Dell - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres beat Sharks, get more scoring from ‘Kid Line’: ‘A lot of chemistry’

BUFFALO – If the struggling Sabres couldn’t fix some of their recent problems and earn a much-needed win against the lowly San Jose Sharks, well, you had to wonder when they’d ever get on track.

The Sharks limped into town Sunday to close a four-game road trip having lost four of their last five contests, including a defeat a night earlier in Ottawa.

They were ripe to be beaten and the Sabres, as their 6-3 ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Rasmus Dahlin wowed by Erik Karlsson’s start: ‘Amazing to watch’

BUFFALO – The comparisons are inevitable given that both defensemen hail from Sweden and have a penchant for making jaw-dropping plays.

Sometimes when Rasmus Dahlin makes a slick move or scores a highlight-reel goal, he will inevitably hear Erik Karlsson did something similar years ago.

“I try to do my own thing, but it’s always a very cool thing to hear,” the Sabres defenseman said of being compared to Karlsson, who’s enjoying a dynamic comeback ... Read the full article

Former Sabres have quickly landed new contracts this offseason

In past years, a slew of former Buffalo Sabres had difficulty finding work in free agency.

With few suitors on the open market, some settled for training camp tryouts while others went overseas or never played again.

So far this offseason, seven players who spent time in Buffalo last season have quickly landed new NHL contracts. Here’s an update:

... Read the full article

Sabres’ Kevyn Adams won’t ‘panic’ over goalie; Ryan Johnson to attend camp

MONTREAL – The assets available in the crowded goalie market keep dwindling every day.

Two more netminders were traded Friday at the NHL Draft, as the St. Louis Blues dealt Ville Husso to the Detroit Red Wings and the Washington Capitals dished Vitek Vanecek to the New Jersey Devils.

The Sabres, who must add another established goalie, have limited options. They tried to acquire Matt Murray from the Ottawa Senators on Thursday, but the two-time ... Read the full article

Reports: Sabres pursued trade for Senators goalie Matt Murray

MONTREAL – The Buffalo Sabres must keep looking for another goalie.

A potential deal between the Sabres and Ottawa Senators involving Matt Murray was nixed because Buffalo is on the goalie’s 10-team no-trade list, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.

The Senators would’ve retained some of Murray’s salary and given the Sabres the seventh overall pick in tonight’s NHL Draft in exchange for the 16th selection, according to TSN’s Darren Dreger.

“The reality is we worked ... Read the full article

After re-signing Craig Anderson, Sabres must acquire more goalies

BUFFALO – When veteran goalie Craig Anderson finished his first season with the Sabres, he wanted to take some time to decompress and evaluate his future.

The Sabres felt Anderson’s impact – in addition to stabilizing their net, he established himself as a leader and mentor on the rebuilding club – and sorely wanted him back for another season.

But Anderson, 41, needed to talk to his family and see how his body felt before ... Read the full article

After rough stints with Sabres, goalie Aaron Dell found game with Amerks

ROCHESTER – Goalie Aaron Dell arrived in Buffalo nine months ago as perhaps the favorite to win the Sabres’ backup job before enduring a miserable preseason and getting waived.

When an opportunity materialized to play in the NHL a month later, Dell struggled so badly the Sabres acquired another netminder and demoted him to the AHL again.

Dell, 33, compiled downright awful statistics – a 1-8-1 mark with a 4.03 goals-against average and an ... Read the full article

Amerks’ season ends with triple OT loss: ‘An extremely special group’

ROCHESTER – The Americans battled adversity and beat long odds for weeks, eking into the Calder Cup Playoffs on the last day of the regular season before beginning their deepest and most memorable postseason run in 18 years.

They rallied to win games, earned four overtime victories and triumphed in a do-or-die Game 5 against a top seed.

So when the Amerks dropped the first two games on the road against the Laval Rocket in ... Read the full article

Amerks’ Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen nearly over injury, focused on consistency

ROCHESTER – Out of his element, up in the stands watching his Americans teammates compete in the Calder Cup Playoffs, goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen sometimes feels a little jittery.

“I think I’m 10 times more nervous watching it upstairs than when I’m in the goal,” Luukkonen told the Times Herald on Wednesday after the Amerks prepared for Game 3 of the AHL North Division final at Blue Cross Arena. “So that’s the tough part of it.”... Read the full article

Loss to Rocket puts Amerks on brink of elimination from playoffs

The Rochester Americans are on the brink of elimination from the Calder Cup Playoffs.

Forwards Brandon Gignac, Louis Belpedio and Lucas Condotta scored Monday as the Laval Rocket defeated the Amerks 3-1 to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-five AHL North Division final.

Laval never trailed Monday at Place Bell – Gignac opened the scoring 5:17 into the game – and has outscored the Amerks 9-2 in the series.

... Read the full article