Bylsma - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Rasmus Ristolainen’s overtime winner pushes Sabres past Islanders

BUFFALO – As Kyle Okposo started zooming up the ice on a long two-on-one in overtime Friday, the Sabres winger initially had one thought: shoot the puck.

But when Okposo hit the center red line, he spotted defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen racing into the play from behind.

“I knew I was giving it to him at that point,” Okposo said following the Sabres’ 3-2 comeback win against the New York Islanders, his former team he faced ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Kyle Okposo couldn’t wait to face Islanders

BUFFALO – Months ago, coach Dan Bylsma and Kyle Okposo talked about different scenarios for the Sabres’ big offseason acquisition in the upcoming season.

Bylsma said he wanted Okposo, 28, to understand he didn’t have to carry the load after signing a seven-year, $42 million contract.

During that conversation, Bylsma said Okposo only talked about one game on the 2016-17 schedule – Friday’s tilt against the New York Islanders, the winger’s first meeting against ... Read the full article

Top Sabres could keep seeing fewer minutes

BUFFALO – Sabres center Ryan O’Reilly averages more ice time than any NHL forward – 21 minutes, 50 seconds a game – but the workhorse skated a season-low 17:08 in Tuesday’s 6-3 win against Los Angeles.

Defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen, meanwhile, averages a team-high 26:39 a game, yet only skated 22:04 on Tuesday, his second-lowest total this season.

What happened? A few things.

For starters, the Sabres didn’t kill any penalties and has only one ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Kyle Okposo excited to face Islanders

BUFFALO – A reflective Kyle Okposo couldn’t stop smiling this morning talking about the New York Islanders, a team he said he “grew up” with for nine years.

Okposo, who signed a seven-year, $42 million contract with the Sabres on July 1, will face his old team for the first time tonight.

“I left there and I was a veteran guy, I was one of the guys that had been there the longest,” an excited ... Read the full article

Sabres captain Brian Gionta thriving in 15th season

BUFFALO – Sabres coach Dan Bylsma can’t tell you how old Brian Gionta is, which illustrates how much he cares about his captain’s age.

“I don’t even know,” Bylsma said Thursday after the Sabres prepared for tonight’s tilt against the New York Islanders at KeyBank Center.

Gionta, for the record, is 37 years old, an advanced age when most NHL players are long retired, or, at best, reduced to a bit role.

Occasionally, winger Marcus ... Read the full article

Sabres’ defense finally getting healthy

BUFFALO – A couple of quick updates from HarborCenter, where the Sabres practiced almost an hour today following a day off:

– Zach Bogosian (knee) and Taylor Fedun (shoulder) practiced today, giving the Sabres eight defensemen for the session.

When they return, the Sabres likely won’t keep eight defenders. They might, however, keep seven.

“We haven’t been at that situation the whole year long,” said coach Dan Bylsma, whose Sabres host the New York Islanders ... Read the full article

Ryan O’Reilly ignites Sabres in comeback win over Kings

BUFFALO – For almost 30 minutes Tuesday, KeyBank Center felt like, well, just about every other Sabres home game this season.

The 18,375 fans barely made a peep as the home team, as it often does, generated little offense and fell behind 2-0 to the Los Angeles Kings.

Those goals irked Ryan O’Reilly, especially the first one, a nifty score in which Kings star Anze Kopitar blew by the Sabres center.

“I was just getting ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Kings’ Jordan Nolan speaks up about Standing Rock

BUFFALO – As a two-time Stanley Cup winner with the Los Angeles Kings, Jordan Nolan’s hockey fame has brought him some influence in the First Nations community.

“We’re in a position where a lot of young Native men look up to us,” Nolan said Tuesday prior to the Sabres’ 6-3 win against the Kings inside KeyBank Center. “We’re role models, so I think we have to take that pretty seriously.”

So Nolan, 27, and teammate ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Zach Bogosian nearing return; Goalie Robin Lehner to start

BUFFALO – It was just an innocent play. Early in the Sabres’ 2-1 loss to Minnesota on Nov. 1, defenseman Zach Bogosian said he pinched down in the offensive zone.

“I just caught a rut and my knee just kind of went in,” Bogosian said this morning inside KeyBank Center. “It was kind of a freak thing. … Sometimes the ice will get you. Unfortunately, my knee kind of went the wrong way.”

Bogosian, who ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Cody Franson enjoying heavier workload

BUFFALO – Playing limited minutes would be easier for Sabres defenseman Cody Franson if he enjoyed the comfort of some contract security.

But the affable veteran, whose ice time has recently increased because of injuries, will be a free agent following the season.

Every minute, an opportunity to showcase his talents, is precious.

“I got to be able to show people I’m very capable of playing this role for a full season,” Franson said Monday ... Read the full article