Foligno - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Photo: Sabres’ Chris Stewart pummels Dane Byers

BUFFALO – Late in the first period of Wednesday’s 6-1 exhibition win, Washington Capitals tough guy Dane Byers challenged Sabres winger Marcus Foligno to a fight. Foligno, who was playing his second game after undergoing offseason shoulder surgery, declined the invitation.

A second later, Sabres winger Chris Stewart zoomed in and pummeled Byers.

“It meant a lot, and obviously he’s a good team guy to stick up for anybody on this team,” Foligno said this ... Read the full article

Sam Reinhart’s first goal closes Sabres’ preseason blowout win against Capitals

BUFFALO – Seven minutes, 10 seconds into the third period Wednesday, with the Sabres up four goals against the Washington Capitals, top prospect Sam Reinhart finally found some open ice.

Reinhart, by his own admission, had been pressing this preseason. The savvy 18-year-old couldn’t score or even create opportunities, and it gnawed at him. The hockey IQ fans have heard about so much rarely materialized.

But as Wednesday’s contest dragged on, the center got open ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Mikhail Grigorenko must keep impressing to earn roster spot

BUFFALO – Two weeks into training camp, center Mikhail Grigorenko remains the Sabres’ biggest surprise. Two more impressive outings could earn the Russian prospect a roster spot.

“He’s been looking really good,” Sabres coach Ted Nolan said this morning inside the First Niagara Center. “He’s strong on the puck. He’s been making some really good plays. So the biggest thing right now is keep seeing him do it.”

Grigorenko has two more preseason opportunities, tonight ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Marcus Foligno primed for breakout season

BUFFALO – There have been some glimpses of future stardom during Marcus Foligno’s short career. For brief stretches, the Sabres winger will showcase the unique skills only a few elite power forwards possess, using his 6-foot-3, 223-pound frame to score goals and bang bodies.

But Foligno has mostly performed inconsistently, making fans wonder if the 23-year-old will ever develop into the star many envisioned he would become following his memorable debut in late 2011-12.... Read the full article

Sabres’ Zac Dalpe facing some stiff competition for roster spot

BUFFALO – Today, Sabres forward Zac Dalpe stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 195 pounds. The 24-year-old’s a former second-round pick who earned a hockey scholarship to Ohio State University.

But less than 10 years ago, Dalpe was a 5-foot-5, 110-pound teenager so desperate to get drafted into the Ontario Hockey League he hatched a plan at a weigh-in.

“I put these rocks in my pocket, and I weighed in at like 114,” Dalpe recalled Saturday inside ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Michal Neuvirth struggles in preseason loss, Chris Stewart shines

BUFFALO – If this keeps up, the battle to become the Sabres’ No. 1 goalie could be over soon.

Michal Neuvirth performed poorly in his first preseason action, making only 16 saves in the Sabres’ 6-4 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday inside the First Niagara Center.

The Leafs scored on four of their first seven shots and five of the first 12.

“A tough game, not a lot of shots,” Neuvirth said. ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Tim Schaller to make preseason debut

BUFFALO – Ted Nolan knew very little about Sabres prospect Tim Schaller prior to training camp. The center hasn’t dazzled the coach, but his play away from the puck has been catching Nolan’s eye.

“I just thought his hockey intelligence was evident to a few of us,” Nolan said this morning inside the First Niagara Center. “He kept doing it day after day after day. We just felt that he deserves an opportunity.”

Schaller, an ... Read the full article

Friends Jhonas Enroth and Michal Neuvirth ready to battle for Sabres’ starting goalie job

BUFFALO – They’ve been friends for years. Sabres goalies Jhonas Enroth and Michal Neuvirth grew up facing each other overseas. When their careers shifted to North America, they kept competing all the way to the NHL.

These days, the 26-year-olds are challenging for the same spot, the No. 1 goalie position.

“It’s Jhonas and Neuvirth’s time,” Sabres coach Ted Nolan said Friday inside the First Niagara Center following the first session of training camp.

The ... Read the full article

Sabres put top prospect Sam Reinhart on strong line to open training camp

BUFFALO – Hey, it’s never too early for line and defense combinations, right? Clearly, coach Ted Nolan has formed trios and pairs he believes could be used in the regular season.

Here are some notable ones the Sabres are using today during the opening session of training camp (left to right):

– Marcus Foligno, Sam Reinhart and Chris Stewart.

– Matt Moulson, Tyler Ennis and Drew Stafford.

– Cody Hodgson, Zemgus Girgensons and Brian Gionta.... Read the full article

Sabres players excited by Terry and Kim Pegula’s purchase of Buffalo Bills

BUFFALO – It wasn’t hard for Sabres winger Drew Stafford to see the excitement Terry and Kim Pegula’s purchase of the Buffalo Bills has generated around town.

“Everyone’s kind of got a little bit of a jump in their step,” Stafford said this morning, a day after Sabres owner Terry Pegula added the NFL franchise to his family’s growing sports empire.

The acquisition, Stafford said, is “bringing everyone together” around Buffalo.

“There’s a lot of positivity ... Read the full article