WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage
Calder Cup Playoffs Edition
Anders Nilsson tries to stop the New York Rangers’ Chris Kreider on Dec. 1. ©2017, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Very quietly, after years of ineptitude on home ice, the Sabres have recently morphed into a strong team at KeyBank Center, winning four straight games.
Of course, four consecutive home victories isn’t overly impressive. But for the Sabres, who haven’t finished above .500 at home since 2012-13, the streak represents progress.
It also gives them some hope. With each loss, their slim playoff chances decrease. But tonight’s tilt against the New York Rangers ... Read the full article
Zach Bogosian scored his first goal Saturday. ©2017, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – In 25 years as a professional coach and player, coach Dan Bylsma said he had never seen it before. In Saturday’s 3-2 overtime win in Montreal, the Sabres dressed five right-handed defensemen.
“Kind of an odd situation,” Bylsma said Monday inside HarborCenter after the Sabres prepared for tonight’s road tilt against the Nashville Predators.
Unlike other sports, lefties are more plentiful in hockey. According to the New York Daily News, a whopping 62 ... Read the full article
Jack Eichel (left) battles Auston Matthews on Tuesday. ©2017, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
TORONTO – The Maple Leafs, like the Buffalo Sabres of a year ago, had to improve this season because 30th place was no longer their target.
After bottoming out on purpose, the Leafs added first overall pick Auston Matthews to their large stable of young talent. They also have Mike Babcock, arguably the NHL’s best coach.
Few, however, expected the upstart Leafs would be this good this soon. After Tuesday’s Tuesday’s 4-3 win over the ... Read the full article
Ryan O’Reilly believes the Sabres play better when they think less. ©2017, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Suddenly, the Sabres have some hope. Three wins in four games will create that. So will the type of victories they’ve earned.
In addition to Saturday afternoon’s thrilling come-from-behind win against Winnipeg, a tilt emotional enough it felt like it could change their season, the Sabres have played two of their best games of 2016-17 this month.
In beating Philadelphia 4-1 on Tuesday, a game that mirrored their 4-1 road win against the ... Read the full article
Brian Gionta (12) celebrates his go-ahead goal Saturday afternoon. ©2017, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – If the last-place Sabres go on a three-month tear, roar up the standings and do the unthinkable – that’s secure a playoff spot – remember their offensive outburst late in Saturday afternoon’s thrilling 4-3 come-from-behind win.
Down 3-1 against the Winnipeg Jets and trudging toward their eighth loss in 10 games, the Sabres suddenly exploded for three goals in just 4:42, sending the capacity crowd of 19,070 fans into a frenzy.
The wild ... Read the full article
Kyle Okposo (21) has a team-high 10 goals. ©2017, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – As expected, Jack Eichel’s return following a 21-game absence to begin the season has boosted the Sabres’ anemic offense.
In 15 games with their slick young center, the last-place Sabres have scored 39 goals, or 2.6 an outing, a decent number. By comparison, they scored only 38 goals, just 1.8 a contest, without him.
So Eichel’s presence has meant almost an extra goal a game entering tonight’s tilt against the New York Rangers, ... Read the full article
Justin Bailey played two NHL games earlier this season. ©2016, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Instead of being given a spot on a scoring line Friday, winger Justin Bailey, the AHL’s hottest scorer, mostly practiced beside center Derek Grant and Nick Deslauriers, an odd place for one of the Sabres’ top prospects.
Grant and Deslauriers have zero goals and three assists between them in 45 games this season. Incredibly, Grant hasn’t scored a goal in 71 career NHL appearances. Deslauriers has more fights (14) than goals ... Read the full article
Tyler Ennis had surgery Nov. 10. ©2016, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Without his explosiveness and the ability to juke opponents, speedy Sabres winger Tyler Ennis believes he’s “pretty useless out there.”
“I have to be able to use my agility, my speed, my quickness to create space,” Ennis said Thursday morning after skating with his teammates inside KeyBank Center.
Ennis, 27, couldn’t do any of that earlier this season. The longest-tenured Sabre said he felt something “gradually getting worse” in his groin. An examination ... Read the full article
Dmitry Kulikov has played only 20 games this season. ©2016, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Back in June, when the Sabres acquired Dmitry Kulikov from the Florida Panthers, they envisioned the Russian as a minute-munching partner for No. 1 defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen.
Six months later, Kulikov, thanks to a lower-back injury he has battled all season, has had little or no impact in only 20 appearances.
The injury will sideline Kulikov, 26, again for tonight’s tilt against the Boston Bruins at KeyBank Center.
“It’s something that Dmitry’s dealt ... Read the full article
Robin Lehner saw a doctor this morning. ©2016, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Some quick updates from KeyBank Center, where the Sabres practiced this afternoon following Tuesday’s 4-3 win in Detroit:
– Goalie Robin Lehner, who took a stick to the throat against the Red Wings, and defensemen Dmitry Kulikov and Jake McCabe all missed practice with maintenance days, Sabres coach Dan Bylsma said.
Lehner, who has an abrasion on his neck from teammate Zach Bogosian’s stick, saw a doctor this morning “as more of a ... Read the full article
