Foligno - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Rolston believes Sabres rookie Foligno will bounce back after benching

BUFFALO – Why did interim coach Ron Rolston bench Marcus Foligno late Friday in the Sabres’ 4-2 win over the Ottawa Senators?

The rookie winger received only two shifts during the third period for 30 total seconds. On Foligno’s first shift, Eric Gryba put Ottawa up 2-1.

Foligno played two seconds the rest of the game.

“He just wasn’t moving his feet as much as he should be,” Rolston said this afternoon inside the First ... Read the full article

Slumping Stafford benched as Gerbe returns for Sabres

MONTREAL – In just 32 days on the job, interim coach Ron Rolston has quickly put his mark on the Buffalo Sabres, scratching five regular forwards.

Prior to Saturday, struggling winger Drew Stafford had escaped a benching, only receiving some fourth-line duty for his poor play. With a two-goal effort last Saturday and the shootout-tying score Thursday, it appeared the assistant captain would keep dressing.

But Stafford, who has only four goals and a ... Read the full article

Struggling Stafford to sit tonight as Gerbe returns for Sabres

MONTREAL – Naturally, getting benched for tonight’s game against the Canadiens is disappointing, Drew Stafford said. The struggling Buffalo Sabres winger, who has only four goals in 31 games this season, hasn’t been a healthy scratch in years.

But the 27-year-old veteran, an assistant captain, understands why interim coach Ron Rolston will sit him.

“I mean, it’s no secret I haven’t been getting on the score sheet,” Stafford said this afternoon following Buffalo’s skate ... Read the full article

Struggling Stafford wants to remain with Sabres

MONTREAL – The rumors, Drew Stafford said, are simply not true. The struggling Sabres winger doesn’t want to be traded. The 27-year-old would like to stay in Buffalo, his only NHL home.

Right now, Stafford’s focusing on busting out of his long offensive slump. Asking to be dealt with two years and more than $8 million left on his contract, well, that would be the easy way out.

“No matter how bad it gets, ... Read the full article

Relentless Sabres roar back to down Leafs in ultra-intense tilt

BUFFALO –For 65 wildly entertaining minutes Thursday, the Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs fought, traded goals and battled for every inch as they zoomed up and down the ice before a noisy bipartisan crowd of 19,070 fans inside the First Niagara Center.

The Sabres’ 5-4 shootout victory was NHL hockey at its fiercest and most exciting.

“They got their money’s worth tonight,” interim Sabres coach Ron Rolston said about the capacity crowd.

Fittingly, Sabres agitator ... Read the full article

Which Sabres forward would Rolston sit if Kaleta returns?

Considering the Buffalo Sabres have lost two straight, six of seven (1-3-3) and rank 14^th in the Eastern Conference with only 10 wins and 24 points, this shouldn’t be hard, right?

So, assuming the Sabres put agitator Patrick Kaleta back in the lineup Tuesday in Montreal, which forward should Ron Rolston scratch?

The Sabres’ interim coach didn’t want to bench anyone Sunday in Washington when Kaleta was eligible to play following a five-game boarding ... Read the full article

Sabres facing tough roster decisions

BUFFALO – Right now, the Sabres’ roster is at the 23-man limit. Center Tyler Ennis and winger Ville Leino are set to return from injuries, so moves will have to be made before the Sabres host the Ottawa Senators on Saturday afternoon.

“We’re actually meeting this afternoon on it to figure it out,” interim Sabres coach Ron Rolston said this afternoon following practice inside the First Niagara Center. “But it will be solved by tomorrow.”... Read the full article

Marcus Foligno, Kevin Porter and Brian Flynn forming strong line for Sabres

BUFFALO – It appeared their time together could be brief. When interim Sabres coach Ron Rolston put Marcus Foligno, Kevin Porter and Brian Flynn together on a line March 5, he united two recent recalls with Foligno, a struggling rookie fresh off his first NHL benching.

All three had never played together during nearly four months with the Rochester Americans.

But Rolston, the Amerks’ coach until his Feb. 20 promotion, knew their talents. With the ... Read the full article

Ott believes boos from Sabres fans ‘make the team lose a little bit of energy’

BUFFALO – The Sabres’ power play is awful, and their legions of fans know it. Not only does it rank 30^th, it’s operating at a paltry 11.2 percent. No one else is lower than 13 percent.

In Tuesday’s 3-1 triumph over the New York Rangers, the Sabres blew all five opportunities and allowed another short-handed goal, their NHL-high fifth this season.

During one third-period chance, they iced the puck and went ... Read the full article

Jhonas Enroth, Marcus Foligno help push Sabres past Rangers

BUFFALO – At various points last season, youngsters Jhonas Enroth and Marcus Foligno represented the Sabres’ oh-so-bright future.

Enroth, the rookie goalie that couldn’t lose early on, would someday be the franchise’s regular netminder. Foligno roared into the NHL later in the campaign, instantly becoming a premier power forward.

But they had provided little to the Sabres this lost season prior to their difference-making performances in Tuesday’s 3-1 triumph over the New York Rangers.

Enroth ... Read the full article