Dahlin | Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres fall behind early, lose to Kraken; Jeff Skinner looking like old self

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

Casey Mittelstadt takes another step toward return; Alex Tuch joins Sabres

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

Sabres concerned about goalie Craig Anderson’s lingering injury

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 joins Sabres on ice, finally close return: ‘A huge step’

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, Sabres’ other top young players ‘starting to feel the progress’

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

Sabres allow late goal, suffer painful loss to Rangers: ‘It stings’

For the second time in nine days, overtime felt imminent. After blowing three leads against the Rangers, the Buffalo Sabres would leave New York with at least a small reward, a well-deserved point, or perhaps a victory.

Sabres center Tage Thompson just had to keep the puck pinned against the boards behind his net for another half second or so.

“Everybody in the building knew the scenario and the clock, the situation,” Sabres coach Don ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Mark Pysyk helping Rasmus Dahlin: ‘He’s like, ‘Dude, relax’

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 misses Sabres’ pregame skate

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

Sabres roar back, fall to Maple Leafs; Jeff Skinner enjoys best game in years

BUFFALO – There were at least three points in Saturday’s 5-4 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs – the fluky first-period score and two-goal deficits in the second and third – the Sabres would’ve never recovered from in the not-so-distant past.

Each time, the Sabres roared back, tying it. When they knotted the game at 4, scoring twice in a 59-second span during midway through the third period, it felt like they would earn at ... Read the full article

Leon Draisaitl as dynamic as Connor McDavid; Sabres to make one change

BUFFALO – Forget about Connor McDavid for a moment. The Edmonton Oilers have a player with more points than the superstar. Through 12 games, Leon Draisaitl has amassed a whopping 12 goals and 26 points, both NHL highs.

So far, McDavid, 24, has scored nine goals and 24 points.

Draisaitl, of course, is usually overshadowed by McDavid, a center widely considered hockey’s most dynamic talent.

But coach Don Granato, whose Sabres face the Oilers tonight ... Read the full article