Granato - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Craig Anderson, Dustin Tokarski giving Sabres some of NHL’s best goaltending

BUFFALO – Fresh off a scintillating, career-best effort, Sabres goalie Dustin Tokarski will likely earn another start tonight, his sixth nod in the last seven games.

Tokarski, 32, has performed superbly handling the load for injured goalie Craig Anderson, helping the Sabres emerge from a five-game winless skid.

The 13-year pro has won two straight starts entering tonight’s game against the Calgary Flames at KeyBank Center, posting a 1.50 goals-against average and a .963 ... Read the full article

Sabres goalie Dustin Tokarski performs brilliantly in win: ‘It was Ticker’s show’

PITTSBURGH – When the Buffalo Sabres signed Dustin Tokarski last year, he was expected to offer them depth, most likely in the minors. He hadn’t played an NHL game since a brief relief appearance in 2016. He hadn’t earned a win since 2015.

Few figured Tokarski, a decorated AHL netminder, would receive significant action with the Sabres, let alone become one of their most important players. But incredibly, Tokarski, 32, is starting to emerge as ... Read the full article

Prospect Brett Murray becomes Sabres’ top option for recall from Amerks

PITTSBURGH – Through their first 11 games this season, Buffalo Sabres prospects JJ Peterka and Jack Quinn have combined to score a whopping 12 goals and 29 points with the Rochester Americans.

Barely five weeks into their rookie campaign, the 20-year-old wingers have established themselves as two of the AHL’s most electrifying talents.

Still, when the Sabres have needed an extra forward, they’ve chosen 23-year-old Brett Murray, who led the Amerks in scoring last ... Read the full article

Zemgus Girgensons misses Sabres’ pregame skate

PITTSBURGH – Buffalo Sabres winger Zemgus Girgensons missed this morning’s pregame skate but coach Don Granato expects him to play tonight against the Penguins.

Rookie Brett Murray filled in for Girgensons at left wing beside center Cody Eakin and Kyle Okposo and also on the power play.

The Sabres recalled Murray from the Rochester Americans on Monday so they could take an extra forward on the road. Murray played one game during the Sabres’ recent ... Read the full article

Jacob Bryson displaying mature game, emerging as Sabres’ best defenseman

PITTSBURGH – For a second or two, it looked like trouble was imminent. Connor McDavid, hockey’s most lethal scorer, had a head of steam as he zoomed toward Buffalo Sabres defensemen Jacob Bryson and Colin Miller late Friday.

After grabbing a 3-2 lead late in the second period, the Sabres endured an offensive onslaught from the Edmonton Oilers over the final minutes. McDavid, who had mostly remained quiet at even strength, seemed ready to explode.... Read the full article

Sabres’ Casey Mittelstadt progressing from injury; Victor Olofsson still hurt

BUFFALO – Center Casey Mittelstadt is the closest of the four injured Sabres to returning to game action, coach Don Granato said.

Mittelstadt, 22, has missed the last 13 contests recovering from an upper-body injury he suffered Oct. 14, opening night.

“With Mittsy, it’s still progressing, which is good news,” Granato said following this morning’s practice inside KeyBank Center. “That might mean it’s less than a couple weeks or around there (until he returns) if ... Read the full article

Sabres roar back, fall to Maple Leafs; Jeff Skinner enjoys best game in years

BUFFALO – There were at least three points in Saturday’s 5-4 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs – the fluky first-period score and two-goal deficits in the second and third – the Sabres would’ve never recovered from in the not-so-distant past.

Each time, the Sabres roared back, tying it. When they knotted the game at 4, scoring twice in a 59-second span during midway through the third period, it felt like they would earn at ... Read the full article

Sabres could turn to goalie Aaron Dell against Maple Leafs

BUFFALO – A few days into training camp, Sabres coach Don Granato acknowledged that if the season started tomorrow, goalies Craig Anderson and Aaron Dell would rank first and second on the depth chart.

Dell, who might start tonight against the Toronto Maple Leafs, had a leg up in the competition with Dustin Tokarski for the backup job. But in the preseason, Dell posted ghastly numbers – a 5.57 goals-against average and an .838 save ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Dylan Cozens scores twice in ‘amazing game,’ stops Connor McDavid

BUFFALO – Earlier this week, Sabres coach Don Granato sat down with Dylan Cozens and watched some video clips. When they finished, he asked the second-year center if he felt ready to shadow Connor McDavid, hockey’s biggest superstar.

“I watched his body language,” Granato said after Cozens starred in Friday’s 3-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers, which ended a five-game winless skid. “If his body language was different, he wouldn’t have got that matchup. I ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Gritty goal shows Anders Bjork starting to find game

BUFFALO – For a few weeks, Sabres winger Anders Bjork often looked invisible. The American couldn’t score. He dropped down the lineup, losing ice time.

“Bjork was searching for his game and he lost a feel of what he did,” Sabres coach Don Granato said.

So Granato said the Sabres let Bjork, 25, experience that rough phase before he and his staff started working with him more often and pinpointing things in his game.

“(We) ... Read the full article