Comrie - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres’ Rasmus Dahlin set to play after one-game absence

BUFFALO – Rasmus Dahlin’s absence last game wasn’t just related to getting sucker punched in the face by the Carolina Hurricanes’ Jesperi Kotkaniemi.

“It was an accident after,” the Sabres defenseman said this morning of the upper-body injury that sidelined him Saturday. “I was hit kind of late. My neck was a little bit off. I don’t know, it was a mix of everything. So it wasn’t that situation.”

Dahlin, 22, will return for tonight’s ... Read the full article

Sabres roar back late to beat Penguins, looking like playoff contender

BUFFALO – Ten games and seven wins into a new season, the Sabres look like they’ve already grabbed their spot among the Eastern Conference’s heavyweights.

The Sabres didn’t just beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-3 on Wednesday; they roared back from a two-goal, third-period deficit for the second time in three contests.

In extending their winning streak to three games, the Sabres shook off a weak start, sending the reeling Penguins to their sixth consecutive loss ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Jeff Skinner racking up assists, showing playmaking skills

BUFFALO – Jeff Skinner’s stat line looks a little different this season. Through 10 games, the Sabres winger has registered two goals and eight assists.

Why is that unusual? Well, only three times in 12 NHL seasons – in his first two years and again in 2017-18 – has Skinner finished with more assists than goals.

Over his career, Skinner, an aggressive, shifty presence, has scored 300 goals and registered 252 assists. He’s known more ... Read the full article

Sabres expect ‘angry’ Penguins team; Eric Comrie starts again

BUFFALO – The Pittsburgh Penguins limped into town this morning in the midst of one of their worst stretches in recent memory.

In Tuesday’s 6-5 home loss to the Boston Bruins, they blew three-goal second-period lead before falling in overtime. At least the Penguins earned a point, ending their four-game regulation losing streak.

They lost every game of their western road trip late last month, scoring just six goals.... Read the full article

Tage Thompson dynamic in win, enjoys one of greatest nights in Sabres history

BUFFALO – Sabres center Tage Thompson stood at his locker following the best outing of his career, a dynamic three-goal, six-point effort in Monday’s 8-3 victory, and it was hard to tell if he had done anything in the game.

Thompson’s slow start this season already feels like a distant memory. Prior to center Dylan Cozens’ third-period goal against the Detroit Red Wings, he recorded a point on eight straight Sabres goals over two games, ... Read the full article

Ilya Lyubushkin out again; Sabres plan to add new defenseman

BUFFALO – After forward Riley Sheahan clears waivers or is claimed this afternoon, the Sabres plan to recall a defenseman from the Rochester Americans.

“We’re banged up on the back end and that’s the need, pressing need right now,” Sabres coach Don Granato said this morning.

Right now, having lost three defensemen – Henri Jokiharju, Ilya Lyubushkin and Mattias Samuelsson are all injured – the Sabres sorely help.

Their options, however, are limited. They’ve already ... Read the full article

Sabres rookie Owen Power acclimating to NHL, making special plays

BUFFALO – As the seconds ticked down and the crowd grew restless, Sabres rookie Owen Power stayed calm, displaying poise that belies his age.

Power, 19, said he initially wanted to shoot when winger Victor Olofsson passed him the puck above the left circle. But he had a little space, and when he saw a seam open up, he adroitly fed Rasmus Dahlin, his defense partner, in the right circle.

“So many guys feel ... Read the full article

Sabres showcase energy, generate offense in loss to Canadiens

BUFFALO – The Sabres, one of the NHL’s early-season darlings, are suddenly on a two-game skid, having lost to two lightweights.

Three straight road wins last week raised expectations and signaled that perhaps the Sabres had finally arrived as serious playoff contender.

Then in a three-day span, they dropped games to the Seattle Kraken and Montreal Canadiens. Yikes.... Read the full article

After losing Mattias Samuelsson, Henri Jokiharju, Sabres could add another D

BUFFALO – Just two weeks into the season, having lost Mattias Samuelsson, Henri Jokiharju and two more defensemen in the minors to injuries, the Sabres are considering adding depth to their blue line, Kevyn Adams said.

The general manager said this morning Samuelsson, who suffered a lower-body injury in Saturday’s 5-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks, will be sidelined “a few weeks.”

“But much better than maybe originally we thought,” he said. “So a few ... Read the full article

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen evolving with Amerks, handling load Sabres expect

ROCHESTER – While the Buffalo Sabres list Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen as the same size as last year, his 6-foot-5, 217-pound frame is noticeably leaner. On the ice, the goalie is more agile and composed, showcasing a mature style as the Americans’ workhorse.

The genesis of Luukkonen’s transformation can be traced to his productive summer. In years past, injuries often hampered his offseason training. In 2021, for example, he suffered a season-ending left ankle sprain. In 2019, ... Read the full article