Florida Panthers - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres stumble against Panthers, fall into last place

BUFFALO – Friday’s ugly 4-1 loss to the hapless Florida Panthers should erase any belief the Sabres are a better team than their meager record indicates.

The loss, the Sabres’ 11th in 16 tries (5-9-2), dropped them below the Panthers into last place in the 16-team Eastern Conference, a spot they have occupied regularly for years.... Read the full article

Respect growing for 1980s Sabres with Dave Andreychuk’s Hall of Fame honor

BUFFALO – Phil Housley laughed and sounded nostalgic recalling his memories of winger Dave Andreychuk and their eight seasons together as Sabres teammates.

The Sabres coach knows the 1980s aren’t regarded as the franchise’s golden era. Housley and Andreychuk advanced past the first round of the playoffs only once, as rookies in 1982-83. The decade is mostly known for its disappointment.... Read the full article

Sabres goalie Robin Lehner to honor fallen Buffalo K-9 Officer on jersey

BUFFALO – The community’s emotional response to Craig Lehner’s death has moved Sabres goalie Robin Lehner, who will honor the Buffalo K-9 Officer tonight by wearing his name and radio number on a special Military Appreciation Night jersey.

The camouflage warm-up jersey has 43 and “C. Lehner” on the back. Craig Lehner, who died in a dive training exercise last month in the Niagara River, also served in the Army National Guard. The two have ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Evander Kane becoming star as free agency approaches

BUFFALO – Right now, Sabres winger Evander Kane is happy, healthy and one of the NHL’s most dynamic players.

He has already compiled nine goals and 15 points in the opening 15 games. Going back to last year, he has scored 37 times in his last 73 appearances, the league’s fourth-highest total in that span. His 30 even-strength goals rank second in that time.

This season, Kane, center Jack Eichel and Jason Pominville have ... Read the full article

Report: Sabres to make uniform changes next season

The Buffalo Sabres are one of 12 NHL teams that will make changes to their uniform next season, according to sportslogos.net.

Don’t, however, expect a big overhaul. The changes could be as small as a few tweaks. The Sabres will keep their primary logo.

The changes will come with the NHL’s switch from Reebok to Adidas as their jersey manufacturer in 2017-18.

The Sabres have worn their current blue home jersey with the charging ... Read the full article

Sabres sign West Seneca’s Sean Malone to entry-level contract

BUFFALO – The Sabres have signed West Seneca’s Sean Malone to a two-year, entry-level contract, the team announced this morning.

Update: Malone will make his NHL debut tonight at center against the Panthers, according to reports out of Florida.

Malone, a forward the Sabres drafted in the sixth round, 159th overall, in 2013, played four years at Harvard University.

The 6-foot, 190-pound Malone, 21, compiled 42 goals, 99 points and a plus-31 rating in 115 ... Read the full article

Goalie Robin Lehner wants Sabres to be more accountable

BUFFALO – Robin Lehner’s view from the crease has offered the goalie a unique perspective into the highs and lows the Sabres have endured throughout a wildly inconsistent season that has two games left.

To Lehner, who often talks passionately about the Sabres’ struggles, the most disappointing part is “seeing us playing so well in certain stretches, certain periods, certain small (parts) of the games.”

“We could totally dominate the top the teams in this ... Read the full article

Sabres reward captain Brian Gionta with win over Panthers

BUFFALO – In the days leading to Brian Gionta’s 1,000th NHL game, the Sabres were a little nervous, even “walking on eggshells,” coach Dan Bylsma said.

No one wanted to talk about their captain’s milestone.

“Didn’t want to jinx it, so to speak,” Bylsma said after Gionta fittingly scored the winning goal in Monday’s 4-2 win against the Florida Panthers.

But the Sabres loosened up, and following an emotional pregame ceremony honoring Gionta’s achievement, ... Read the full article

Sabres captain Brian Gionta honored for 1,000th game

BUFFALO – Sabres winger Tyler Ennis said undersized NHL players – a “brotherhood,” he called them – share “an unspoken bond.”

Small players, of course, have the odds stacked against them. Only they can truly understand what they endured to make the league.

Fifteen or 20 years ago, it was even tougher for them to crack the NHL. That’s why Ennis, who’s listed at 5-foot-9, grew up idolizing diminutive stars, including 5-foot-7 Sabres captain Brian ... Read the full article

Sabres captain Brian Gionta an inspiration to Tyler Ennis

BUFFALO – Sabres winger Tyler Ennis said undersized NHL players – a “brotherhood,” he called them – share “an unspoken bond.”

Small players, of course, have the odds stacked against them. Only they can truly understand what they endured to make the league.