WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage
October Edition
Linus Ullmark knows the Sabres’ trip to Sweden is about playing two games. ©2019, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – When the Sabres visit Stockholm later this week, Swedish goalie Linus Ullmark would like to show his teammates something special in the historic city.
“Two wins,” said Ullmark, who backed up Carter Hutton for Saturday’s 1-0 loss to the New York Islanders inside KeyBank Center.
Ullmark’s words underscore that while an in-season trip to Europe might be special, the Sabres plan to take it seriously.
The Sabres, who leave for Sweden today, play ... Read the full article
Victor Olofsson scored six power-play goals last month. ©2019, Janet Schultz
A record-setting start has earned Buffalo Sabres winger Victor Olofsson NHL Rookie of the Month honors for October, the league announced today.
Olofsson scored all six of his goals on the power play, becoming the first NHL player to register his first eight goals on the man advantage.
The Swede, who possesses a lethal wrist shot, also scored two power-play goals during a six-game stint late last season.
Overall, Olofsson has scored six goals and ... Read the full article
Casey Mittelstadt (37) fends off Arizona’s Christian Fischer on Monday. ©2019, Hickling Images
BUFFALO – Jack Eichel’s 23rd birthday started off splendidly, with the Sabres captain scoring a power-play goal just minutes in Monday’s 3-2 shootout loss to the Arizona Coyotes.
When winger Jeff Skinner made 2-0 later in the first period, it seemed like the Sabres could cruise to their sixth straight home win to open the season.
But the Sabres, the NHL’s biggest early-season surprise, have an alarming penchant for squandering two-goals leads.
It happened Monday ... Read the full article
John Gilmour made his season debut Friday. ©2019, Hickling Images
BUFFALO – John Gilmour had never waited so long to play a game. After appearing in the Sabres’ preseason finale Sept. 27, the defenseman sat out 11 contests before making his season debut Friday.
So Gilmour, the Sabres’ spare defender, patiently waited 28 days for his opportunity to materialize as the blue line remained healthy.
Gilmour, of course, acknowledged being a healthy scratch can be difficult. But he still reveled in the Sabres’ early-season success.... Read the full article
Carter Hutton will start his eighth game tonight. ©2019, Hickling Images
BUFFALO – After watching Linus Ullmark’s 41-save shutout Friday, Sabres goalie Carter Hutton will start again tonight, his eighth nod this season.
Thanks to their two-game trip to Sweden next week, the Sabres’ schedule is jam-packed.
So through 12 games, Sabres coach Ralph Krueger has mostly rotated the netminders, trying to balance their workload. Krueger even sticks to the goalie plan he and assistant coach Mike Bales have devised following shutouts.
“It’s something that ... Read the full article
Casey Mittelstadt’s smarts and skills helped the Sabres win Tuesday. ©2019, Micheline Veluvolu, Rochester Americans
BUFFALO – Coach Ralph Krueger said the Sabres bench “erupted” long before captain Jack Eichel scored Tuesday’s wild overtime winner.
It started getting loud about 20 seconds earlier, when center Casey Mittelstadt put his head down and pursued San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson as he raced out of the Buffalo zone on a two-on-one.
“It was crazy,” Krueger said following Wednesday’s practice inside KeyBank Center. “I mean, I’m watching the entire bench cheering ... Read the full article
Jack Eichel celebrates his first goal Tuesday. ©2019, Hickling Images
BUFFALO – Jack Eichel’s night started ominously, with the Sabres captain passing up a glorious scoring chance in front of wonky San Jose Sharks goalie Martin Jones.
It wouldn’t be the last time Eichel did it early in Tuesday’s 4-3 overtime victory, a wild contest in which the Sabres roared back thanks to their young star’s dynamic performance.
“(I was) a little frustrated with myself more than anything,” Eichel said after scoring the overtime winner, ... Read the full article
Carter Hutton posted a 25-save shutout Monday afternoon. ©2019, Janet Schultz
BUFFALO – Few figured coach Ralph Krueger could transform the Sabres so quickly that – gasp – a playoff berth would feel possible this season.
Players need time to understand new messages and systems. Besides, Krueger inherited a hapless team that won just two games last March.
It would take time – maybe months, even a season – before the Sabres showed real progress, right?
Well, six games into Krueger’s tenure, the Sabres are still ... Read the full article
Linus Ullmark made 41 saves Friday. ©2019, Hickling Images
BUFFALO – Sooner or later, the unheralded Sabres line of Johan Larsson and Zemgus Girgensons and Kyle Okposo was due to erupt for some goals.
For more than four games, the trio consistently generated offense, buzzing around the opponent’s zone.
A combination regarded as the fourth just a week ago has quickly morphed into the Sabres’ most reliable line.
But other than one Okposo goal, the players hadn’t done any scoring.... Read the full article
Victor Olofsson has roared out of the gate. ©2019, Hickling Images
BUFFALO – Winger Kyle Okposo still remembers the first time he and some other Sabres watched rookie Victor Olofsson shoot the puck.
It was training camp in 2018, and Olofsson had just arrived for his first North American season after leading the Swedish Hockey League in goals.
What Okposo and the others saw wowed them.
“We were just like, ‘Who is this kid who can shoot the puck like this?’” Okposo said Thursday inside KeyBank ... Read the full article