Foligno - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Checking line Sabres’ best trio in years

BUFFALO – The Sabres’ most consistent and sturdiest line in years – yes, years – is a trio comprised of players who underachieved, struggled offensively and couldn’t stay in the lineup earlier this season.

But these days, center Johan Larsson, left wing Marcus Foligno and right wing Brian Gionta quietly form the Sabres’ steadiest combination.

While the line’s technically the Sabres’ third – the players usually face the opponent’s best in a checking role ... Read the full article

Sabres give poor effort in loss to Leafs

TORONTO – If you passed on viewing a meaningless late-season tilt between the Buffalo Sabres and Maple Leafs and opted to watch some college basketball or, well, do anything else Saturday night, you probably made a wise decision.

In a downright wretched effort, the Sabres meekly fell 4-1 to the NHL’s worst team, imploding late inside the Air Canada Centre after starting the third period tied at 1.

“It was pretty embarrassing,” Sabres winger Marcus ... Read the full article

Sabres lose cool in overtime loss to Canadiens

BUFFALO – Thirty minutes before the Sabres’ feisty 3-2 overtime loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday, goalies Robin Lehner and Ben Scrivens chatted amicably at center ice during pregame warm-ups.

But by about 9 p.m., as chaos enveloped his crease at the end of a penalty-filled second period, the fiery Sabres goalie wanted to see Scrivens, someone he called “a good guy off the ice,” again.

Seconds after Montreal’s Michael McCarron punched Lehner after ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Marcus Foligno enjoying career-best stretch

BUFFALO – Four years ago this month, the Sabres summoned a rookie with a famous hockey name and one game of NHL experience for the stretch drive of their playoff push.

Ultimately, they felt short, but winger Marcus Foligno’s supreme exploits – six goals and 13 points – nearly helped them roar into the postseason.

For years, as he struggled to find consistency and score, Foligno’s play, fairly or not, has been measured against that ... Read the full article

Ryan O’Reilly’s return means Sabres will switch up lines

BUFFALO – The sample size, of course, is pretty small – barely eight games over the last two weeks. Still, the line comprised of slick rookies Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart and young veteran Evander Kane has given the Sabres a legitimate No. 1 NHL scoring combination for the first time in years.

Think back a bit. When was the last time the Sabres had a top trio on par with some of the league’s ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Ryan O’Reilly close to returning

BUFFALO – On Saturday morning, after skating 90 minutes before the Sabres’ afternoon game, center Ryan O’Reilly told coach Dan Bylsma he was ready to return from a right foot injury.

Keep in mind that O’Reilly hadn’t even participated in a full practice with his teammates yet. That was only his second time on the ice since getting hurt Feb. 19.

“He came off the ice and decided, ‘Oh, I can play today. I’m ... Read the full article

Sabres rookie Jack Eichel beats buzzer for overtime winner

BUFFALO – Sabres winger Evander Kane likes to practice the long backhand flips like the one that created rookie Jack Eichel’s slick breakaway winner with one second left in overtime Saturday afternoon.

“They’re helpful when you get caught on a line change,” Kane said following the Sabres’ thrilling 3-2 win against the Carolina Hurricanes. “It’s kind of like a punt, four seconds of hang time in the air and you can kind of get off ... Read the full article

Sabres want to keep building identity

BUFFALO – Right away, five months ago, the Sabres passed the eye test. Following two wretched seasons, the rebuilt club immediately looked like, well, a real team again.

While this campaign has still been rough – they rank seventh in the Atlantic Division and 26^th overall – the Sabres believe they’ve started creating a strong identity they can carry into the future.

The new-look team (27-33-9) has morphed back into a competitive outfit in ... Read the full article

Sabres captain Brian Gionta happy back in checking role

BUFFALO – What’s new for Sabres captain Brian Gionta is really old.

As a youngster with the New Jersey Devils, years before he developed into an often lethal scoring threat, the diminutive winger won a Stanley Cup in 2003 playing on a checking line.

“I came into the league kind of in the role I’m in now,” Gionta said Wednesday after the Sabres prepared for tonight’s road tilt against the Montreal Canadiens, the team he ... Read the full article

Fun-loving Nick Deslauriers popular with Sabres teammates

BUFFALO – It’s only playful fighting, of course. Sometimes Nick Deslauriers and Marcus Foligno scrap on the ice after practice. Other times the Sabres wingers tussle for positioning on the bus.

“That’s normal,” a smiling Foligno said Friday. “We do that quite a bit. He annoys me quite a bit. I annoy him quite a bit. We go hand-in-hand.”

Their constant jousting earned them the nickname “Bash Brothers” from their teammates, Foligno said.

“We’re always ... Read the full article