WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage
Offseason Edition
Riley Stillman began this season in Vancouver. ©2023, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Through parts of five NHL seasons, Sabres defenseman Riley Stillman has bounced around a bit, playing 140 games for three teams. A young player like him has spent much of his career simply trying to survive and conform to the coach’s and organization’s expectations, Don Granato said.
“Through that process, you’re accumulating a lot of experience but you’re playing to almost not make a mistake because you’ve moved around a little bit,” Granato ... Read the full article
Riley Stillman has played 140 NHL games. ©2023, Micheline Veluvolu
The Buffalo Sabres made a minor trade Monday night to beef up their defense depth, acquiring Riley Stillman from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for prospect Josh Bloom.
The 6-foot-1, 196-pound Stillman, 24, has played 140 NHL games, including 32 with the Canucks this season.
It was believed Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams planned to address his defense depth before Friday’s trade deadline.
Stillman’s arrival gives Buffalo 24 players, so it must make a move ... Read the full article
Kyle Okposo has scored three goals this season. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Twenty-five games into his season, Kyle Okposo has beaten a goalie just once. While the Sabres captain has scored three goals, two have gone into empty nets.
The veteran winger started slowly after getting injured at the end of training camp. He has also left the lineup twice because of injuries, missing seven total games.
A year after scoring 21 times, his highest output since 2015-16, Okposo said his 16th NHL season has ... Read the full article
Conditions are snowy all over Buffalo. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
Severe winter weather that has closed the Buffalo/Niagara International Airport forced the NHL to postpone Tuesday’s Sabres road game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
No makeup date has been announced.
The devastating blizzard that battered Western New York over the weekend, dumping more than three feet of snow in some areas, has made many roads impassable. Driving bans remain in effect in Buffalo and other communities.
Tage Thompson has scored 21 goals this season. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
We’re going to break this down a bit because center Tage Thompson’s brilliant five-goal, six-point night ranks as one of the greatest performances in the Buffalo Sabres’ 53-year history.
Thompson, 25, was downright dominant early in Wednesday’s 9-4 annihilation of the hapless Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena, scoring four goals and five points in the first period as the Sabres opened up a stunning 6-0 lead.
Incredibly, he recorded his second hat trick ... Read the full article
Dylan Cozens has been on a tear over the past few weeks. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Forget about Dylan Cozens’ skill set for a moment. What makes the Sabres center such a unique talent and one of the NHL’s burgeoning young stars are the intangibles he possesses.
Cozens, 21, plays a mature, tenacious style that belies his limited experience.
“He competes for the right reason being in a team sport,” Sabres coach Don Granato said following Tuesday’s practice at KeyBank Center. “He brings guys in with him, he drags ... Read the full article
Kyle Okposo has scored three goals in the last four games. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
The Buffalo Sabres weathered the Columbus Blue Jackets’ early onslaught Sunday, escaping the opening 15 minutes with a 1-0 deficit despite being outshot 16-1.
Then defenseman Mark Pysyk scored on the Sabres’ second shot on goal, igniting his weary teammates. Center Tage Thompson followed at 17:14, scoring his 20th goal.
That lead lasted 10 seconds.
Boone Jenner tied it, and Dean Kukan’s second goal of the night – he entered the game with one all ... Read the full article
Ramsus Dahlin was hurt Saturday in Buffalo. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin suffered a lower-body injury Saturday afternoon and will miss tonight’s road game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, coach Don Granato said.
Granato said he doesn’t expect to injury to sideline Dahlin, 21, long-term.
“He was sore after a play that occurred last night and we’re going to hold him back to get some more observation,” Granato said on a Zoom call this afternoon. “Didn’t feel too good with it this morning.”... Read the full article
Rasmus Dahlin’s second-period goal ignited Buffalo. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – The Sabres’ blueprint for success is no secret. For about 20 minutes against the Columbus Blue Jackets, they played confidently and loosely, opening up what felt like a commanding two-goal lead early in the third period.
“We got that 3-1 lead, we had a couple of good shifts afterward and then we started changing the way we were playing,” Sabres winger Alex Tuch said following Thursday’s 4-3 loss, a game Jakub Voracek clinched ... Read the full article
Linus Weissbach has scored nine goals for Rochester. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – In the third period of Rochester’s 5-2 loss last Friday, rookie winger Linus Weissbach hit defenseman Matt Kiersted hard into the end boards, freeing the puck.
A second later, winger JJ Peterka scored, moving the Americans within one goal of the Charlotte Checkers.
The assist wasn’t exactly pretty or the type of play the speedy Weissbach’s known for making. The Sabres prospect fell to the ice after hitting Kiersted, and it appeared he ... Read the full article