston Bruins pest Brad Marchand one season, 88 total games in 2005-06. Still, the year under the interim Sabres coach changed his career.
Marchand was 17 years old, heading into his draft season, when Nolan took over the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s Moncton Wildcats.
“He really helped me understand more about the pro life, how the pros have to play the game and what you have to do ... Read the full article
Pat LaFontaine is acting as general manager while he searches for one. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – The Sabres tonight acquired winger Linus Omark from the Edmonton Oilers for a conditional sixth-round draft pick in 2014.
The flashy 26-year-old has eight goals, 30 points and 34 penalty minutes in 88 NHL contests.
The pick, according to TSN’s Darren Dreger, is based on the number of NHL games the Swede plays.
The Oilers drafted Omark 97th overall in 2007. He played last season in Switzerland before returning to North America.... Read the full article
Boston’s Scott Thornton fights Krys Barch on Dec. 8, 2011. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Sabres tough guy John Scott said he had the same reaction as everyone else after watching Boston enforcer Shawn Thornton slew-foot and attack Pittsburgh’s Brooks Orpik on Saturday.
“It was just kind of not like Shawn Thornton, who’s an honorable guy, good guy,” Scott said this morning after the Sabres prepared for the Bruins inside the First Niagara Center. “I think he probably just got caught up in the moment. I was actually ... Read the full article
John Scott skates as a defenseman this morning. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – John Scott, defenseman? Believe it. The Sabres tough guy could be moving from the wing back to his natural position.
Scott will be a game-time decision tonight against the Boston Bruins, interim Sabres coach Ted Nolan said.
Update: Scott is scratched tonight.
“We’ve been working with him the last couple days,” Nolan said this morning inside the First Niagara Center. “We’ll see. Everybody played well last (game). It depends on the mood ... Read the full article
Matt Ellis is playing on the Sabres’ fourth line. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Today’s NHL is too fast-paced to play two or three lines consistently, interim Sabres coach Ted Nolan said. A balanced attack is needed.
“You need that fourth line to eat up some minutes for you,” Nolan said Wednesday after the Sabres prepared for tonight’s tilt against the Boston Bruins inside the First Niagara Center.
In the best performance by the Sabres’ fourth line in a long time, the hardworking combination of Kevin Porter... Read the full article
The Sabres sent Mark Pysyk down Tuesday. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – OK, so defenseman Mark Pysyk won’t be accompanying the Rochester Americans to Switzerland for the Spengler Cup next week.
“He’ll be back when they leave,” interim Sabres coach Ted Nolan said this afternoon inside the First Niagara Center.
The Amerks leave Monday.
Nolan said Tuesday that Pysyk’s AHL assignment would be brief, although his words made it sound like the 21-year-old, an NHL regular all season, would be playing in the overseas tournament.... Read the full article
Drew Stafford (21) scraps with Winnipeg’s Grant Clitsome on Tuesday. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Just a few weeks ago, if they had fallen behind after frittering away a strong start, the Sabres would’ve been cooked. Heck, they might’ve gotten run out of their own building.
But the bottom-feeding Sabres have slowly been improving under interim coach Ted Nolan. Their game is cleaner. Their efforts are much better. They’re finally responding to adversity.
Tuesday’s exciting 4-2 victory against the Winnipeg Jets, the Sabres’ first triumph this season when ... Read the full article