Ehrhoff - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres can’t stop Alex Ovechkin, fall to Capitals in OT

BUFFALO – Sooner or later, Alex Ovechkin had to break loose, right? Over two recent games, the Washington Capitals superstar pumped a whopping 18 shots on goal against the Sabres.

Thanks to Ryan Miller’s elite goaltending, the Sabres held the NHL’s most-lethal threat scoreless while winning two 2-1 shootouts.

Facing backup goalie Jhonas Enroth, Ovechkin caught fire early Tuesday, scoring at 3:39 and 4:42 inside the First Niagara Center.

The Sabres still hadn’t ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Chad Ruhwedel quickly learning pro game, impressing in NHL

BUFFALO – While a seven-game, late-season introduction to the NHL was nice, Sabres defenseman Chad Ruhwedel knew he still had plenty to learn about professional hockey.

So a preseason assignment to Rochester hardly surprised the 23-year-old.

“I came in not expecting it, but ready for it,” Ruhwedel, who joined the Sabres straight from the NCAA in April, said Monday in Pittsburgh. “It was my first year pro. I’m not the guy who thinks he’s ready ... Read the full article

Corey Tropp happy with Blue Jackets, wanted to keep playing with Sabres

BUFFALO – Corey Tropp figured he could’ve stayed in the Sabres’ immediate plans. The rebuilding club kept several youngsters on the roster after the new regime jettisoned a few prospects.

The Sabres wanted to keep Tropp, but they figured the 24-year-old winger was better off playing regularly in Rochester. So they waived him prior to claiming winger Matt D’Agostini on Nov. 27.

Tropp, who played 34 NHL games two years ago, was claimed by ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Linus Omark to be scratched again tonight versus Blue Jackets

BUFFALO – The Sabres will only make one lineup change tonight against the Columbus Blue Jackets, inserting Marcus Foligno for injured winger Matt D’Agostini.

That means winger Linus Omark, a healthy scratch for the first time in Wednesday’s 4-3 shootout loss in Toronto, will sit again. The slick Swede has one assist in nine games since being acquired from Edmonton.

What can Omark do to get back in?

“Not much else he ... Read the full article

Sabres rally to tie Leafs, earn tough road point in shootout loss

TORONTO – For two straight nights, the Buffalo Sabres stopped playing those drab, low-scoring affairs. Their anemic offense looked first-rate, scoring three goals in consecutive games for only the fourth time this season.

Still, it only translated to a single point they earned in Wednesday’s 4-3 shootout loss to the Maple Leafs before 19,372 fans inside the Air Canada Centre.

To interim coach Ted Nolan, the Sabres fought for a tough road point.

“Third game ... Read the full article

Bruins’ Brad Marchand on Sabres’ Ted Nolan: ‘I don’t think I’d be here today if he didn’t coach me that year’

BUFFALO – Ted Nolan only coached Boston Bruins pest Brad Marchand one season, 88 total games in 2005-06. Still, the year under the interim Sabres coach changed his career.

Marchand was 17 years old, heading into his draft season, when Nolan took over the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s Moncton Wildcats.

“He really helped me understand more about the pro life, how the pros have to play the game and what you have to do ... Read the full article

Ted Nolan considering using Sabres tough guy John Scott at defense

BUFFALO – John Scott, defenseman? Believe it. The Sabres tough guy could be moving from the wing back to his natural position.

Scott will be a game-time decision tonight against the Boston Bruins, interim Sabres coach Ted Nolan said.

Update: Scott is scratched tonight.

“We’ve been working with him the last couple days,” Nolan said this morning inside the First Niagara Center. “We’ll see. Everybody played well last (game). It depends on the mood ... Read the full article

Sabres shake off awful second period, roar back and beat Jets

BUFFALO – Just a few weeks ago, if they had fallen behind after frittering away a strong start, the Sabres would’ve been cooked. Heck, they might’ve gotten run out of their own building.

But the bottom-feeding Sabres have slowly been improving under interim coach Ted Nolan. Their game is cleaner. Their efforts are much better. They’re finally responding to adversity.

Tuesday’s exciting 4-2 victory against the Winnipeg Jets, the Sabres’ first triumph this season when ... Read the full article

Ted Nolan still evaluating Sabres’ defense corps

BUFFALO – Ted Nolan wants healthy competition between his defensemen. So with seven or eight at his disposal, the interim Sabres coach plans to keep tinkering until he finds the six he can play regularly.

Nolan hasn’t stopped evaluating a month into his tenure. That’s one reason Mark Pysyk, one of the NHL’s better rookie defenders, was scratched Saturday.

“Sometimes you like to take them out whenever they play a great game versus a ... Read the full article

Sabres outplay Canadiens most of night, still lose tight game

MONTREAL – Finding silver linings in defeats can be difficult, Ted Nolan said. But the interim Buffalo Sabres coach is beginning to see progress in his rebuilding club.

Mistakes, of course, are still part of the team’s game.

“But not as frequent as they were,” Nolan said Saturday following the Sabres’ 3-2 loss to the Canadiens before 21,273 fans inside the Bell Centre.

The hapless Sabres, losers of eight of their last nine games, outplayed ... Read the full article