Dahlin - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Memorable Sabres season ends with OT loss to Canadiens in Game 7: ‘It hurts’

BUFFALO – When the dressing room door opened after the Sabres’ gut-wrenching 3-2 overtime loss in Game 7 on Monday, winger Alex Tuch was sitting in his stall, still wearing his No. 89 jersey and pondering things following what could be his final appearance wearing the Blue and Gold.

Across the room, captain Rasmus Dahlin spoke quietly to the media, his emotion still raw barely 20 minutes after Montreal Canadiens winger Alex Newhook scored from ... Read the full article

Sabres’ depth offers options to change lineup; Tage Thompson back at wing

BUFFALO – The Sabres find strength in numbers, as in they boast some of the NHL’s best depth, giving them intriguing choices to construct their lineup and tailor it to their opponent.

To wit: in Saturday’s come-from-behind 8-3 win in Montreal, rookie defenseman Zach Metsa made his debut, becoming the 27th player to skate for the Sabres in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

After sitting out the first 11 games as a healthy scratch, Metsa also ... Read the full article

Rasmus Dahlin, Sabres rally from early deficit to stun Canadiens, force Game 7: ‘Our captain steps up’

MONTREAL – In the moment, the score meant nothing to the Buffalo Sabres. That they faced an early two-goal deficit after captain Rasmus Dahlin scored 32 seconds into the do-or-die contest, well, so be it.

If they maintained their focus on Saturday against the Canadiens, they told themselves, and kept doing the right things in the hostile Bell Centre, they would be rewarded.

“We actually liked our game to start,” winger Jason Zucker said after ... Read the full article

Sabres blow leads in loss to Canadiens, on brink of elimination; Owen Power briefly leaves game injured

BUFFALO – Right now, things look bleak for the Sabres. After all, they’re staring down elimination following Thursday’s ugly 6-3 loss to the Montreal Canadiens.

With a chance to go up 3-2 in the best-of-seven series, the Sabres blew three leads before the game hit the halfway mark in KeyBank Center. One lasted nine seconds.

They imploded in the second period, allowing three goals and forcing coach Lindy Ruff to pull goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.... Read the full article

Sabres implode after fast start in loss to Canadiens, fall behind in series: ‘Some adversity for us’

MONTREAL – Center Tage Thompson sat at his stall on Sunday, sounding unshaken as he calmly answered questions from a throng of reporters following the Buffalo Sabres’ ugly 6-2 loss to the Canadiens.

In losing by four goals for the second consecutive game, the Sabres fell behind 2-1 in the best-of-seven second-round series.

In the Canadiens, the Sabres, the NHL’s best team over the last five months, have possibly met their match.... Read the full article

Sabres struggle as Canadiens tie series at 1; Tage Thompson has rough night

BUFFALO – Almost four minutes into Friday’s third period, with the Sabres trailing 3-1 and furiously trying to score, center Tage Thompson grabbed the puck inside the Montreal blue line and lost his balance as he began stickhandling.

As Thompson fell and spun around, Canadiens defenseman Alexandre Carrier snagged the loose puck and zoomed down the ice on a two-on-one, beating Sabres goalie Alex Lyon from the left circle.

“Just fighting it tonight,” Thompson said ... Read the full article

Two years after trade, Sabres’ Bowen Byram earning place among NHL’s elite defensemen

BUFFALO – In watching Bowen Byram elevate his play and morph into one of the most dynamic performers in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin has noticed the defenseman possesses a special attitude.

“You just see he’s got that F-you mentality on the ice,” Dahlin said. “He’s a hell of a competitor. … He just goes in to every game with no respect, just doing his own thing, and team is kind of ... Read the full article

With Sabres’ Tyson Kozak playing well, Sam Carrick has extra time to recover from injury

BUFFALO – If the Sabres had a seventh and deciding game tonight, you likely would see center Sam Carrick return from his left arm injury.

“I think you’d look at it that you’d probably put him in,” coach Lindy Ruff said this morning in KeyBank Center after the Sabres prepared for Game 2 of their second-round series against the Montreal Canadiens.

But it’s still early in the series. Tyson Kozak, 23, has filled in ... Read the full article

In midst of ‘crazy’ year and playoff run, Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin named Norris Trophy finalist: ‘It’s unreal’

BUFFALO – When the season ends, Rasmus Dahlin said, he will talk about it. Right now, it’s hard for the Sabres captain to reflect on what he has experienced over the past year.

Dahlin, 26, simply wants to look forward tonight’s contest, Game 2 of the Sabres’ second-round playoff series against the Montreal Canadiens at KeyBank Center. The Sabres on Tuesday won Game 1 of the best-of-seven series 4-2.

“I’ll just say it’s been a ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Buffalo looks stronger at home versus Canadiens; Alex Lyon able to adapt over years

BUFFALO – Looking back, coach Lindy Ruff believes a slew of factors contributed to the Sabres’ weak start at home in the first round against the Boston Bruins.

“The combination of anxiety, nerves, first time, too amped up, not focused on how we really need to play, versus kind of running around and wasting a lot of energy doing things that we don’t need to be doing in that first game,” he said Thursday in ... Read the full article