Granato - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Peyton Krebs, Alex Tuch lead Sabres over Jack Eichel, Golden Knights

BUFFALO – After scoring a goal and helping spoil Jack Eichel’s return, Peyton Krebs gave his good friend, Alex Tuch, a hug to celebrate perhaps the Sabres’ most exciting victory in years.

Krebs and Tuch, having arrived from the Vegas Golden Knights in the blockbuster Eichel trade, will forever be linked together. The wingers have embraced the opportunities that materialized when they departed one of the NHL’s elite teams to join a rebuilding one.

So ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Casey Fitzgerald, young defensemen taking over blue line

BUFFALO – In Thursday’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights, five of the six defensemen the Sabres utilized were 25 or younger.

The graybeard of the group, Robert Hagg, 27, has played all of 282 NHL games.

The rest of the blue line consisted of neophytes. Only one other defenseman, Rasmus Dahlin, 21, has played more than 200 big league contests.

The Sabres dressed two rookies – Casey Fitzgerald, 25, and Mattias Samuelsson, who turns ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Henri Jokiharju, other injured players close to returning

BUFFALO – Defenseman Henri Jokiharju and some other injured Sabres could return for tonight’s home game against Jack Eichel and the Vegas Golden Knights, coach Don Granato said.

Jokiharju, out the last six games with a lower-body injury, practiced Wednesday in his regular spot beside defenseman Rasmus Dahlin. Meanwhile, winger Zemgus Girgensons, out the last 16 games with a lower-body injury, skated on a line of extras with center Mark Jankowski and Anders Bjork inside ... Read the full article

Sabres implode against Panthers, lose big: ‘That team doesn’t stop’

BUFFALO – For 20 minutes Monday, the Florida Panthers looked uncharacteristically sloppy and slow, mustering just three shots on goal against the Sabres.

Despite outplaying the Panthers early, the Sabres trailed 1-0 after the opening period. The Sabres had an opportunity to exploit one of the NHL’s heavyweights, but they couldn’t get any of their 11 shots by Panthers goalie Spencer Knight.

“Being down 1-0, that hurts when you only give up three,” winger Kyle ... Read the full article

Ex-Sabre Sam Reinhart back in Buffalo thriving with Panthers

BUFFALO – In his six years here, ex-Sabres winger Sam Reinhart never experienced anything like this season. His playoff-bound Florida Panthers have established themselves as a Stanley Cup contender.

The Panthers, the NHL’s highest-scoring team, ranked fourth in the league entering Monday’s 6-1 win over the Sabres. They’re so deep that Reinhart, who spent most of his tenure in Buffalo as a first-liner, now skates on the third trio.

After more than 500 regular-season appearances, ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Alex Tuch to be game-time decision against Panthers

BUFFALO – Sabres winger Alex Tuch, who left Sunday afternoon’s game injured after crashing head first into the left goalpost, said he will be a game-time decision for tonight’s contest against the Florida Panthers.

Tuch, 25, participated in the Sabres’ optional skate this morning inside KeyBank Center.

Update: Tuch is officially in the lineup.

“Took a pretty nasty spill yesterday, was seen our team docs and our training staff,” Tuch said this afternoon of ... Read the full article

Sabres experience ‘playoff hockey’ in loss to Kings

BUFFALO – For one game at least, the Sabres got a small taste of playoff hockey, playing a lock-it-down, grind-it-out affair against the Los Angeles Kings.

The Kings, one of the NHL’s biggest surprises this season, stifled the Sabres all afternoon, limiting scoring chances and showcasing rigid structure. When the visitors grabbed a 1-0 lead late in the second period, they were content with sitting on it.

“They know if we keep it 1-0, we ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Alex Tuch leaves game injured after crashing into goalpost

BUFFALO – Twelve minutes into the third period Sunday afternoon, Sabres winger Alex Tuch skated into the opposing zone short-handed and unleashed a shot that missed the net.

Tuch quickly chased after the puck, and as he zoomed toward Los Angeles Kings goalie Cal Petersen, he lost his balance and crashed head first into the left goalpost.

After staying down on the ice face first for a minute or two, Tuch, 25, skated to the ... Read the full article

On verge of 300th win, Sabres’ Craig Anderson enjoying ‘remarkable’ career

BUFFALO – It was the late 1980s, and Craig Anderson was sitting at the end of the bench in a chilly rink in Chicago on the verge of tears.

Anderson had finally had enough of playing defense. His team was getting blown out, and he told his coach he did not want to play unless he was the goalie.

The youngster, then 7 or 8, had been rotating between defense and the net. But on ... Read the full article

Wild finish: Jeff Skinner’s heroics help Sabres rally for thrilling win

BUFFALO – When the Sabres signed winger Jeff Skinner to an eight-year, $72 million contract, they envisioned dynamic efforts like Friday’s late two-goal outburst in a thrilling 5-4 won over the Minnesota Wild.

After the Sabres blew a third-period lead, Skinner scored twice in a span of 4:40, capitalizing on an odd bounce off the half wall at 12:20 before following his own rebound to the net at 16:40.

“Skinner, obviously, rose to the occasion ... Read the full article