December Edition
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was recalled Monday. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – As expected, the struggling Sabres will change goalies tonight against the Anaheim Ducks, awarding prospect Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen his first start this season.
Having played four games late last year, Luukkonen developed a feel of the NHL. The Finn performed well, winning his debut and posting a .906 save percentage.
“The hope is when you put him in there’s an element of relaxed to him, a comfort,” Sabres coach Don Granato said following this ... Read the full article
Casey Mittelstadt scored in his return Thursday. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
For more than 20 minutes Thursday against the heavyweight Florida Panthers, it appeared the Buffalo Sabres might pull off their biggest upset this season.
Goalie Aaron Dell, pressed into duty after Dustin Tokarski entered the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol, made some huge saves early. Winger Vinnie Hinostroza, who had two goals all season, doubled his output in less than 15 minutes, scoring twice. In between, center Dylan Cozens scored for the third straight game.
Still, the ... Read the full article
Jeff Skinner skates in front of Seattle goalie Chris Driedger on Monday. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – With the Sabres enjoying a first-period power play Monday, center Tage Thompson dug the puck out from the wall and fed defenseman Rasmus Dahlin at the left point.
During a power play earlier in the period, Dahlin fell down behind his own net, helping Carson Soucy score the first short-handed goal in the Seattle Kraken’s 22-game history.
Surely, it couldn’t happen again, right? The Sabres’ hadn’t allowed a short-handed goal all season.... Read the full article
Alex Tuch joined Buffalo on Nov. 4. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Sabres coach Don Granato acknowledged that, yes, he has thought about what his lineup might look like when some of his injured players get healthy.
So Granato knows where he could put center Casey Mittelstadt and winger Alex Tuch, both of whom skated with the Sabres this morning, when they’re healthy. It was the first session with the Sabres for Tuch, who underwent offseason shoulder surgery.
Mittelstadt, who had his first contact ... Read the full article
Dustin Tokarski has a 1.87 goals-against average in his last three outings. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Sabres coach Don Granato needed to wait to make a decision. If goalie Dustin Tokarski experienced a heavy workload Friday, then he likely couldn’t have utilized him back-to-back nights.
But Tokarski faced just 11 shots over the final 40 minutes of the Sabres’ 4-1 home win. So Granato felt comfortable starting him again Saturday in Detroit.
“The workload late in that game was not too extensive for Dustin, and that factored in,” ... Read the full article
Craig Anderson was hurt Nov. 2. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – After Craig Anderson suffered an upper-body injury Nov. 2, the Sabres said he was day to day. But the veteran goalie, whose absence has become glaring as the rebuilding team keeps struggling, is still sidelined.
“Because of our initial report, based on where we’re at, it is a concern,” Sabres coach Don Granato said on a Zoom call this morning. “Obviously, we didn’t feel he would be out this long and it has ... Read the full article
Casey Mittelstadt hasn’t played since opening night. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – After a 17-game absence, center Casey Mittelstadt joined his teammates this morning, donning a gold non-contact jersey and skating with the Sabres as they prepared for tonight’s game against the Boston Bruins.
Now, when will Mittelstadt, who suffered an upper-body injury opening night, be able to play again? He won’t return tonight.
The Sabres also play Friday, Saturday and Monday. Practice time is limited. They’re scheduled to have Thursday off.
“We haven’t really ... Read the full article
Dylan Cozens (24) stations himself in front of Columbus goalie Joonas Korpisalo on Monday. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Early in Monday’s 7-4 loss, Max Domi adroitly slid the puck between Dylan Cozens’ legs to himself and quickly fed Jack Roslovic. A second later, the Columbus Blue Jackets grabbed their first lead over the Sabres.
After Domi torched him inside his own blue line, Cozens, the Sabres’ second-year center, felt obligated to make amends.
“That’s on me so I felt like I needed to try and make it up,” Cozens said ... Read the full article
Rasmus Dahlin battles Vancouver’s Juho Lammikko on Oct. 19. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – This season, Rasmus Dahlin’s fourth in the NHL, the Sabres defenseman has been trying to calm down a little.
Earlier in his career, Dahlin’s competitiveness often overwhelmed him, and any mistake he made stayed with him.
“This is probably the first year I’ve been thinking about it more and more, so it’s a learning process,” Dahlin said after the Sabres prepared for tonight’s game against the Calgary Flames at KeyBank Center.
Dahlin, ... Read the full article
Zemgus Girgensons is expected to play tonight. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
PITTSBURGH – Buffalo Sabres winger Zemgus Girgensons missed this morning’s pregame skate but coach Don Granato expects him to play tonight against the Penguins.
Rookie Brett Murray filled in for Girgensons at left wing beside center Cody Eakin and Kyle Okposo and also on the power play.
The Sabres recalled Murray from the Rochester Americans on Monday so they could take an extra forward on the road. Murray played one game during the Sabres’ recent ... Read the full article
