Fitzgerald - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres’ Peyton Krebs displaying elite playmaking skills: ‘A special talent’

BUFFALO – In the waning minutes of Tuesday’s 6-3 win, Sabres winger Peyton Krebs grabbed the puck in the left circle and skated to the goal line before quickly finding linemate Victor Olofsson in the opposite circle.

Krebs caught the New York Islanders and perhaps even Olofsson, who was wide open, off guard. Olofsson converted the slick pass, putting the Sabres up 4-3.

“Saw him backdoor and just made a quick pass to him,” Krebs ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Mark Pysyk making teammates laugh as he hits 500-game milestone

BUFFALO – At first, Sabres winger Kyle Okposo wasn’t sure if Mark Pysyk, his new teammate, might be serious. The defenseman always delivers his quips with a straight face.

“If you just met him, you’d probably think he’s not a very nice person,” Okposo said prior to Tuesday’s game at KeyBank Center. “But he is. He’s just goofing around.”

Okposo has learned the quick-witted Pysyk, who played his 500th NHL game Tuesday, a 6-3 win ... Read the full article

Sabres to make lineup change; Casey Mittelstadt progressing well

BUFFALO – After sitting out Sunday afternoon’s win, Sabres defenseman Mark Pysyk will return tonight against the New York Islanders and play his 500th NHL game.

To make room for Pysyk, Sabres coach Don Granato said Robert Hagg will be scratched. Granato expects Hagg to sit out just one game.

With seven healthy defensemen, Granato has been rotating players in and out. Jacob Bryson watched one game last week before Pysyk was scratched for the ... Read the full article

Dynamic four-goal game shows Sabres’ Jeff Skinner back as elite scorer

In the two seasons following his scintillating 40-goal campaign in 2018-19, it appeared Sabres winger Jeff Skinner would never recapture the scoring prowess he possessed throughout that career year.

Skinner, who enjoyed a dynamic afternoon in Sunday’s 5-3 win, scoring a career-high four goals and adding an assist, looked finished as an elite NHL scorer.

Last season, Skinner scored just seven times in 53 games and was scratched three times. In 2019-20, he recorded 11 ... Read the full article

Casey Fitzgerald’s aggressive, agitating style earning notice from Sabres, others

BUFFALO – By the end of that night in Vegas, every member of the Golden Knights knew when Sabres rookie Casey Fitzgerald, the undersized defenseman playing just his seventh NHL game, was on the ice.

“And they didn’t like it,” Sabres coach Don Granato said following Saturday’s practice at LECOM Harborcenter. “It was the better players, that was the beauty of it. We can play him against better players and they’re looking over their ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Linus Weissbach showing ‘immense’ growth with Amerks

BUFFALO – In the third period of Rochester’s 5-2 loss last Friday, rookie winger Linus Weissbach hit defenseman Matt Kiersted hard into the end boards, freeing the puck.

A second later, winger JJ Peterka scored, moving the Americans within one goal of the Charlotte Checkers.

The assist wasn’t exactly pretty or the type of play the speedy Weissbach’s known for making. The Sabres prospect fell to the ice after hitting Kiersted, and it appeared he ... Read the full article

Why did Sabres assign Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to Amerks?

BUFFALO – Sabres coach Don Granato wants goalie prospect Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to develop a rhythm with the Rochester Americans.

Starting Friday, the Amerks play six games over an 11-day stretch. Luukkonen will play the bulk of the contests, giving him an opportunity to find a groove again.

Luukkonen, 22, hasn’t played since suffering an upper-body injury Jan. 11 with the Sabres. After he was cleared to play Wednesday, they sent him back to the AHL.... Read the full article

Sabres awaiting retest results following several positive COVID-19 tests

Several members of the Buffalo Sabres tested positive for COVID-19 prior to tonight’s road game against the Arizona Coyotes, coach Don Granato said.

“Every one of those is retesting, and the only one that we’ve gotten back has returned negative,” Granato said on a Zoom call this afternoon following the Sabres’ pregame skate. “So obviously a pretty active situation. I can tell you all of these test that have gone through, everybody feels normal.”

Sabres ... Read the full article

With Sabres thin in net, goalie Michael Houser has special chance to impress

BUFFALO – For the time being, the Sabres’ net belongs to goalie Michael Houser.

When the Sabres continue their four-game road trip Saturday against the Arizona Coyotes, Houser, 29, will likely start his seventh NHL game.

A stunning run of bad luck in net this season – three injuries and an illness – forced the Sabres to sign Houser to an NHL contract Jan. 12. Over the next two weeks, Houser spelled Aaron Dell... Read the full article

After slow start, Sabres prospect Arttu Ruotsalainen on tear with Amerks

For five weeks this season, Sabres prospect Arttu Ruotsalainen played short minutes as Buffalo’s fourth-line center, mustering just two goals.

Finally, after the Sabres scratched Ruotsalainen four times over a five-game stretch in November, they sent him back to the AHL, where he began last season.

When Ruotsalainen, 24, arrived in Rochester, Americans coach Seth Appert was surprised at what he saw.

Ruotsalainen had performed like one of the AHL’s elite talents last season, recording ... Read the full article