Columbus Blue Jackets - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres’ Jordan Nolan must finish scoring chances

BUFFALO – The Sabres forward who generated the best scoring chances over the weekend wasn’t Jack Eichel, Evander Kane or another high-priced talent.

Try winger Jordan Nolan, the only regular Sabres forward still goalless this season. Nolan missed a breakaway Friday and Saturday.

“I just got to kind of have a little more confidence and know you’re going to put it in rather than thinking about it too much, I’m doing that,” Nolan said ... Read the full article

Line switches put Sabres’ Jack Eichel with new wingers

BUFFALO – The optics say Jack Eichel has been demoted. This morning, the slick Sabres center skated between Zemgus Girgensons and Jason Pominville, one of four new lines coach Phil Housley assembled.

Based on recent production, Eichel’s trio is the third line. Just don’t tell Housley, whose Sabres have lost five straight games (0-3-2).

“There’s no third line,” Housley said this morning after the Sabres prepared for tonight’s tilt against the Columbus Blue Jackets inside ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Brendan Guhle paying dues with Amerks

ROCHESTER – The Buffalo Sabres have a plan for Brendan Guhle.

That’s why one-quarter into another miserable season, their top prospect is still developing in the AHL. That’s why after a stunning rash of injuries – the Sabres, incredibly, are 12 defensemen down the depth chart – the slick Guhle is playing big minutes in Rochester, not Buffalo.

The Sabres’ new regime wants Guhle, 20, to pay his dues with the Americans.... Read the full article

Report: Sabres to make uniform changes next season

The Buffalo Sabres are one of 12 NHL teams that will make changes to their uniform next season, according to sportslogos.net.

Don’t, however, expect a big overhaul. The changes could be as small as a few tweaks. The Sabres will keep their primary logo.

The changes will come with the NHL’s switch from Reebok to Adidas as their jersey manufacturer in 2017-18.

The Sabres have worn their current blue home jersey with the charging ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Sam Reinhart benched for violating team policy

Buffalo Sabres coach Dan Bylsma benched Sam Reinhart for Tuesday’s 3-1 road loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets because the 21-year-old winger “violated a team policy” earlier in the day.

“The discipline was not playing in tonight’s game,” Reinhart told reporters in Columbus.

Bylsma wouldn’t reveal what policy was violated.

“Disappointed, but it happened and we dealt with it and we’re going to move on from here,” Bylsma said.

The benching came with a twist. ... Read the full article

Zach Werenski fond of time beside Youngstown’s Joe Cecconi

BUFFALO – Before Zach Werenski joined the upstart Columbus Blue Jackets, before the slick teenager began one of the greatest campaigns by a rookie defenseman in NHL history, he spent the second half of his last season at the University of Michigan playing beside Youngstown’s Joe Cecconi.

“I loved it,” Werenski said Saturday prior to the Blue Jackets’ 5-3 loss to the Sabres inside KeyBank Center.

Werenski, 19, has quickly morphed into a star, ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Justin Bailey has opportunity to stay in Buffalo

BUFFALO – Right now, thanks to his torrid goal-scoring run in the AHL and some injuries with the big club, Sabres winger Justin Bailey has the best opportunity of his young career to stick in the NHL for good.

For the last five weeks, the speedy Bailey, 21, has enjoyed regular duty, playing 19 straight games. Some contests the Williamsville native has skated on a top line.

“It’s a really big one,” Sabres coach Dan ... Read the full article

Sabres goalie Anders Nilsson to start

BUFFALO – Some quick updates from KeyBank Center, where the Sabres close a back-to-back set tonight against the Columbus Blue Jackets:

– Sabres goalie Anders Nilsson will start, just his third nod in the last 16 games. The Swede is 9-9-4 with a 2.75 goals-against average and a .920 save percentage in 22 games this season.

Starting goalie Robin Lehner, who made 35 saves in Friday’s 4-3 loss in Columbus, has been slumping. Since ... Read the full article

Sabres want to establish identity in final 15 games

BUFFALO – Technically, the Sabres are still alive in the playoff chase. Thanks to seven losses in eight games, it only seems like they’ve been eliminated.

But realistically, the seventh-place Sabres are finished. They must climb four teams and make up at least seven points to reach the final wild card spot.

The odds of that happening? Try 0.2 percent, according to sportclubstats.com.

Fifteen games are left, starting with tonight’s road tilt against the ... Read the full article

Sabres fall in home finale to Blue Jackets, won’t hit .500

BUFFALO – In the big picture, failing to hit a .500 points percentage, a notable mark the Sabres sorely wanted, shouldn’t matter much.

The Sabres’ 4-1 loss in Friday’s home finale to the lowly Columbus Blue Jackets secured their third straight losing season (34-36-11), and like so many other home games recently, they let a weak opponent exploit them.

Still, the Sabres’ recent 7-2-2 run thrust them up the standings, giving them a real goal ... Read the full article