WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage
October Edition
Zach Bogosian could play soon. ©2016, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – A couple of quick updates from HarborCenter, where the Sabres practiced almost an hour today following a day off:
– Zach Bogosian (knee) and Taylor Fedun (shoulder) practiced today, giving the Sabres eight defensemen for the session.
When they return, the Sabres likely won’t keep eight defenders. They might, however, keep seven.
“We haven’t been at that situation the whole year long,” said coach Dan Bylsma, whose Sabres host the New York Islanders ... Read the full article
Jack Eichel (15) stickhandles past Los Angeles’ Kyle Clifford on Tuesday. ©2016, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – For almost 30 minutes Tuesday, KeyBank Center felt like, well, just about every other Sabres home game this season.
The 18,375 fans barely made a peep as the home team, as it often does, generated little offense and fell behind 2-0 to the Los Angeles Kings.
Those goals irked Ryan O’Reilly, especially the first one, a nifty score in which Kings star Anze Kopitar blew by the Sabres center.
“I was just getting ... Read the full article
Jordan Nolan understands he’s a role model. ©2016, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – As a two-time Stanley Cup winner with the Los Angeles Kings, Jordan Nolan’s hockey fame has brought him some influence in the First Nations community.
“We’re in a position where a lot of young Native men look up to us,” Nolan said Tuesday prior to the Sabres’ 6-3 win against the Kings inside KeyBank Center. “We’re role models, so I think we have to take that pretty seriously.”
So Nolan, 27, and teammate ... Read the full article
Zach Bogosian has missed 18 games. ©2016, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – It was just an innocent play. Early in the Sabres’ 2-1 loss to Minnesota on Nov. 1, defenseman Zach Bogosian said he pinched down in the offensive zone.
“I just caught a rut and my knee just kind of went in,” Bogosian said this morning inside KeyBank Center. “It was kind of a freak thing. … Sometimes the ice will get you. Unfortunately, my knee kind of went the wrong way.”
Bogosian, who ... Read the full article
William Carrier (48) celebrates his first NHL goal Nov. 19. ©2016, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – When William Carrier earns ice time flanking center Ryan O’Reilly and a top winger, the Sabres rookie has a straightforward assignment to help his talented linemates.
“He’s just going, head down, bruising the way for those guys to get pucks and play with that puck,” Sabres coach Dan Bylsma said.
That means goals haven’t been priority for the 6-foot-2, 212-pound Carrier, who has scored just once in his first 17 NHL games.
“That’s ... Read the full article
Kyle Okposo moved beside Jack Eichel today. ©2016, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – When you rank last in the NHL in goals and are coming off your 12th one-goal outing this season, line changes are expected.
So Sabres coach Dan Bylsma switched the right wingers on his top two lines today, putting Kyle Okposo beside center Jack Eichel and Evander Kane and Sam Reinhart with center Ryan O’Reilly and William Carrier.
“A little shakeup in the line combinations,” Sabres coach Dan Bylsma said inside HarborCenter.
Expect ... Read the full article
Washington’s Andre Burakovsky is upended by Dmitry Kulikov (77) and Ryan O’Reilly (90) on Friday. ©2016, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – After Friday’s disappointing 4-1 loss to Washington Capitals, the Sabres are 3-2-1 with Jack Eichel, their dynamic young star, back in the lineup.
Eichel’s presence, as their record indicates, has boosted Sabres a bit. They’ve played some entertaining games in the last two weeks, scoring goals and showcasing the ability to roar back late.
But even with Eichel and many of their injured regulars back – defensemen Josh Gorges and Dmitry Kulikov returned ... Read the full article
Rasmus Ristolainen celebrates his overtime winner Thursday. ©2016, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – For more than one-quarter of the season, Rasmus Ristolainen, the Sabres’ workhorse defenseman, compiled the team’s oddest stat line: zero goals, 15 assists and 62 shots.
Despite averaging almost 27 minutes of ice time a night, Ristolainen, like the team’s other defensemen, couldn’t score.
Chalk it up it to bad luck. Chalk it up to his penchant for breaking sticks, which has often made him timid with the puck.
“We’ve been urging ... Read the full article
Erik Burgdoerfer spent his entire career in the minors before Monday. ©2016, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Less than three years ago, Sabres defenseman Erik Burgdoerfer was an unknown ECHL journeyman stuck two rungs below the NHL.
Four seasons into his career, Burgdoerfer, 27, had barely even sniffed the AHL.
His NHL dream was dying.
“When you play in the ECHL for four straight years, you’re turning 25, you definitely have some times when you’re doubting yourself,” Burgdoerfer said Tuesday prior to his second NHL game, a 4-3 overtime win ... Read the full article
Connor McDavid stole the show last meeting. ©2016, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – The hype has died down a bit for the second meeting between Jack Eichel and Connor McDavid, the two dynamic centers drafted first and second in 2015.
When McDavid’s Edmonton Oilers visited Buffalo on March 1, it felt like the Sabres were hosting a playoff game. KeyBank Center had a buzz not felt around these parts in years.
Of course, plenty of hype still surrounds tonight’s meeting. A game featuring the ... Read the full article