Housley - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres rookie Victor Antipin learning NHL game

BUFFALO – Five years ago during the NHL lockout, Sabres center Ryan O’Reilly spent 12 games overseas with Magnitogorsk Metallurg, a Russian team in the Kontinental Hockey League.

Thanks to the work stoppage, the team featured a slew of notable NHL talents. In addition to O’Reilly, Metallurg also boasted Evgeni Malkin, Sergei Gonchar and Mats Zuccarello.

They also had a 20-year-old rookie defenseman who caught O’Reilly’s eye.... Read the full article

Sabres hear cheers in rare home win

BUFFALO – The Sabres have played 42 periods at home this season, and based on their awful 4-9-1 record at KeyBank Center, the majority of them have been poor or downright awful.

In their last home outing before Tuesday’s 3-2 victory, the Sabres, like so many times this season, got booed off the ice by their surly fans.

That’s why the roar from the announced crowd of 17,454 following a three-goal second period against the ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Ryan O’Reilly battling scoring slump

BUFFALO – This has been a different kind of slump for Ryan O’Reilly. When the Sabres center started the season slowly, he said he was “invisible,” contributing nothing.

O’Reilly eventually got going, scoring seven goals in 13 games. But after his last goal Nov. 17, he hit another rut. Right now, the veteran has an 12-game goal drought.

“It’s lack of confidence and lack of trusting myself again,” O’Reilly said prior to setting up ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Zemgus Girgensons earns promotion after benching

BUFFALO – Sabres winger Zemgus Girgensons played 301 NHL games over nearly four and a half seasons before experiencing his first benching.

Naturally, sitting twice as a healthy scratch last week felt unusual for Girgensons, who has zero goals in his last 20 outings.

“I’ve been there injured, but it was definitely different being scratched, not a good feeling,” Girgensons said this morning. “It makes you feel a little bit useless, you always want to ... Read the full article

Robin Lehner helps jumpstart Sabres

BUFFALO – It’s no coincidence the Sabres’ first three-game point streak this trying season materialized with perhaps Robin Lehner’s best stretch of goaltending.

Lehner dazzled during the Sabres’ 1-0-2 road run, stopping 125 of the 133 shots he faced, an average of 42 saves a night.

With a little luck or a few stronger minutes here or there, the Sabres could’ve won all three tilts.... Read the full article

Sabres’ Nathan Beaulieu, Jacob Josefson return to practice

BUFFALO – On Dec. 2 in Pittsburgh, defenseman Nathan Beaulieu felt sick but tried gutting out some minutes for the reeling Sabres.

Beaulieu said he vomited twice on the bench before leaving the 5-1 loss to the Penguins.

“It just wasn’t the right thing to do, to be around my team,” Beaulieu said this afternoon following the Sabres’ optional practice. “It wasn’t fair to them.”... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Scott Wilson has winning background

BUFFALO – On paper, the Sabres acquired a third- or fourth-line forward with 13 goals and 32 points in 123 career NHL games. But in Scott Wilson, they have a player who developed in a winning culture and raised the Stanley Cup six months ago.

For a team currently dead last in the NHL, that means something.

Shortly after the Sabres waived Matt Moulson on Monday, general manager Jason Botterill sent the Detroit Red ... Read the full article

Poor execution forces Sabres coach Phil Housley to stop practice

BUFFALO – The Sabres’ awful, NHL-worst start is the result of a lot of things, including poor fundamentals.

That was evident this morning, when coach Phil Housley stopped practice to give the Sabres a stern message at center ice inside KeyBank Center.

“The position we’re in, we should have a total commitment to our team game, our practices, if we’re going to move forward here,” Housley said. “I just thought the execution was off.”... Read the full article

Sabres’ Zach Bogosian boosts defense

PITTSBURGH – In an otherwise awful weekend, defenseman Zach Bogosian emerged as one of the Buffalo Sabres’ few bright spots.

Following a two-month absence, an aggressive Bogosian boosted the Sabres’ feeble blue line, showing no effects of his lower-body injury.

“He’s been our best defenseman for two nights after missing 25 games, stepping in like this and providing energy,” Sabres coach Phil Housley said following Saturday’s 5-1 loss to the Penguins inside PPG Paints Arena.... Read the full article

Sabres finally score goal, still lose to Penguins

PITTSBURGH – The most mind-boggling streak in the Buffalo Sabres’ 47-year history mercifully ended 11:18 into the third period of Saturday’s 5-1 loss to the Penguins.

When Jason Pominville one-timed linemate Jack Eichel’s pass by Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry from the right circle, the Sabres scored their first goal in almost four games – 232:09 to be exact – ending a stunning stretch of futility.

The Sabres hadn’t scored a goal since winger Kyle Okposo’s ... Read the full article