Foligno - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres mix up lines; Rasmus Ristolainen ready to return

BUFFALO – While the top line remained intact, Sabres coach Ted Nolan rearranged his other three trios today, an attempt to jumpstart the struggling team.

The new lines, left to right: Brian Flynn beside Mikhail Grigorenko and Chris Stewart; Cody Hodgson with Cody McCormick and Drew Stafford; Nick Deslauriers beside Johan Larsson and Patrick Kaleta.

Injuries and illness have ravaged the Sabres recently. They haven’t had a second line with Marcus Foligno and Brian Gionta ... Read the full article

Sabres goalie Jhonas Enroth becoming unbeatable in shootouts

BUFFALO – As John Tavares stickhandled toward the net, making move after move, Jhonas Enroth barely budged in his crease. When the slick New York Islanders superstar finally shot the puck, the composed goalie stuck his right pad out, securing the Sabres’ 4-3 come-from-behind shootout win Saturday.

“You look at Jhonas and how he handled it, he wasn’t even bothered by it,” Sabres defenseman Mike Weber said Sunday inside the First Niagara Center. “A lot ... Read the full article

Sabres recall Mark Pysyk; Tyson Strachan nearing return

BUFFALO – Some quick updates from the First Niagara Center, where the Sabres just practiced 40 minutes before their flight to Ottawa for Monday’s tilt against the Senators.

The Sabres skated without defensemen Andrej Meszaros (maintenance day) and Rasmus Ristolainen (flu). They have reinforcements for the blue line, however. Fresh off of a two-game recall last week, Mark Pysyk has been summoned again from Rochester.

“I’m very comfortable with him,” Sabres coach Ted Nolan said. ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Matt Moulson ignited career beside Islanders’ John Tavares

BUFFALO – Five years ago, Matt Moulson, then a struggling winger on a two-way contract with the New York Islanders, was paired up with slick center John Tavares, the No. 1 pick months earlier.

The two immediately showcased dynamic chemistry together, becoming arguably the NHL’s best duo.

Moulson, now one of the Sabres’ top scorers, compiled seasons of 30, 31, 36 and 15 goals (in 48 games) with Tavares feeding him the puck.

How ... Read the full article

Sabres have more healthy players; Mikhail Grigorenko back up

BUFFALO – Slowly, the Sabres, a team riddled by injuries and illness, are getting back to full strength.

Three more players – center Cody McCormick, winger Matt Moulson and defenseman Mike Weber – will return tonight against the New York Islanders following a three-day Christmas break. Still, the Sabres have only 11 healthy forwards, so they will recall a forward soon, coach Ted Nolan said this morning.

Update: The Sabres have recalled center Mikhail Grigorenko.... Read the full article

Sabres recall prospect Joel Armia from Amerks

With injuries ravaging the Buffalo Sabres, the team recalled slick winger Joel Armia from the Rochester Americans today. The 21-year-old prospect will likely make his NHL debut tonight against the Detroit Red Wings.

The Finn, the 16th pick in 2011, has seven goals and 16 points in 21 AHL games this season. The Sabres wanted to recall Armia over the weekend but he had just returned from an upper-body injury. They didn’t want him to ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Marcus Foligno out ‘a while’ with apparent hand injury; 10 players injured or sick

The Buffalo Sabres are down 10 players to injuries and illness after losing center Marcus Foligno and captain Brian Gionta in Sunday’s 4-3 overtime loss in Boston.

Foligno apparently hurt his hand fighting the Bruins’ Matt Bartkowski after the defenseman leveled Gionta high during the first period. An upper-body injury will sideline Foligno for “a while,” Sabres coach Ted Nolan told reporters in Boston.

“One of those freak accidents that happen when you play,” Nolan ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Marcus Foligno scoring goals, feels career surging

BUFFALO – After scoring a goal in three consecutive wins recently, his hottest stretch since he burst into the NHL almost three years ago, Sabres center Marcus Foligno believes he has finally turned a corner in what has often been an enigmatic career.

“Yeah, I do,” Foligno said Thursday following practice inside HarborCenter. “I feel a lot better in myself and the way I’ve been playing, the way I’ve been seeing the ice, and just ... Read the full article

Sabres rally again, beat Senators in shootout

BUFFALO – Monday’s exciting 5-4 come-from-behind shootout victory against the Ottawa Senators extended the Sabres’ winning streak to four games. That’s 10 triumphs in their last 13 games. The surging team has rallied from third-period deficits in five of its last six wins.

In one month, the Sabres have morphed from a hapless team destined to finish last again into a legitimate playoff contender.

“We got something special going,” said Sabres center Marcus Foligno, who ... Read the full article

Strong, balanced offense has buoyed Sabres during hot streak

BUFFALO – Yes, 30 games into the season, the Sabres still possess the NHL’s worst offense. At their current pace, they would score 142 goals, eight fewer than last year, when they set the NHL’s all-time low mark for a full campaign.

But the Sabres’ offense is no longer feeble. At times, it can even be downright dangerous.

Thirty of the Sabres’ 52 goals have come in the last 12 games, a stretch in which ... Read the full article