Bylsma - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres can’t complete comeback against Penguins

PITTSBURGH – A year or two ago, as the Buffalo Sabres rebuilt their lineup from the ground up, a game like their exciting 4-3 loss to the Penguins on Thursday would’ve turned into an utter annihilation.

But against a team that usually destroys them, the Sabres roared back from an early 2-0 deficit inside the Consol Energy Center, their personal house of horrors, tying it before the first period ended.

When the Penguins went up ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Mike Weber understands role well

PITTSBURGH – By now, after years and years of getting scratched, gritty veteran Mike Weber knows sitting out occasionally accompanies his role as the Buffalo Sabres’ sixth or seventh defenseman.

“You never want to come out,” Weber said Thursday, “so I understand it’s kind of unfortunately built into my role for reasons unknown. … I just continue to come to the rink determined to work hard and be a good teammate, and when I get ... Read the full article

Sabres hope they can close gap against Penguins

PITTSBURGH – Just how lopsided did contests between the Penguins and the Sabres become as Buffalo infamously fielded a less-than-stellar lineup for two seasons?

Well, the Penguins have outscored the Sabres 25-3 in their six straight victories against them!

Last year, they throttled the Sabres 5-0, 6-1 and 2-0. Yes, the Sabres scored once in 180 minutes of hockey.

The Sabres haven’t beaten the Penguins since a 4-2 triumph here April 23, 2013.

These days, ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Dan Bylsma knows return to Pittsburgh will be emotional

PITTSBURGH – There are no hard feelings, Buffalo Sabres coach Dan Bylsma said. For five and a half seasons, he enjoyed a heck of a ride leading the Penguins, winning a Stanley Cup just months after taking over the job in 2009.

That they let him twist in the wind at the end of another disappointing season, refusing to fire him for three weeks after letting general manager Ray Shero go, doesn’t matter.

“I don’t ... Read the full article

Sabres goalie Chad Johnson rebounds; Jack Eichel ready for Sidney Crosby

PITTSBURGH – Buffalo Sabres goalie Chad Johnson embraces a simple philosophy following poor outings: Don’t panic, just stick with it.

“I think when you start sitting down and being like, ‘OK, I got to change this, change that, get out here and do this,’ now you’re overthinking instead of saying it was one of those days,” Johnson said Wednesday inside the Consol Energy Center.

Johnson, 29, experienced one of those days Friday, looking shaky in ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Dan Bylsma has no hard feelings toward Penguins

PITTSBURGH – There are no hard feelings, Buffalo Sabres coach Dan Bylsma said. For five and a half years, he enjoyed a heck of a ride coaching the Penguins, winning a Stanley Cup in 2009.

That they let him twist in the wind at the end, refusing to fire him before eventually letting him go, doesn’t matter.

“I don’t think there needs to be any reconciliation,” Bylsma said this afternoon inside the Consol Energy Center. ... Read the full article

Sabres know Evander Kane’s loss will hurt

BUFFALO – The bad news, in some odd way, was still good for the struggling Sabres. A left MCL injury will only sideline winger Evander Kane four to six weeks, coach Dan Bylsma said.

At least the former 30-goal scorer will play again this season.

After New Jersey’s David Schlemko hit Kane hard into the corner boards late Saturday in the Sabres’ 4-3 loss, it appeared he might be finished as he writhed in pain ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Evander Kane out 4-6 weeks with MCL injury

BUFFALO – A left MCL injury will sideline Sabres winger Evander Kane four to six weeks, coach Dan Bylsma said this afternoon.

So a 2-6 team with only 15 goals all season is now missing arguably its most natural goal scorer.

Bylsma said he didn’t know if the injury is a sprain. Kane doesn’t need surgery.

“It could’ve been a lot worse,” Bylsma said inside the First Niagara Center. “I don’t know if I sighed ... Read the full article

Sabres lose game to Devils, Evander Kane to injury

BUFFALO – It’s not even Halloween, and the Sabres’ season is already starting to fall apart.

If losing for sixth time in eight tries wasn’t bad enough, winger Evander Kane left the Sabres’ 4-3 loss to the New Jersey Devils with what appeared to be a left knee injury after David Schlemko hit him hard into the corner boards with 9:31 left in the game.

Kane, perhaps the Sabres’ most natural goal scorer, stayed down ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Ryan O’Reilly rarely satisfied with efforts

BUFFALO – The scene repeats itself after nearly every Sabres loss.

Inevitably, center Ryan O’Reilly will face a hoard of cameras in the dressing room, lament his miscues and take some responsibility for the defeat.

“It’s something I like about myself,” O’Reilly said about pressure Saturday prior to scoring a goal and two assists in the Sabres’ 4-3 loss to the New Jersey Devils. “I think I have to be that way. … Whether it’s ... Read the full article