WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage
Offseason Edition
Cody Hodgson blocked a shot Thursday. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Newly acquired winger Linus Omark will meet the Sabres later today in Boston and play Saturday against the Bruins, interim coach Ted Nolan said.
“He’ll take a spot in the lineup,” Nolan said after the Sabres’ brief practice this morning inside the First Niagara Center. “I’m not 100 percent sure exactly where we’ll put him yet. But he’ll play tomorrow night.”
The Sabres dealt a conditional sixth-round draft pick to Edmonton on Thursday ... Read the full article
Cody McCormick was injured Saturday. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Sabres forward Cody McCormick suffered an upper body injury blocking a shot in Saturday’s 2-1 overtime loss to Calgary and will miss four to six weeks, interim coach Ted Nolan said this afternoon.
“One thing about doing what Cody does, unfortunately, sometimes that’s going to happen,” Nolan said inside the First Niagara Center. “He’s fearless. He puts himself in front of shots that are coming 90 mph. Sometimes they hit you in the ... Read the full article
Matt Ellis played his first NHL game since Feb. 2 on Saturday. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Moments after Matt Ellis scored the shootout winner in Friday’s wild Rochester outdoor game, Americans coach Chadd Cassidy found his captain at center ice in the midst of the celebration.
Cassidy had a special message for Ellis, who also had a goal and an assist in the “Frozen Frontier” game, an exciting 5-4 triumph played in 18-degree temperatures.
“(He) said, ‘The only thing that made tonight better is me getting to ... Read the full article
Ville Leino has been a healthy scratch twice this season. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Ted Nolan said he isn’t down on or losing patience with Sabres center Ville Leino.
So why did the interim coach scratch the Finn, who has zero goals this season, for Tuesday’s 2-1 shootout win against the Ottawa Senators inside the First Niagara Center?
“Certain players with a certain skill set, they have to bring it,” Nolan said prior to the game. “And if you’re not going to play as well as ... Read the full article
Brayden McNabb has sat the last four games. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Ted Nolan wanted to give his lines a long look. The interim Sabres coach figured he couldn’t ask his players for consistency if he kept shuffling the trios.
But after a string of losses and more meager offensive production, Nolan switched up his combinations Monday.
“Our top line is having a little bit of trouble, maybe the chemistry wasn’t quite right,” Nolan said following practice inside the First Niagara Center. “We talked to ... Read the full article
Tyler Ennis said the lines had to be changed. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Ted Nolan wanted to give his lines a long look. The interim Sabres coach figured he couldn’t ask his players for consistency if he kept shuffling the trios.
But after a string of losses and more meager offensive production, Nolan switched the lines up today.
“Our top line is having a little bit of trouble, maybe the chemistry wasn’t quite right,” Nolan said this afternoon following practice inside the First Niagara Center. ... Read the full article
Jhonas Enroth was undefeated in Montreal before Saturday’s loss. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
MONTREAL – Finding silver linings in defeats can be difficult, Ted Nolan said. But the interim Buffalo Sabres coach is beginning to see progress in his rebuilding club.
Mistakes, of course, are still part of the team’s game.
“But not as frequent as they were,” Nolan said Saturday following the Sabres’ 3-2 loss to the Canadiens before 21,273 fans inside the Bell Centre.
The hapless Sabres, losers of eight of their last nine games, outplayed ... Read the full article
Trade rumors haven been swirling around Ryan Miller. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – In Ted Nolan’s mind, franchise goalie Ryan Miller, an unrestricted free agent following the season, is more of a building block for the struggling Sabres than an asset.
“You build around him versus as a pawn to try to get something to make you better,” the interim coach said Wednesday. “You learn to deal with the now as a coach, and we got one of the better goaltenders in the world here. I’d ... Read the full article
Brayden McNabb has sat the last two games. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Defenseman Brayden McNabb, a healthy scratch the last two games, will play tonight for the Rochester Americans before returning to the Sabres.
Sitting long isn’t good for the 22-year-old, interim Sabres coach Ted Nolan said. The Amerks host the Utica Comets tonight.
“The greatest thing about having the Rochester Americans so close he can go down and play,” Nolan said this afternoon following practice inside the First Niagara Center. “He sat out ... Read the full article
Matt D’Agostini watches Christian Ehrhoff’s game-winning goal go past Toronto goalie James Reimer on Friday. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – It wasn’t a normal postgame NHL salute. Then again, the Sabres’ exciting 3-2 overtime triumph against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday wasn’t a normal game.
Leafs fans, who normally comprise at least half the raucous crowd when Toronto visits the First Niagara Center, outnumbered Sabres fans perhaps three to one in the capacity crowd of 19,070.
They ruled the building, chanting loudly all night.
So when the Sabres skated to center ice ... Read the full article
