Butcher - Buffalo Hockey Beat

COVID-19 keeps hitting Sabres; Ethan Prow could make NHL debut

BUFFALO – Make that four. In addition to forwards Peyton Krebs, JJ Peterka and Alex Tuch, it appears another player, defenseman Ethan Prow, will be making his Sabres debut tonight.

Like Peterka, Prow, 29, has never played in the NHL. Ironically, Peterka and Prow were teammates last season with Red Bull Munich, a Deutsche Eishockey Liga team.

The Sabres this morning recalled Prow to the taxi squad and Casey Fitzgerald to the active roster because ... Read the full article

Alex Tuch set to make Sabres debut; Tage Thompson misses practice

BUFFALO – The date Sabres winger Alex Tuch underwent shoulder surgery is seared in his mind.

“Two days less than five months since surgery,” Tuch said following this morning’s practice inside KeyBank Center. “It’s been a long road.”

That road is about to end. Coach Don Granato said today that Tuch will play his first game with the Sabres, the team he adored growing up in Baldwinsville, on Monday against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

“He’s ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Malcolm Subban dazzles in OT loss; Casey Fitzgerald strong in debut

PITTSBURGH – Having spent his entire NHL career as a backup, Sabres goalie Malcolm Subban is conditioned for busy stretches like he experienced early in Friday’s 3-2 overtime loss to the Penguins.

Playing second fiddle means often receiving the worst assignments. On Friday, the Sabres completed a back-to-back and closed a dizzying stretch of three road games in four nights. After beating the Minnesota Wild 3-2 in a shootout Thursday, they arrived in Pittsburgh at ... Read the full article

Sabres being careful with two players sidelined by non-COVID illness

PITTSBURGH – The concern over the growing number of positive COVID-19 cases forced the NHL on Friday to postpone games involving the Colorado Avalanche and Florida Panthers through Dec. 26.

So Wednesday’s Buffalo Sabres home game against the Avalanche has been shelved. No makeup date has been announced for the Sabres’ first COVID-related postponement this season.

The NHL on Friday also extended the Calgary Flames’ postponements through Thursday.

COVID is tearing through the NHL. The ... Read the full article

Sabres offer Malcolm Subban chance to earn more playing time

PITTSBURGH – After spending four straight years in the NHL, Buffalo Sabres goalie Malcolm Subban suddenly found himself in the minors again this season.

The Chicago Blackhawks’ acquisition of Marc-Andre Fleury dropped Subban, 27, to the AHL, where he shared the net with Collin Delia and Arvid Soderblom.

Playing time, of course, was limited, and Subban only made only five appearances with the Rockford IceHogs before the Sabres acquired him Dec. 2.

So Subban, who’s ... Read the full article

Goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen making strong case to stick with Sabres

BUFFALO – Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen’s stay here figured to be short. In the midst of a goaltending crisis, it appeared the Finn might play a few games before the Sabres returned him to the minors, where he would continue his development.

But Luukkonen, a prospect considered the Sabres’ goalie of the future, has been making a very strong case to stay put when some netminders are ready to play.

Luukkonen, 22, performed superbly in three starts ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Casey Mittelstadt expected to return this season after having surgery

BUFFALO – Sabres center Casey Mittelstadt underwent successful surgery today to repair his upper-body injury, coach Don Granato said.

Granato said the Sabres don’t have a timeline for Mittelstadt’s return. He expects the Mittelstadt, who visited a specialist Thursday, will play again this season.

Mittelstadt, 23, suffered his second upper-body injury this season about six minutes into the third period of Tuesday’s 2-0 loss to the Anaheim Ducks. After getting injured opening night, he missed ... Read the full article

Sabres turn to Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen; Malcolm Subban skates after injury

BUFFALO – As expected, the struggling Sabres will change goalies tonight against the Anaheim Ducks, awarding prospect Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen his first start this season.

Having played four games late last year, Luukkonen developed a feel of the NHL. The Finn performed well, winning his debut and posting a .906 save percentage.

“The hope is when you put him in there’s an element of relaxed to him, a comfort,” Sabres coach Don Granato said following this ... Read the full article

Sabres’ defense keeps reeling in loss; Malcolm Subban injured in debut

After Saturday’s 6-2 loss, the Buffalo Sabres have allowed 20 goals during their three-game losing streak. They’ve given up at least five goals in seven of their last nine contests and 46 total – a whopping 5.1 an outing – during that stretch of futility.

Having been scored on 90 times through 24 games, they’re on pace to give up 308 goals, a stunning number would tie the franchise’s all-time mark for most goals against ... Read the full article

Sabres excited to add goalie Malcolm Subban after losing Dustin Tokarski

As Craig Anderson’s absence neared the one-month mark, many observers wondered when the Buffalo Sabres would address their goaltending.

While Dustin Tokarski has subbed admirably, he had never shouldered such a heavy workload in the NHL until last month. With backup Aaron Dell struggling, the Sabres have been running Tokarski ragged.

The Sabres needed another goalie, and on Thursday, shortly before Tokarski entered the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol, they found one, acquiring Malcolm Subban from the ... Read the full article