WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage
Training Camp Edition
Jhonas Enroth plans to return home to Sweden later this week. ©2012, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
AMHERST – A deal had finally been reached. After two weeks of prodding from his friend, locked-out Sabres goalie Jhonas Enroth agreed he would play one game for a local pizzeria’s beer league team.
On Tuesday, an excited Enroth announced the “one-game contract” to his more than 20,000 Twitter followers.
“Debut is tomorrow at 10 pm at Buff State,” he wrote.
Enroth tweeted again about an hour later.
“Alright. Agent just called. No game with ... Read the full article
Jason Pominville plans to play an exhibition game tonight in Quebec. ©2012, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
AMHERST – Following another informal skate Wednesday, Jason Pominville packed up his hockey equipment, hopped in the car and drove home seven hours to Montreal.
It’s that hard for the locked out NHL players to find a game these days.
The Sabres captain said he’ll play tonight in the Quebec Caravan League, a charity exhibition series pitting players from Montreal against others from around the province. The contests should resemble intense shinny, he said.
His ... Read the full article
David Leggio emerged as Rochester’s starter last season. ©2012, Micheline Veluvolu, Rochester Americans
BUFFALO – For about three months last season, David Leggio and Drew MacIntyre split time tending goal for the Rochester Americans, neither one impressing enough to earn regular duty.
Then, two starts the first weekend in January jumpstarted Leggio’s season. First, the Williamsville native stopped 42 shots during a win in Binghamton. He made 49 saves in a shootout loss in Hershey the next night, earning the Amerks’ No. 1 job.
Leggio played 35 more ... Read the full article
Ryan Miller slumped badly much of last season. ©2012, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – OK, so where does Ryan Miller, the 2009-10 Vezina Trophy winner and Team USA Olympic hero, rank among NHL goalies right now?
Consider the following: his goals-against average the last two seasons has ranked 22nd and 22nd; his save percentage has ranked 18th and 19th; last year, he failed to backstop his team to the postseason for the third time in five seasons.
Based on the recent ... Read the full article
Jhonas Enroth played sparingly the second half of the season. ©2012, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Jhonas Enroth’s starts quickly became anticipated, must-see events. The Sabres goalie couldn’t lose. Not late last season. Not early this one.
Fans clamored for more appearances from Enroth. They wanted the rookie backup, not established starter Ryan Miller, carrying the load.
Dating back to last season, Enroth had won nine straight decisions by early November, including his first six in 2011-12.
Then, suddenly, the 23-year-old stopped winning – and playing. He started only ... Read the full article
BUFFALO – Cody Hodgson said he loves exploring cities. On the road, where he’s on pace to play an NHL-record 48 games this season, the 22-year-old Sabres center tries to see all the sights.
Hodgson just visited Times Square last week prior to his first game in New York. The Toronto native rates Dallas – sorry, Sabres fans – and Nashville among his favorite cities.
One day recently, Hodgson hopped in his rental car and ... Read the full article
BUFFALO – About 23 minutes into the Sabres’ 4-1 triumph Friday, rookie Travis Turnbull grabbed a loose puck off a faceoff, skated out of the zone and began creating a memorable first NHL goal inside New York’s historic Madison Square Garden.
When Turnbull reached the red line, he shot the puck in and zoomed by the Rangers’ Stu Bickel. The center then briefly retrieved his dump-in, throwing the puck out from behind the net as ... Read the full article
BUFFALO – Nine days after the Sabres acquired center Cody Hodgson from the Vancouver Canucks in a blockbuster deal at the NHL trade deadline, the 22-year-old rookie finally skated on the First Niagara Center ice Wednesday.
Hodgson had been experiencing a whirlwind acclimation to his new team on the road, and his head hasn’t stopped spinning.
“Has it been that long, really?” Hodgson said Wednesday morning inside the FNC when informed the trade was nine ... Read the full article
BUFFALO – Go ahead, pick the dates the underachieving Sabres appeared finished and primed to play out the string for a lottery pick.
There are plenty, you know.
There was that embarrassing 5-0 dismantling Jan. 16 in Detroit, after which an emotional Ryan Miller said a trade wouldn’t help the Sabres. Two nights later, the Blackhawks throttled them 6-2 in Chicago, the third of five straight losses on a six game-trip.
On Feb. 16, the ... Read the full article
Tyler Ennis has only four goals in 22 games this season. ©2012, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
“I’m sure that again we’ll finish the year around (240 goals).” – Buffalo Sabres coach Lindy Ruff, December 15, 2011
“I guarantee you it’ll come again. It always has.” – Ruff on his anemic offense, January 23
BUFFALO – Not long ago, Ruff could speak confidently because the post-lockout Sabres had always found ways to score. They annually overcame any struggles and ranked among the NHL’s slickest attacks, averaging 256 goals a year.
But the ... Read the full article
