Dahlin - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Avalanche’s Casey Mittelstadt grateful for trade, fond of time with Sabres

BUFFALO – Former Sabres center Casey Mittelstadt knew a trade could be coming last season.

His emergence as a consistent point producer put him in line to sign a hefty new contract following the campaign. It also transformed him into perhaps general manager Kevyn Adams’ greatest asset as he scoured the market to improve the Sabres.

“I saw the writing on the wall a little bit,” Mittelstadt said Tuesday prior to his first game against ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Sam Lafferty sidelined week to week; Mattias Samuelsson, Jordan Greenway progressing from injuries

BUFFALO – Sabres forward Sam Lafferty, who suffered a lower-body injury in Friday afternoon’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Vancouver Canucks, will be sidelined week to week, coach Lindy Ruff said.

“He’s doing OK, so it could be one those shorter things,” Ruff said following Monday’s practice in KeyBank Center.

Meanwhile, other injured Sabres are progressing.... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Jacob Bryson filled with confidence; Buffalo recalls prospect

BUFFALO – In his five-year, 218-game NHL career, Sabres defenseman Jacob Bryson has never felt this good.

“I think confidence-wise, I feel my best,” Bryson said following Thursday’s practice in KeyBank Center. “I’ve been getting good feedback, and every time I watch my shifts I’ve thought I’ve had pretty good games.”

Of course, the 5-foot-9, 177-pound Bryson, like any player, has occasionally struggled. In last Saturday’s 4-2 road win over the San Jose Sharks, he ... Read the full article

Sabres’ JJ Peterka struggling to score; Rasmus Dahlin leaves practice early

BUFFALO – With about 80 seconds remaining in Wednesday’s 1-0 loss to the Minnesota Wild and the Sabres pressing for the tying goal, winger Alex Tuch created a juicy rebound by tipping center Tage Thompson’s shot on net.

Winger JJ Peterka, who was lurking nearby, quickly pounced on the loose puck between the left circle and crease and narrowly missed tying the game.

“Just jumped there, tried to hit the net and I just missed ... Read the full article

Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin scoring goals, piling up points during streaks

Right now, Buffalo Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin is on an offensive tear, having scored five goals and 14 points in the last 10 games.

In Saturday’s 5-2 road loss to the Philadelphia Flyers, the slick defenseman scored Buffalo’s first goal, a power-play tally that extended his goal streak to four games and his point streak to six contests.

Both streaks are the second-longest of the Swede’s eight-year career.... Read the full article

Sabres’ UPL, Tage Thompson won’t play versus Flyers; Jordan Greenway injured

BUFFALO – In Tage Thompson’s absence against the St. Louis Blues, centers Ryan McLeod and Dylan Cozens picked up the slack for the Sabres’ leading scorer.

McLeod scored once and created linemate Alex Tuch’s late tying goal in Thursday’s 4-3 overtime win by deftly feeding him from behind the net.

Earlier in the third period, Cozens knocked down Oskar Sundqvist before racing to the net and converting a rebound. While officials overturned the goal because ... Read the full article

‘Humbled’ Sabres lose ugly contest to Canadiens, Tage Thompson to injury

BUFFALO – Almost five minutes into Monday afternoon’s ugly 7-5 loss to the Canadiens, Sabres center Tage Thompson grabbed a pass from linemate Alex Tuch inside the Montreal blue line and skated down the left wing.

Thompson cut to the net from the left circle, using one hand to fend off Canadiens star Cole Caufield and the other to guide the puck. When he reached the crease, Thompson, who later left the game injured, scored ... Read the full article

Maturing Sabres extend winning streak by beating Flames in shootout

BUFFALO – In the recent past, the Sabres might’ve lost a game like Saturday afternoon’s 3-2 shootout win. They blew an early two-goal lead as the Calgary Flames roared back. They had to kill a penalty just to survive overtime.

“I’ve used the phrase, ‘You’ve got to be comfortable being uncomfortable,’” coach Lindy Ruff said following the Sabres’ third consecutive victory. “The game got uncomfortable, and you have to trust how you’re playing.”

That trust ... Read the full article

Sabres raise standard, defeat Senators; Henri Jokiharju, Mattias Samuelsson scratched

BUFFALO – Hours before the Sabres ended their three-game losing streak Tuesday by shellacking the Ottawa Senators 5-1, coach Lindy Ruff demanded more of his goalies, saying his team needed bigger saves at critical times.

Ruff wasn’t pinning the Sabres’ recent struggles on Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Devon Levi. In the same breath, said he needed his scorers to finish. He has been asking more of everyone as he tries to raise the Sabres’ standard.

But ... Read the full article

As Sabres struggle, Lindy Ruff wants to raise standard: ‘OK … not good enough’

BUFFALO – If you examine each loss during the Sabres’ current three-game skid, sure, positives can be found.

On Friday, they opened the scoring against the New York Islanders and staged a late comeback. Last Monday, they roared back from a two-goal deficit versus the Florida Panthers.

In Saturday’s 2-1 loss in Detroit, they grabbed an early lead and outshot the Red Wings.

What do the 4-7-1 Sabres have to show for those games? Nothing.... Read the full article