Arizona Coyotes - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres look sluggish in loss to Coyotes: ‘We wanted an easier game’

BUFFALO – Barely 20 seconds into Tuesday’s 4-1 loss to the Arizona Coyotes, Sabres defenseman Owen Power left the puck behind the net, and his partner, Kale Clague, overskated it, creating an easy goal for Lawson Crouse.

The gaffe turned out to be a harbinger for the Sabres, who looked disjointed and sluggish throughout the night, often drawing the ire of the announced crowd of 10,296 fans at KeyBank Center.

The Sabres’ third straight loss ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Kale Clague earning keep on blue line; Rasmus Dahlin returns

BUFFALO – In his previous stops, Sabres defenseman Kale Clague couldn’t always play aggressively. That often neutralized his skating, his greatest strength.

The Sabres, however, want to attack and push the pace. If players make mistakes, coach Don Granato and his staff can live with them.

“The system (here) allows me to be aggressive, whereas maybe some teams prior I’ve been a little bit more on my heels a little bit, based on that,” Clague ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Rasmus Dahlin set to play after one-game absence

BUFFALO – Rasmus Dahlin’s absence last game wasn’t just related to getting sucker punched in the face by the Carolina Hurricanes’ Jesperi Kotkaniemi.

“It was an accident after,” the Sabres defenseman said this morning of the upper-body injury that sidelined him Saturday. “I was hit kind of late. My neck was a little bit off. I don’t know, it was a mix of everything. So it wasn’t that situation.”

Dahlin, 22, will return for tonight’s ... Read the full article

With Rasmus Dahlin, other Sabres hurt, Owen Power displaying star qualities

BUFFALO – Sooner than later, Sabres rookie Owen Power was expected to play mega minutes and emerge as a workhorse on the blue line.

But just 20 games into his NHL career? Well, Power skated a personal-high 28 minutes, 14 seconds in Saturday’s 5-3 road loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Through 12 outings this season entering tonight’s contest against the Arizona Coyotes at KeyBank Center, he has averaged 23 minutes, 9 seconds of ice ... Read the full article

Craig Anderson backstops Sabres past Coyotes to cap ‘chaotic day’

By 7 p.m. Saturday, the chaos the Buffalo Sabres had experienced earlier in the day became an afterthought. They could forget about COVID-19 and finally play their game.

As Sabres goalie Craig Anderson, 40, settled into his crease for the first time in 88 days following the national anthem, the energy he felt inside the rink brought back a special feeling.

“That’s kind of the moment where you’re like, ‘All right, this is still enjoyable, ... Read the full article

Sabres awaiting retest results following several positive COVID-19 tests

Several members of the Buffalo Sabres tested positive for COVID-19 prior to tonight’s road game against the Arizona Coyotes, coach Don Granato said.

“Every one of those is retesting, and the only one that we’ve gotten back has returned negative,” Granato said on a Zoom call this afternoon following the Sabres’ pregame skate. “So obviously a pretty active situation. I can tell you all of these test that have gone through, everybody feels normal.”

Sabres ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Alex Tuch responding to new challenges, piling up points

BUFFALO – In Vegas, Sabres newcomer Alex Tuch played a supporting role on one of the NHL’s deepest teams. The Golden Knights possess high-end talent in Jonathan Marchessault, Max Pacioretty, Alex Pietrangelo, Mark Stone and others.

Tuch, 25, could blend in as a second- or third-liner for the Golden Knights, a team built to win the Stanley Cup right now.

“All the pressure that’s on that team to win and go for the Cup, ... Read the full article

Sabres’ goalie crisis worsens as Michael Houser enters COVID-19 protocol

BUFFALO – The Sabres’ goalie crisis reached a critical level Friday afternoon when the team placed Michael Houser in the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol.

Houser, 29, was the team’s only healthy goalie prior to entering protocol. He started practicing Friday morning inside LECOM Harborcenter before leaving the session.

Houser is the sixth goalie the Sabres have lost to injury, illness or suspension.

The Sabres flew Friday afternoon to Arizona, where they continue their road trip tonight ... Read the full article

Sabres win again, starting to establish identity: ‘We are harder to play against’

BUFFALO – Forget about the Sabres’ 2-0 record. Any NHL team can win two consecutive games, especially at home.

The identity the Sabres have started to establish within those games under coach Don Granato is the important part. So far, they’re playing an up-tempo, tenacious brand of hockey.

It proves those victories could be a harbinger.

“We are harder to play against,” Sabres center Cody Eakin said after scoring a power-play goal in Saturday afternoon’s ... Read the full article

Sabres add new defenseman, claim Christian Wolanin off waivers

BUFFALO – The Sabres added depth to their defense corps today, claiming Christian Wolanin off waivers from the Los Angeles Kings.

The move comes a day after the Sabres announced they will be without defenseman Henri Jokiharju for at least two weeks after he suffered a lower-body injury in Thursday’s 5-1 season-opening win over the Montreal Canadiens.

With Jokiharju injured, the Sabres had only six defensemen on the roster before claiming Wolanin.

To make room ... Read the full article