Clifton - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Despite missed chances, Sabres keep forging identity in loss to Canadiens

BUFFALO – The final result, a 3-2 shootout loss to the Montreal Canadiens, stings. The Sabres squandered opportunities all night, pumping a season-high 48 shots on goal and failing to convert six power plays, including one that carried into overtime.

In Saturday’s shootout, they needed one stop to secure back-to-back wins for just the second time this season.

Still, in losing for the sixth time in eight outings (2-5-1), the Sabres at least carried over ... Read the full article

Sabres hope brief NHL experience will help prospect Matt Savoie in junior

BUFFALO – In the heat of a close game, with two precious points at stake, Sabres coach Don Granato did not feel comfortable putting prospect Matt Savoie on the ice.

So in his NHL debut, Friday’s 3-2 win over the Minnesota Wild, Savoie, 19, skated just 3 minutes, 55 seconds over five shifts. He did not play in the third period.

On Saturday, the Sabres sent Savoie, who missed all of training camp, back to ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Matt Savoie excelling with Amerks during conditioning loan

BUFFALO – By about 9:30 tonight, Sabres prospect Matt Savoie will have completed his sixth game with the Rochester Americans and his 14-day AHL conditioning loan will be over.

Savoie, 19, has fit in nicely, establishing himself as one of the Amerks’ top scoring threats while showcasing the talents that made him the ninth overall pick in 2022. Staying in Rochester would likely buoy the forward’s development.

But as a teenager whose rights are owned ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Rasmus Dahlin wants to wear neck guard again

BUFFALO – Sweden mandates that hockey players wear neck guards, so Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin wore one growing up and during his short stint playing pro.

Dahlin, 23, grew accustomed to the protection – “I had no problem with it,” he said – and considered it part of his normal equipment.

“I got here (in 2018) and then I somehow stopped using them,” Dahlin said following Thursday’s practice in KeyBank Center. “But I think it’s ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Connor Clifton knows why hit earned him two-game suspension

BUFFALO – Sabres defenseman Connor Clifton said he has watched the replay of the hit he laid on New Jersey Devils captain Nico Hischier over and over.

Clifton, who on Saturday was suspended two games by the NHL for an illegal check to the head, wishes he had approached the hit differently.

As the puck moved toward Hischier, Clifton figured the center would grab it and carry it into the Buffalo zone. When he let ... Read the full article

Eric Comrie injured in road loss, leaving Sabres with one healthy goalie

Remember when the Buffalo Sabres had too many goalies? Well, eight games into the season, they’ve already lost two of the three to injury.

Eric Comrie suffered a lower-body injury halfway through Friday’s 5-4 road loss to the New Jersey Devils and did not return to the game, leaving Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen as the Sabres’ only healthy goalie.

Coach Don Granato told reporters at the Prudential Center the Sabres would have more information on Comrie today.... Read the full article

Sabres bring back former goalie Craig Anderson as ‘hockey liaison’

BUFFALO – In the first season following his retirement, former Sabres goalie Craig Anderson has occasionally dropped in and visited his old teammates.

It turns out he wasn’t just saying hello.

The Sabres on Thursday announced they’ve hired Anderson, 42, for a part-time position as a “hockey liaison.”

In his role, he will “continue to serve as a trusted voice in the Sabres’ locker room, providing insight, guidance, and support to the players and coaching ... Read the full article

Riley Stillman embracing demotion to Amerks; Sabres prospect Nikita Novikov impressive in debut

ROCHESTER – Instead of pouting over a surprising demotion, Americans defenseman Riley Stillman has chosen to embrace his first stint in the minors in three seasons.

Stillman, 25, believes the AHL offers an opportunity to evolve and play extra minutes he wouldn’t have received as the Buffalo Sabres’ sixth or seventh defenseman.

“For sure, it was a little shocking to me,” he told the Times Herald of getting waived, following Friday’s 4-3 season-opening overtime loss ... Read the full article

Sabres waive three more players, close to finalizing 23-man roster

The Buffalo Sabres on Saturday moved closer to finalizing their regular-season roster, waiving defensemen Riley Stillman and Kale Clague and forward Brandon Biro for the purpose of assigning them to the Rochester Americans.

The Sabres also sent defenseman Ryan Johnson, 22, and winger Lukas Rousek, 24, to Rochester.

They have 25 players – 15 forwards, seven defensemen and three goalies – left on their training camp roster. They must finalize their 23-man regular-season roster by ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Zemgus Girgensons excited for 11th season: ‘Got to see things through’

BUFFALO – When captain Kyle Okposo was contemplating returning for another season, he thought about what it would be like trying to lead the Sabres without Zemgus Girgensons, a popular heart-and-soul veteran.

“I didn’t even want to consider that,” Okposo said following Monday’s practice in KeyBank Center. “That’s how important he is.”

Girgensons’ influence has been a huge factor in the Sabres’ recent transformation into a legitimate playoff contender. The winger’s actions and professionalism ... Read the full article