Rasmus Dahlin leads Buffalo in ice time this season. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu

Sabres notes: Rasmus Dahlin responds to challenge of playing big minutes

BUFFALO – At the end of Thursday’s mistake-riddled first period, with the Sabres trailing the San Jose Sharks 3-0, coach Don Granato told his players to watch the way defenseman Rasmus Dahlin plays.

“Absolutely amazing,” Granato said of Dahlin following the Sabres’ 3-2 loss inside KeyBank Center. “Something that goes wrong, he elevates.”

The rest of the team did not elevate after a slew of early mistakes, and the Sabres found themselves in a huge ... Read the full article

Jacob Bryson has missed two games. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu

Sabres relieved as no one enters NHL’s COVID-19 protocol

BUFFALO – Coach Don Granato breathed a sigh of relief Wednesday, as zero Sabres entered the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol.

Henri Jokiharju, who was held out of Tuesday’s practice as the team awaited test results, skated in Wednesday’s session, giving the Sabres a full defense corps.

“It was a relief on many fronts, just even to run a better practice with six full D,” Granato said of no one entering protocol. “But … they go into ... Read the full article

Don Granato caught a flight to Boston on Saturday morning. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu

Sabres notes: Don Granato leaves NHL’s COVID-19 protocol, travels to Boston

Don Granato’s Saturday began in the predawn hours in Buffalo. The coach knew he was close to clearing the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol. So receiving good test results meant he join the Sabres in Boston for their matinee.

“I was waiting literally minute by minute in hopes of being here,” Granato said on a Zoom call prior to the Sabres’ 4-3 overtime loss to the Bruins at TD Garden.

When Granato received clearance, he hopped on ... Read the full article

Alex Tuch, shown here in November, is fulfilling a dream by playing for Buffalo. ©2021

Alex Tuch’s debut sign of brighter times ahead for Sabres

BUFFALO – The result doesn’t matter. That the undermanned Sabres lost 4-3, even to the reeling New Jersey Devils, wasn’t surprising. The rebuilding team has six players in the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol and played its first game in 12 days.

Wednesday was about the debuts of Alex Tuch, Peyton Krebs, JJ Peterka and what their presence represents for the Sabres’ future.

After a decade of futility, the Sabres finally seem to be adding the right ... Read the full article

Ethan Prow has spent most of his career in the AHL. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu

COVID-19 keeps hitting Sabres; Ethan Prow could make NHL debut

BUFFALO – Make that four. In addition to forwards Peyton Krebs, JJ Peterka and Alex Tuch, it appears another player, defenseman Ethan Prow, will be making his Sabres debut tonight.

Like Peterka, Prow, 29, has never played in the NHL. Ironically, Peterka and Prow were teammates last season with Red Bull Munich, a Deutsche Eishockey Liga team.

The Sabres this morning recalled Prow to the taxi squad and Casey Fitzgerald to the active roster because ... Read the full article

Malcolm Subban smiles after his 45-save performance Friday. ©2021

Sabres’ Malcolm Subban dazzles in OT loss; Casey Fitzgerald strong in debut

PITTSBURGH – Having spent his entire NHL career as a backup, Sabres goalie Malcolm Subban is conditioned for busy stretches like he experienced early in Friday’s 3-2 overtime loss to the Penguins.

Playing second fiddle means often receiving the worst assignments. On Friday, the Sabres completed a back-to-back and closed a dizzying stretch of three road games in four nights. After beating the Minnesota Wild 3-2 in a shootout Thursday, they arrived in Pittsburgh at ... Read the full article

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has started five straight games. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu

Sabres showcase growing confidence, maturity, beat Wild in shootout

In the not-so-recent past, the Buffalo Sabres might’ve lost a game like Thursday’s 3-2 shootout win over the first-place Minnesota Wild.

The Sabres trailed 2-1 after two periods because Kirill Kaprizov scored a late, potentially deflating goal. They outshot the Wild 21-6 in the first yet ended the period down 1-0. And then there was the noisy crowd of 18,022 fans inside Xcel Energy Center. The Sabres, of course, have often fared poorly in hostile ... Read the full article

Rasmus Dahlin scored two goals Tuesday. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu

Rasmus Dahlin performs dynamically in Sabres’ win: ‘A vision into his future’

At one end of the ice Tuesday, defenseman Rasmus Dahlin performed dynamically, scoring twice in the Buffalo Sabres’ 4-2 win against the Winnipeg Jets. At the other end, rookie goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen looked calm and composed, turning aside shot after shot in his fourth consecutive start.

At times during the past few weeks, as the losses piled up and the Sabres plummeted down the standings again, it could be hard to find positives in the ... Read the full article

The NHL acknowledged replays show there is no conclusive evidence Rasmus Dahlin was offside. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu

NHL admits Sabres’ late goal against Rangers should’ve counted

The NHL this afternoon acknowledged disallowing winger Victor Olofsson’s goal with 56.2 seconds left in Friday’s 2-1 loss was the incorrect call.

An offside review from the Situation Room in Toronto negated the Buffalo Sabres’ game-tying goal against the New York Rangers.

In a statement, NHL senior executive vice president Colin Campbell said there was no conclusive evidence Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin was offside.... Read the full article

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 29 saves Friday. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu

Sabres lose tying goal on offside review, fall to Rangers: ‘A wave of emotion’

BUFFALO – After the gut punch, a disallowed tying goal with 56.2 seconds left, the Sabres nearly knotted it again, hitting the post before the New York Rangers staved off their late push to secure a 2-1 victory.

While the Sabres ultimately lost their sixth straight game, their response after the offside review wiped out winger Victor Olofsson’s goal was significant.

“It’s a wave of emotion,” Sabres coach Don Granato said. “I credit our guys ... Read the full article