Benson - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres beat Capitals, finish strong at home: ‘Need to do that next season’

BUFFALO – In a season filled with disappointment, the Sabres improved in at least one critical area down the stretch, becoming a tough team to beat at home.

To wit: Thursday’s 4-2 win over the Washington Capitals in the home finale was their third straight victory at KeyBank Center and boosted their record to 9-3-0 in their last 12 outings.

Overall, the Sabres finished 21-19-1 in their building this season, the first time they finished ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Jack Quinn finding ‘mojo’ after return from injury

BUFFALO – When Sabres winger Jack Quinn made a fast impact upon his return from a torn Achilles in mid-December, he had been skating for two months.

Despite a six-month recovery, Quinn, 22, looked fresh and in mid-season form, scoring two goals in his first three games.

But when Quinn returned last week from a lower-body injury he suffered Jan. 27, he had been skating just a week and a half and practiced once.... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Ryan Johnson earning big minutes with Rochester Amerks

BUFFALO – A confident Ryan Johnson recently returned to the Rochester Americans following an unexpected 41-game stay with the Sabres.

As a first-round pick who played four seasons of college hockey at Minnesota, it’s hardly surprising that Johnson, 22, cracked the NHL as a rookie.

But after earning his first recall Nov. 4, the defenseman showcased poise that belied his limited experience, forcing the Sabres to keep him for more than four months.... Read the full article

UPL stars as Sabres blank Islanders, move toward playoff spot

BUFFALO – OK, now goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and the surging Sabres are making things really interesting.

Thursday’s 4-0 win over the New York Islanders moved them to within three points of the Isles, who own the Eastern Conference’s second wild card spot.

Who would’ve thought last week, when the Sabres dealt leading scorer Casey Mittelstadt and captain Kyle Okposo during their three-game losing streak, they’d suddenly vault into the thick of the playoff chase?... Read the full article

Bowen Byram, surging Sabres destroy Red Wings, move closer to playoff spot

BUFFALO – Imagine, if you will, a Sabres team capable of locking down defensively like it has over the past 10 weeks and possessing the offensive firepower of last season.

Since Jan. 1, thanks largely to the emergence of goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, the Sabres have boasted the NHL’s third-stingiest defense.

Still, as they’ve focused on different areas of their game and matured this season, their offense has suffered. The fast pace they displayed a year ... Read the full article

Following trade, Sabres’ Victor Olofsson earns another chance, scores goal

TORONTO – Prior to Wednesday’s game, Don Granato told Victor Olofsson to talk to him. The Sabres had just traded center Casey Mittelstadt. The coach needed to know if the seldom-used winger was ready to play.

Granato feared Olofsson, having last dressed for a game Feb. 15, could be put in a tough spot.

“He looked at me with 100 percent confidence and said, ‘I’m ready to go,’” Granato said after Olofsson scored the Sabres’ ... Read the full article

Sabres sad, surprised Casey Mittelstadt traded, excited for Bowen Byram

TORONTO – Sooner or later, it was going to happen. Over the past few years, as the Sabres grew into a tight-knit group, their young core remained intact. But as the team evolved and needs materialized and the salary cap became a factor again, someone would have to leave Buffalo.

On Wednesday, two days before the trade deadline, it happened. The Sabres dealt center Casey Mittelstadt, a beloved teammate and their leading scorer, to the ... Read the full article

NHL fines Sabres’ Don Granato $25,000 for outburst directed at officials

The NHL on Thursday fined Buffalo Sabres coach Don Granato $25,000 for “unprofessional conduct directed at the officials” late in Tuesday’s 3-2 road loss to the Florida Panthers.

At the 9:01 mark of the third period, when rookie winger Zach Benson went off for tripping, officials called an unsportsmanlike conduct bench penalty on the Sabres, putting them down two men.

Apparently, Benson’s penalty was the final straw for Granato.

“At some point, you got to ... Read the full article

Sabres can’t put Ducks away in awful loss: ‘Gave them free chances’

BUFFALO – Almost halfway through Monday afternoon’s embarrassing 4-3 loss, the Sabres had the Anaheim Ducks on the ropes.

At that point, the Sabres had dominated the Ducks, outshooting them by about 20 as they generated a slew of prime scoring chances, including some breakaways.

Fourteen seconds after center Tage Thompson’s power-play goal put the Sabres’ up 2-1, the Ducks took another penalty.... Read the full article

Sabres believe Peyton Krebs ready for offensive role; UPL set to return

BUFFALO – The confidence Sabres center Peyton Krebs displayed in grabbing the puck in his own zone, roaring up the ice and undressing a defender at the blue line has taken years to develop.

In junior hockey, sure, Krebs’ skill would allow him take over a game like he did in the second period of Thursday’s 4-0 loss to the Florida Panthers. But in the NHL, Sabres coach Don Granato explained, he has been “building ... Read the full article