Dahlin - Buffalo Hockey Beat

After Jacob Bryson injury, Sabres recall high-scoring defenseman from Amerks

The Buffalo Sabres on Friday recalled Zac Jones, whose 31 assists rank first among AHL defensemen, from the Rochester Americans.

Sabres defenseman Jacob Bryson, who suffered an upper-body in the second period of Thursday’s 4-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens, has been placed on injured reserve.

Coach Lindy Ruff said following Thursday’s game that Bryson “will miss some time.”... Read the full article

In beating Canadiens, Sabres showcase maturity; Buffalo loses players to injury

MONTREAL – This torrid 17-3-1 stretch can no longer be classified as simply a hot streak. No, having consistently showcased an identity for 45 days and more than one-quarter of the schedule, it’s safe to say the Buffalo Sabres can be called a pretty darn good hockey team.

As hard as it might be to believe, the rapidly maturing team has finally arrived following nearly a decade and a half of futility.

Thursday’s 4-2 win ... Read the full article

Sabres roar back against Wild, lose in OT; Josh Norris misses second game

BUFFALO – It was about to be one heck of a penalty kill for the Sabres. Defenseman Mattias Samuelsson cleared the puck down down the ice, seemingly extinguishing the power play the Minnesota Wild carried into Saturday afternoon’s overtime.

But Wild goalie Filip Gustavsson skated out to the left circle and quickly flung the puck up to Kirill Kaprizov at the Buffalo blue line as the Sabres changed. Kaprizov skated in and fed Mats Zuccarello, ... Read the full article

Rasmus Dahlin stars in Sabres’ win over Flyers; Josh Norris leaves game injured

BUFFALO – Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin has always been his own worst critic, holding himself to the highest of standards.

Dahlin, one of the NHL’s most talented defensemen, has enjoyed a season that for just about anyone else would be considered pretty darn good.

But the Swede, 25, knows he can reach a much higher level.

Perhaps his two-goal outing in Wednesday’s 5-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers signals he’s ready to take off in ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Jacob Bryson scores rare goal; Buffalo makes roster move

BUFFALO – From his spot on the bench, Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said he could see the puck would hit the top right corner of the net past the screened goalie as soon as it left defenseman Jacob Bryson’s stick.

“Basically, he had eyes up, he saw his mark and hit it,” Ruff said of Bryson’s wrist shot from the left point early in Monday’s 4-3 loss to the Florida Panthers.

Bryson’s goal, just his ... Read the full article

Sabres respond after streak ends, beat Canucks before energetic crowd

BUFFALO – For about the first 50 minutes of Tuesday’s 5-3 victory, the Sabres showcased a near-perfect response following the end of their 10-game win streak, pouncing on the Vancouver Canucks and just about burying them.

A 4-0 lead well into the third period usually does the trick. But the Canucks mounted a ferocious comeback, scoring three times in a span of 5:38, including two goals 39 seconds apart to move them within one.

After ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Zach Metsa impressive in limited action; Buffalo adds defender

BUFFALO – In his first days here, Sabres defenseman Zach Metsa acknowledged his new surroundings felt “a little bit intimidating.”

“You come to a new spot, new group, new guys around you,” Metsa told the Times Herald prior to scoring his first NHL goal and point in Tuesday’s 5-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks in KeyBank Center.

As an older, under-the-radar prospect who played on an AHL contract for two seasons, Metsa, 27, usually spent ... Read the full article

Sabres’ win streak shows they might be starting something special

COLUMBUS – Hours before a 5-1 loss to the Blue Jackets ended the Buffalo Sabres’ win streak at 10 games, coach Lindy Ruff revealed some of the superstitions that materialized during one of the hottest stretches in franchise history.

For example, Ruff said assistant coach Marty Wilford refused to change his bench attire, so he wore the same brown suit each game.

Meanwhile, as the Sabres got on a tear and Owen Power kept reading ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Tage Thompson, UPL thrilled to be selected to Olympics

COLUMBUS – In the NHL, Tage Thompson is the Buffalo Sabres’ No. 1 center and most dynamic offensive threat, having scored 178 goals since the start of the 2021-22 season.

But on Team USA’s Olympic entry at the upcoming Milano Cortina Games, which Thompson, 28, was named to on Friday, what kind of role could he be cast in? Third-line winger? Fourth-line grinder?

Thompson, whose surging Sabres carry a 10-game win streak into this afternoon’s ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Tage Thompson named to Team USA’s Olympic roster

When Team USA left Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson off its roster for the 4 Nations Face-Off a year ago, the snub fueled him.

Over the final 36 games of the season, he scored an NHL-high 25 goals. He carried that dynamic scoring prowess into the World Championship in Europe, where his overtime goal clinched the Americans’ first gold medal at the tournament in 92 years.

Thompson, 28, seemed like a sure bet to represent ... Read the full article