Dahlin - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres bounce back after rare loss, beat Maple Leafs in shootout

BUFFALO – You must go back more than three months – 97 days and 38 games, to be exact – to find the last time the Sabres lost two consecutive contests in regulation.

A heck of lot has gone into their stunning 30-6-2 run that has vaulted them into first place in the Atlantic Division. They’ve excelled in essentially every facet of the game.

Their ability to quickly bounce back and handle the mental gymnastics ... Read the full article

After trade adds defense depth, Sabres’ Michael Kesselring sits out as scratch

BUFFALO – When the Sabres acquired defensemen Luke Schenn and Logan Stanley last week before the trade deadline, Michael Kesselring knew what was about to happen.

Kesselring, 26, has endured a difficult season after arriving in an offseason trade, battling injuries from the get-go and struggling to find a groove.

Adding two established talents to one of the NHL’s deepest blue lines meant he would likely be pushed out of the lineup.

“Once we made ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Alex Tuch could play Saturday; Mattias Samuelsson might miss game with injury

BUFFALO – If the Sabres were in the playoffs right now, winger Alex Tuch would likely be playing. But they want to be prudent dealing with his lower-body injury, so they held him out of Thursday’s 2-1 loss to the Washington Capitals.

Tuch said he felt “really good” after practicing today in LECOM Harborcenter. Coach Lindy Ruff said “it’s a possibility” the veteran could return for Saturday’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs in KeyBank ... Read the full article

Sabres’ win streak hits eight games as Jack Quinn scores first hat trick; Logan Stanley makes debut after trade

BUFFALO – To coach Lindy Ruff, the Sabres’ long win streaks this season – for the first time in franchise history, they have two of at least eight games – illustrate the high level of consistency they’ve showcased over a torrid three-month stretch.

“That’s the reason you can win that number of games,” Ruff said after Tuesday’s 6-3 victory over the San Jose Sharks in noisy KeyBank Center pushed their latest run to eight games.... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen battles through chaos to earn win

BUFFALO – In a game he called the craziest of his life, as chaos enveloped around his crease and the Tampa Bay Lightning scored seven times, Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen tried to forget about the score and simply focus on making the next save.

“At a certain point, you just have to think about, ‘We can win this game,’ and give the team a chance to kind of keep the score close and try to ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Logan Stanley displaying offensive growth; Brandon Hagel fined for punches

BUFFALO – The nine and 21 attached to Sabres newcomer Logan Stanley’s stat line this season jump right off the page.

After registering just one goal in each of his first five NHL campaigns, the 6-foot-7, 231-pound defenseman has already scored nine times. He had never surpassed the 14-point mark before recording 21 points in 59 games for the Winnipeg Jets.

Of course, Stanley, who was acquired from the Winnipeg Jets before Friday’s trade deadline, ... Read the full article

Rasmus Dahlin, Sabres win fight-filled thriller over Lightning, move into first place: ‘I’m so fired up’

BUFFALO – Early in the second period of the most intense, meaningful and entertaining Sabres game in close to a generation, Brandon Hagel began bullying captain Rasmus Dahlin in front of the Tampa Bay Lightning net.

At that point in Sunday’s thrilling 8-7 come-from-behind win, which moved the Sabres past the Lightning into sole possession of first place in the Atlantic Division, the rivals had already fought five times and amassed 92 penalty minutes.

In ... Read the full article

By adding assets before trade deadline, Jarmo Kekalainen shows strong belief in Sabres

BUFFALO – In taking a big swing earlier this week and reportedly trying to land St. Louis Blue defenseman Colton Parayko, Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekalainen illustrated he would aggressively add assets to the NHL’s hottest team before Friday’s trade deadline.

After the potential Parayko deal fell through – he refused to waive his no-trade clause, according to multiple reports – Kekalainen kept pursuing trades.

By Friday, he had made three of them, showing his ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Jiri Kulich likely out for season; Justin Danforth, Jordan Greenway both ‘progressing slowly’

BUFFALO – Sabres center Jiri Kulich, who hasn’t played since Nov. 1 because of blood clot issues, will most likely miss the rest of the season.

Kulich, 21, recently underwent testing to determine if he could resume a higher fitness level.

“He’s continuing to get treatment,” Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said Friday in KeyBank Center. “Our main concern, obviously, is his well-being and long-term health, and second, when he can be back as a ... Read the full article

Sabres beat Penguins to move into first place; Buffalo makes trades

PITTSBURGH – Thirty-eight seconds into Thursday’s second period, as Buffalo Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin and Evgeni Malkin began battling at the net and cross-checking each other, the Penguins star slashed his opponent on the neck.

Malkin’s ill-advised decision ended his night – he earned a match penalty and could have a suspension coming – and ignited the Sabres in a game that was tied at 1.

“After that we got it going pretty good,” coach ... Read the full article