Eichel - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres lose game to Devils, Evander Kane to injury

BUFFALO – It’s not even Halloween, and the Sabres’ season is already starting to fall apart.

If losing for sixth time in eight tries wasn’t bad enough, winger Evander Kane left the Sabres’ 4-3 loss to the New Jersey Devils with what appeared to be a left knee injury after David Schlemko hit him hard into the corner boards with 9:31 left in the game.

Kane, perhaps the Sabres’ most natural goal scorer, stayed down ... Read the full article

Sabres implode late, fall to undefeated Canadiens

BUFFALO – Just like the old days. For stretches Friday, it felt like five or 10 years ago as the Sabres’ talent overwhelmed the NHL’s best club, the undefeated Montreal Canadiens.

After falling behind 2-0 early, the Sabres roared back, tying the entertaining tilt just over halfway through. The crowd inside the First Niagara Center sensed something special could happen.

Then, just as quickly as it started, the Sabres imploded for the first time this ... Read the full article

Goalie prospect Linus Ullmark excited to join Sabres

BUFFALO – If Sabres goalie Linus Ullmark had suffered any setbacks in his rehab following double-hip surgery in April, the worst-case scenario would’ve been a return to the ice in January.

But the Swede, 22, recovered quickly enough to join full practices a month ago and earn three starts with the Rochester Americans this month.

Ullmark dazzled in the AHL, making 38 saves in his debut and 43 on Wednesday. Incredibly, just three games into ... Read the full article

Jake McCabe, Mark Pysyk forming strong defense pair for Sabres

BUFFALO – Their competitions are a bit one-sided. Any game Sabres defense partners Jake McCabe and Mark Pysyk play against each other, Pysyk inevitably loses.

“Yeah, I always beat him,” McCabe said proudly Thursday. “Any game.”

There’s the Rory McIlroy golf video game for Xbox.

“He’s unbelievable at it,” Pysyk said. “He must not have any friends in the summer.”

Then there was the little one-timer contest they had following practice Thursday.

“That’s why he’s ... Read the full article

Sabres rest up for weekend

BUFFALO – Some quick updates from HarborCenter, where the Sabres held about six players out of practice today, including rookie center Jack Eichel, who played 19 minutes, 42 seconds in his sixth NHL game Wednesday, a 2-1 shootout win against Toronto.

– “The number of minutes that we played and playing three in four, yes, it was coach’s decision to keep them off the ice,” Sabres coach Dan Bylsma said.

The Sabres host Montreal on ... Read the full article

Evander Kane helps push Sabres past Leafs

BUFFALO – Technically, way back on opening night, Sabres winger Evander Kane experienced the joy of scoring a goal. Of course, it was short-lived.

An offside call negated it, and Kane, who boldly stated last month he wanted to score 40 or 50 times with his new team this season, spent the next five games struggling to get his first.

Kane finally scored that elusive goal late in the Sabres’ 2-1 shootout win against the ... Read the full article

Dan Bylsma expects ‘electric’ atmosphere for Sabres-Leafs tilt

BUFFALO – Dan Bylsma said he has heard some, shall we say, interesting stories about being inside the rowdy First Niagara Center for a game between the Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs.

“I’m nervous for some of the fans, from what I hear,” Bylsma said this morning prior to his first regular-season game against the Leafs as Sabres coach.

Tilts between the fierce rivals rarely disappoint, especially here, where blue-collar Toronto fans who can’t attend ... Read the full article

Struggling Sabres believe goals will eventually come

BUFFALO – Here they go again. Sure, five games is a small sample size. But the Sabres, even with several talented new offensive threats in their arsenal, still can’t score goals.

The rebuilt club has only nine goals, 1.8 a game, and just four at even strength. Not surprisingly, the Sabres are 1-4, the same mark they had at this point last season.

They scored four times in their only victory and haven’t netted more ... Read the full article

Rasmus Ristolainen developing into Sabres’ top defenseman

BUFFALO – Just a week ago, it appeared the Sabres would be forced to utilize a blue line by committee early on. Without a proven No. 1 defenseman to gobble up minutes, coach Dan Bylsma had to spread the ice time out evenly, right?

Well, just three games into the season, Rasmus Ristolainen, 20, has quickly emerged as the club’s ace defenseman.

“(He’s) playing in all situations for us, playing against other teams’ best ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Brian Gionta questionable for Thursday; Zach Bogosian practices

BUFFALO – Some quick updates from HarborCenter, where the Sabres practiced about an hour before catching a flight for their two-game Florida road trip:

– Captain Brian Gionta, out the first three games with a lower-body injury, skated this morning beside center Jack Eichel and Evander Kane. He’s questionable for Thursday’s tilt against the Florida Panthers.

Gionta practiced Sunday but sat out the Sabres’ 4-2 win Monday afternoon.

“It’s one of those things, if you’re ... Read the full article