WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage
Stanley Cup Playoffs Edition
Lindy Ruff’s team got off to a slow start at home last round. ©2026, Micheline Veluvolu
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
Josh Doan opened the scoring in Wednesday’s game. ©2026, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – The Sabres needed less than two periods against the Montreal Canadiens to accomplish what the Tampa Bay Lightning couldn’t in seven games.
Against a stingy opponent – the Canadiens allowed three or fewer goals in each contest versus the Lightning and just 15 total – the Sabres scored four times in the opening 29 minutes on Wednesday en route to a 4-2 win in Game 1 of the second-round series.
The Sabres, who ... Read the full article
These days, Rasmus Dahlin often has a smile on his face. ©2026, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Mattias Samuelsson plays alongside Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin on the ice and sits next to him in the dressing room. The 26-year-old defensemen, who have been teammates for six seasons, know each other well.
Since the Sabres began their resurgence this season, Samuelsson has noticed a positive change in his close friend.
“I think you can tell it’s definitely helped his mood,” Samuelsson told the Times Herald.... Read the full article
Alex Lyon won three games in the first round. ©2026, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – It can be easy to forget now. Goalie Alex Lyon just performed dynamically while winning three games and backstopping the Sabres to their first postseason series win in 19 years.
But a few weeks ago, Lyon, 33, was a bit of an afterthought as the Sabres entered the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2011.
In his last three starts of the regular season, he struggled mightily, posting a ghastly 6.24 ... Read the full article
Buffalo’s Ryan McLeod (71) battles Monteal’s Oliver Kapanen earlier this season. ©2026, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Having just played his first six postseason games, Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin developed a feel for the demands and rigors of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The media, the ultra-talented defenseman said, blew things up. After the Sabres’ first-round victory over the Boston Bruins, he said he realized the postseason “is just hockey.”
“But the level is a little raised and the compete is raised,” said Dahlin, one of 14 Sabres who made his ... Read the full article
Sam Carrick has missed the last 13 games. ©2026, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Wait a second, center Sam Carrick might be available to Sabres in their second-round series against the Montreal Canadiens after all.
Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said today that Carrick, who has missed the last 13 games after injuring his left arm in a fight March 31, plans to see team doctors today. If everything goes well, he could join his teammates for Tuesday’s practice.
“Which is great news,” Ruff said in KeyBank Center. ... Read the full article
Rasmus Dahlin said what Buffalo did in its first-round playoff series was “special.” ©2026, Micheline Veluvolu
BOSTON – Fifty wins, 109 points and an Atlantic Division title are nice, but months ago, the Buffalo Sabres’ season became about a lot more than simply making the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Early in the winter, it became evident they possessed a special group and could wreak havoc in the postseason.
Their opening-round series victory only strengthened the belief can play long into the spring.... Read the full article
Jason Zucker believes Buffalo is still confident. ©2026, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Since the Sabres morphed into an NHL heavyweight almost five months ago, they’ve lost three consecutive games just once.
Their ability to quickly put away games – good and bad – has helped them showcase remarkable consistency.
For the Sabres to lose their first-round playoff series, they would have to drop three straight games.
The postseason, of course, is a different animal. Still, since early December, the Sabres, who on Tuesday lost 2-1 ... Read the full article
Josh Norris has missed the last two games. ©2026, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Coach Lindy Ruff said forwards Josh Norris, Tyson Kozak and Jason Zucker are all still being evaluated but probable tonight for Game 5 of the Sabres’ first-round playoff series against the Boston Bruins.
The Sabres lead the best-of-seven series 3-1. If they win, they will clinch their first series since 2007.
Norris has missed the last two games with an undisclosed injury. Kozak and Zucker both left Sunday afternoon’s 6-1 win in Boston ... Read the full article
Peyton Krebs opened the scoring Sunday afternoon. ©2026, Micheline Velovolu
BOSTON – Just over four minutes into Sunday afternoon’s 6-1 annihilation of the Bruins, Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson hectored an opponent along the wall, freeing the puck for linemate Alex Tuch to grab in the offensive zone.
When Tuch reached the right circle, he fed winger Peyton Krebs in the slot, and the winger quickly beat goalie Jeremy Swayman.
The goal at 4:17, the Sabres’ first in the opening 20 minutes during the Stanley Cup ... Read the full article