WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage
October Edition
Don Granato caught a flight to Boston on Saturday morning. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
Don Granato’s Saturday began in the predawn hours in Buffalo. The coach knew he was close to clearing the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol. So receiving good test results meant he join the Sabres in Boston for their matinee.
“I was waiting literally minute by minute in hopes of being here,” Granato said on a Zoom call prior to the Sabres’ 4-3 overtime loss to the Bruins at TD Garden.
When Granato received clearance, he hopped on ... Read the full article
Jeff Skinner entered the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol Dec. 21. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
Sabres wingers Vinnie Hinostroza and Jeff Skinner have left the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol and could play in this afternoon’s road game against the Boston Bruins, according to The Buffalo News.
Hinostroza, 27, and Skinner, 29, practiced with the Sabres on Friday in Boston.
“Both will be available, if that’s the direction we decide,” assistant Matt Ellis, who’s subbing for head coach Don Granato, told the paper.
Ethan Prow played in Germany last season before joining Buffalo’s organization. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Sabres defenseman Ethan Prow spent much of his 20s toiling in the AHL, posting gaudy numbers and never earning even a cup of coffee in the NHL.
In 2018-19, Prow morphed into one of the league’s elite offensive defensemen, registering 18 goals and 50 points. The next year, after changing organizations, he recorded nine goals and 32 points during a shortened campaign.
A call to the big leagues never materialized, and last season, ... Read the full article
Kyle Okposo scored Buffalo’s only goal Thursday. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
It was a recipe for disaster Thursday. The Buffalo Sabres played the second game of a back-to-back missing a whopping 11 players because of injury or illness.
Not surprisingly, the Sabres, who had four players make their debut a night earlier, struggled early and fell 4-1 to the New York Islanders.
In COVID times, of course, teams can find themselves down several players in a day or two.
The Sabres have built up some nice ... Read the full article
Alex Tuch, shown here in November, is fulfilling a dream by playing for Buffalo. ©2021
BUFFALO – The result doesn’t matter. That the undermanned Sabres lost 4-3, even to the reeling New Jersey Devils, wasn’t surprising. The rebuilding team has six players in the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol and played its first game in 12 days.
Wednesday was about the debuts of Alex Tuch, Peyton Krebs, JJ Peterka and what their presence represents for the Sabres’ future.
After a decade of futility, the Sabres finally seem to be adding the right ... Read the full article
Matt Ellis (pictured) played for Lindy Ruff before coaching against him. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Of all the coaches the Sabres’ Matt Ellis could’ve faced in his first game filling in for Don Granato, it turned out to be the one he knows best, Lindy Ruff.
These days, Ruff, 61, coaches the New Jersey Devils, the Sabres’ opponent Wednesday at KeyBank Center.
Ellis, 40, played under Ruff for parts of five seasons, growing from a forward the Sabres plucked off waivers into an NHL regular. ... Read the full article
Ethan Prow has spent most of his career in the AHL. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Make that four. In addition to forwards Peyton Krebs, JJ Peterka and Alex Tuch, it appears another player, defenseman Ethan Prow, will be making his Sabres debut tonight.
Like Peterka, Prow, 29, has never played in the NHL. Ironically, Peterka and Prow were teammates last season with Red Bull Munich, a Deutsche Eishockey Liga team.
The Sabres this morning recalled Prow to the taxi squad and Casey Fitzgerald to the active roster because ... Read the full article
JJ Peterka is one of Buffalo’s top prospects. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – In the Sabres’ recent history, games as significant as tonight’s can be counted on one hand. How often have three highly regarded young players – in this case, forwards Peyton Krebs, JJ Peterka and Alex Tuch – all made their debuts together?
Their presence illustrates that after a decade of futility, maybe – just maybe – a franchise known for dysfunction is starting to get things rights.
In less than a year, the ... Read the full article
Dylan Cozens entered the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol Sunday. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Sabres coach Don Granato and the five players in the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol will likely be unavailable for Wednesday’s home game against the New Jersey Devils, assistant coach Matt Ellis said.
“I believe our list is our list and we will not have anyone available from that tomorrow,” Ellis, who’s subbing for Granato, said following this morning’s practice inside KeyBank Center.
In addition to Granato, forwards Dylan Cozens, Zemgus Girgensons, Vinnie Hinostroza, Mark ... Read the full article
JJ Peterka learned he was recalled in the grocery store. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Sabres prospect JJ Peterka was grocery shopping with Linus Weissbach on Monday in Rochester when his teammate’s phone rang.
Peterka’s phone wasn’t working, so to relay some special news, Rochester Americans coach Seth Appert called Weissbach, one of the German’s roommates.
“That was kind of weird but then I got the phone and Appert told me I got called up, so it was amazing,” said a smiling Peterka, who was officially recalled this ... Read the full article