WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage
October Edition
Henri Jokiharju has missed the last nine games. ©2023, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Sabres defenseman Henri Jokiharju, sidelined since suffering a lower-body injury on Dec. 9, could play in about a week, coach Don Granato said.
Jokiharju, 23, joined his teammates this morning and skated in a contact role as they prepared for tonight’s game against the Minnesota Wild. The Finn has missed the last nine games.
“When a player gets back into practice, that window is really short at this point, as long as he ... Read the full article
Zemgus Girgensons (left), Peyton Krebs (center) and Kyle Okposo form a strong checking line. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – In the second period of Thursday’s 6-3 win, Sabres center Peyton Krebs zoomed into the Detroit zone to chase down a loose puck and drove Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider into the boards behind the net.
Krebs, who’s four inches shorter and 17 pounds lighter than Seider, gained possession. A split-second later, linemate Zemgus Girgensons fed captain Kyle Okposo in front for the first of his three goals in the Sabres’ fifth ... Read the full article
Kyle Okposo has scored three goals this season. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Twenty-five games into his season, Kyle Okposo has beaten a goalie just once. While the Sabres captain has scored three goals, two have gone into empty nets.
The veteran winger started slowly after getting injured at the end of training camp. He has also left the lineup twice because of injuries, missing seven total games.
A year after scoring 21 times, his highest output since 2015-16, Okposo said his 16th NHL season has ... Read the full article
Eric Comrie was injured on Nov. 16. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – When Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin checked Senators forward Mathieu Joseph into Eric Comrie five weeks ago, the goalie said he felt “a little bit of a pop in my knee.”
“It didn’t feel very good,” Comrie said following Wednesday’s practice, his second full session since getting injured midway through the Sabres’ 4-1 loss Nov. 16 in Ottawa.
Right away, Comrie, 27, knew something wasn’t right. Still, he tried to gut out the ... Read the full article
Craig Anderson made 40 saves Tuesday. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – At 41, Sabres goalie Craig Anderson hasn’t shown many signs of graying. In fact, the NHL’s oldest player can even make hockey’s toughest position look easy.
Take, for example, the 20-year veteran’s splendid 40-save performance in Tuesday’s 6-0 shellacking of the Los Angeles Kings, the 43rd shutout of his decorated career.
Anderson was the Sabres’ backbone as they struggled to generate offense early, making 16-first period stops and 30 saves through 40 minutes ... Read the full article
Peyton Krebs recently sat out four games. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – When the Sabres scratched Peyton Krebs four out of five games late last month, Tage Thompson texted his teammate one night and reminded him of what he experienced not long ago.
By now, Thompson’s story is well known. The center struggled for years to make a mark. Less than two seasons ago, he was a healthy scratch. Today, of course, he’s one of the NHL’s most prolific goal scorers.
“When he was my ... Read the full article
Dylan Cozens has been on a tear over the past few weeks. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Forget about Dylan Cozens’ skill set for a moment. What makes the Sabres center such a unique talent and one of the NHL’s burgeoning young stars are the intangibles he possesses.
Cozens, 21, plays a mature, tenacious style that belies his limited experience.
“He competes for the right reason being in a team sport,” Sabres coach Don Granato said following Tuesday’s practice at KeyBank Center. “He brings guys in with him, he drags ... Read the full article
Tyson Jost as played four games for Buffalo. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – The struggles and other experiences Sabres center Tyson Jost has endured since entering the NHL as a teenager have helped him develop a unique perspective.
Jost has already played 358 NHL games, the fourth-highest total among Sabres skaters. Having been drafted 10th overall in 2016, the Colorado Avalanche initially cast him in a scoring role. When that didn’t work out, he fell down the lineup and was traded last season.
He lasted only ... Read the full article
Kyle Okposo has played 15 games this season. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Peyton Krebs’ return to the lineup lasted one game.
Sabres captain Kyle Okposo, out six straight games recovering from a lower-body injury, played Friday against the New Jersey Devils, his first action since Nov. 10.
“Just some wear and tear I’ve been dealing with and had to give it some time to calm down,” Okposo said prior to the Sabres’ 3-1 loss at KeyBank Center. “But feeling better, ramped it up over ... Read the full article
Kyle Okposo has missed six games. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Sabres captain Kyle Okposo, out the last six games recovering from a lower-body injury, will play tonight against the New Jersey Devils, his first action since Nov. 10.
“Just some wear and tear I’ve been dealing with and had to give it some time to calm down,” Okposo said this morning at KeyBank Center. “But feeling better, ramped it up over the past few days.”
Okposo, 34, recently began skating on his ... Read the full article