Foligno - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres’ Tyler Ennis switched to wing; Patrick Kaleta has ‘green light’ to return

BUFFALO – Tyler Ennis is often the Sabres’ only offensive threat. So why did coach Ted Nolan switch the speedster from center to right wing beside Zemgus Girgensons and Matt Moulson today?

You try everything when you only have three wins and 18 goals in 16 games. Ennis has a team-high four goals.

“When you run into obstacles, you don’t stop and quit, and you got to find a way to get over around it ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Mike Weber disappointed by sitting out

BUFFALO – Following an embarrassing 5-0 loss eight days ago in Pittsburgh, defenseman Mike Weber passionately called for more anger and intensity from the reeling Sabres.

The gritty Weber sat out the next night, the first of three straight healthy scratches. The 26-year-old, an emotional presence, hadn’t missed a game since Dec. 10.

The Pittsburgh native played again in Saturday’s 6-1 loss to the Penguins inside the First Niagara Center.

“It was extremely tough,” Weber ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Tyler Ennis says frustration made him tap official

BUFFALO – After time expired Friday in the Sabres’ 3-2 loss to Edmonton, center Tyler Ennis skated over to linesman Derek Nansen and tapped the official with his stick.

Nansen immediately gave Ennis a game misconduct.

Why did the normally mild-mannered Ennis touch an official?

“I was a little frustrated,” he said this morning inside the First Niagara Center. “I just went to go talk to the linesman and tap him on the bum ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Patrick Kaleta experiencing vision problems from injury

BUFFALO – After a puck “broke a bunch of things” in Patrick Kaleta’s face Sept. 28, doctors cut through the bottom part of his eyelid to repair him, the Sabres winger said.

“They have to cut through all those muscles, so it’s almost like my muscles get tired out a bit,” Kaleta said prior to Friday’s 3-2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers inside the First Niagara Center.

So the oft-injured agitator has been experiencing vision ... Read the full article

Sabres goalie Michal Neuvirth earns third straight start

BUFFALO – When the Sabres ended their skate this morning, goalie Michal Neuvirth, not Jhonas Enroth, went off the ice first, meaning Neuvirth will start tonight against the Edmonton Oilers.

Sabres coach Ted Nolan said Thursday Enroth would start.

Why the change?

“Oh, I thought I said Neuvy was going to start,” Nolan said this morning inside the First Niagara Center.

Then Nolan smiled.

“Just to confuse the other team,” he joked.

Tonight will ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Ted Nolan on shootouts: ‘You should have one winner’

BUFFALO – Ted Nolan refers to the shootout as a “skills competition.” So, the Sabres coach doesn’t like it then?

“Ehhh, I’m not a big fan of it,” Nolan said this afternoon inside the First Niagara Center. “But it’s entertaining for the fans. The game, I like to declare a winner. It’s kind of like horseshoes or grenades, everything’s close, everybody’s fair. But I think in a game you should have one winner.”

The Sabres ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Nikita Zadorov enjoying NHL life, happy to be playing

BUFFALO – It went on for weeks. Each day, 19-year-old Nikita Zadorov, the eighth defenseman most of this season, asked Sabres coach Ted Nolan if he would play.

“He asked me every day,” Nolan said Wednesday prior to the Sabres’ 2-1 shootout loss to the Montreal Canadiens inside the First Niagara Center.

Finally, Nolan gave his assistant coaches a message: “Tell him I’ll tell him when he’s in.”

After sitting the first seven games ... Read the full article

Sabres’ top defensemen could skate big minutes again versus Canadiens

BUFFALO – In Sunday’s 3-2 shootout win against Detroit, four Sabres defensemen – Josh Gorges, Tyler Myers, Andrej Meszaros and Rasmus Ristolainen – skated more than 25 minutes.

Expect to see the defensemen play big minutes tonight against the Montreal Canadiens inside the First Niagara Center. To Sabres coach Ted Nolan, it’s no big deal.

“Twenty, 24 minutes a day is not too hard, I don’t think,” Nolan said. “It’s 24 minutes of a 24-hour ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Brian Flynn finally playing again: ‘I had to try to be patient’

BUFFALO – In his first two seasons, the Sabres only scratched Brian Flynn three times. But the 26-year-old forward became a spare part in October, sitting out nine games, including five straight to close the month.

Now, Flynn’s making it difficult for Sabres coach Ted Nolan to take him out of the lineup. He opened the scoring in Sunday’s 3-2 shootout win against Detroit, his first goal in 25 games.

Nolan likes Flynn’s calm demeanor ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Brian Gionta and Josh Gorges downplay first game against Canadiens

BUFFALO – The Sabres won’t face the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday night trying to win for former Habs Brian Gionta and Josh Gorges, who will face their old team for the first time.

“As a team right now, we can’t be thinking about winning it for anybody but ourselves,” Sabres coach Ted Nolan said this afternoon inside the First Niagara Center.

Neither player wants the game treated any differently.

“You’re playing your former team for ... Read the full article