Granato - Buffalo Hockey Beat

After recall, Sabres goalie Eric Comrie confident, happy in backup role

BUFFALO – During his four-game stint in the minors, Sabres goalie Eric Comrie decided to let go of everything.

Good game? Great, now get ready for the next one. Bad outing? Put it away and move on.

Before the Sabres waived him Dec. 31 and assigned him to the Rochester Americans, he said he would “try to force it” during his sporadic action serving as the backup or No. 3 goalie.

In the AHL, Comrie’s ... Read the full article

Sabres defenseman Owen Power week to week with upper-body injury

BUFFALO – In recent weeks, Sabres defenseman Owen Power has shaken off a slow start and recaptured some of the form that helped him enjoy a dynamic rookie season.

“He’s just played with more confidence, a little bit more calm with the puck and little bit more assertiveness physically without it,” Sabres coach Don Granato said Tuesday morning after announcing Power will be sidelined week to week with an upper-body injury. “I think a combination ... Read the full article

Amid trade speculation, Sabres’ Casey Mittelstadt thriving: ‘I love it here’

BUFFALO – Center Casey Mittelstadt understands the trade speculation. The Sabres, after all, are mired in 14th place, a distant 12 points out of the Eastern Conference’s second wild card spot. Changes will inevitably come.

“I mean, it’s a business, right?” he said of his future being discussed.

In the midst of a disappointing year, Mittelstadt, 25, has emerged as the Sabres’ leading scorer and perhaps their most consistent forward. As a restricted free agent ... Read the full article

Sabres defenseman Owen Power leaves practice with injury

BUFFALO – Sabres defenseman Owen Power departed this morning’s practice with an undisclosed injury and was undergoing imaging following the session, coach Don Granato said.

Granato did not have any other updates on Power, who has averaged 22 minutes, 28 seconds of ice time this season, the Sabres’ second-highest total.

Tuesday Update: Granato said Power is week to week.

Only Power and center Casey Mittelstadt have played all 51 of Buffalo’s games this season.... Read the full article

Sabres lose again, need more compete: ‘We have to find another gear’

BUFFALO – If you believe time hasn’t run out for the 14th-place Sabres, then the clock is certainly ticking loudly. Two losses last week likely extinguished their faint hopes of entering the playoff chase.

With their season essentially on the line, the Sabres scored just two total goals. In Saturday afternoon’s 3-1 loss to the St. Louis Blues before 16,726 fans in KeyBank Center, they created offense again but refused to pay a price to ... Read the full article

Sabres star Tage Thompson confident despite low offensive output

BUFFALO – This is nothing new for Tage Thompson. The Sabres center has battled adversity – a trade, demotion, unmet expectations and more – throughout his career.

Each experience shaped Thompson, 26, and last season, his fifth here, he developed into one of the NHL’s elite talents, scoring 47 goals and 94 points as the Sabres contended for a playoff spot.

This season, the first of his seven-year, $50 million contract, has often been rough.... Read the full article

Sabres dominate Stars, still lose: ‘Their goalie won that one for them’

BUFFALO – About 14 minutes into Tuesday’s 2-1 loss, Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin grabbed center Casey Mittelstadt’s adroit pass just inside the left circle and quickly unleashed a shot on Dallas Stars goalie Jake Oettinger.

The shaft of Oettinger’s stick nullified a splendid scoring chance, and when the puck fell from the netting above the glass, Dahlin caught it and spiked it in frustration.

“I thought he was like trying to throw it at me ... Read the full article

Tenacity helping Sabres prospect Lukas Rousek pile up points in Rochester

BUFFALO – Seth Appert kept talking, going into detail to explain how aggressive play fueled Buffalo Sabres prospect Lukas Rousek’s recent 13-game point streak.

“On the puck, competitiveness, forechecking, puck battles,” the Americans coach said late last month in Blue Cross Arena in Rochester before the winger’s streak ended. “His battle level is dramatically higher right now than it was at any time he’s been in North America. He’s playing more competitively, he’s hunting the ... Read the full article

Mature game helping Sabres rookie Zach Benson earn keep in NHL

BUFFALO – Zach Benson, the new left winger on the Sabres’ second line alongside center Dylan Cozens and JJ Peterka, hasn’t recorded a point in his last 11 outings. The rookie scored his last goal back on Dec. 15, 18 games ago.

Benson, 18, has compiled four goals in 38 games this season, one less than Jack Quinn, the player he’s replacing, has scored in 17 contests.

Still, after Quinn suffered a lower-body injury Jan. ... Read the full article

Sabres lose Mattias Samuelsson for the rest of the season; Jack Quinn’s injury emotional for his teammates

BUFFALO – Losing defenseman Mattias Samuelsson to a season-ending injury and winger Jack Quinn for six to eight weeks could extinguish the Sabres’ faint playoff hopes.

The Sabres, who practiced Sunday in KeyBank Center following their bye week and NHL All-Star break, must erase a 10-point deficit without two of their top talents.

But forget, for a moment, about their on-ice contributions. Suddenly losing two popular teammates could rattle the Sabres’ psyche.

Watching Quinn, 22, ... Read the full article