Hunwick - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres notes: Rasmus Ristolainen returns after battling flu

BUFFALO – Despite being confined to his bed by the flu last week unable to eat or drink, Sabres defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen had no problem getting up for Tuesday’s meaningless late-season game.

“I mentally feel really fresh,” Ristolainen said prior to the Sabres’ 3-2 loss to the Nashville Predators inside KeyBank Center. “It’s kind of fun to play hockey. Just sort of bring some fresh energy to the room and on the ice.”

The reeling ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Marco Scandella out for season; Rasmus Ristolainen set to return

BUFFALO – Sabres defenseman Marco Scandella’s season is over.

Scandella, out since blocking a shot with his foot Saturday, will miss the final three games, coach Phil Housley said.

The Sabres, however, will have minute-munching defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen back tonight against the Nashville Predators following a four-game absence.

Ristolainen, 24, said he lost “a lot” of weight battling the flu.

“Actually, I felt really, really good today,” Ristolainen said this morning inside KeyBank Center. “A ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Jake McCabe returns to lineup as Marco Scandella leaves

BUFFALO – The Sabres’ beleaguered blue line received a much-needed addition Sunday, as Jake McCabe returned after missing 13 games.

Did it help? Well, no. The Columbus Jackets throttled the Sabres 4-0 inside KeyBank Center.

McCabe hadn’t played since suffering an upper-body injury March 2.

Defenseman Marco Scandella, who blocked a shot in Saturday’s ugly 5-1 road loss to the New York Islanders, missed Sunday’s contest. Housley said the Sabres will know more about Scandella’s ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Jake McCabe to return against Blue Jackets

BUFFALO – The Sabres’ beleaguered blue line will receive a much-needed addition tonight.

Sabres coach Phil Housley said defenseman Jake McCabe, sidelined the last 13 games with an upper-body injury, will return against the Columbus Blue Jackets inside KeyBank Center.

Defenseman Marco Scandella, who blocked a shot in Saturday’s ugly 5-1 road loss to the New York Islanders, will sit out tonight. Housley said the Sabres will know more on Scandella on Monday.... Read the full article

Visit to Nassau Coliseum will be special for Sabres’ Kyle Okposo

BUFFALO – When Sabres winger Kyle Okposo played on Long Island, the New York Islanders had a saying about their antiquated home rink in Uniondale, Nassau Coliseum.

“It’s an old barn,” a smiling Okposo said. “We’d always say, ‘It was a dump, but it was our dump and we loved it.’ It was home.”

Well, it was the Islanders’ regular home until 2015, when they left for the sparkling, ultra-modern Barclays Center 24 miles away ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Victor Olofsson earns spot beside Jack Eichel

BUFFALO – By late October, as Sabres prospect Victor Olofsson closed a stellar month in which he scored five goals and 15 points, a recall to the NHL felt inevitable.

But instead of summoning Olofsson, 23, from the Rochester Americans right away, the Sabres left the slick Swedish winger in the AHL for almost six months.

The 5-foot-11, 181-pound Olofsson, meanwhile, kept scoring and acclimating to North American hockey, cementing his spot among the Sabres’ ... Read the full article

Victor Olofsson thrilled to join Sabres: ‘I’m good enough to play up here’

BUFFALO – Rasmus Dahlin has never seen a shot as lethal as the one Sabres newcomer Victor Olofsson possesses.

“He’s probably got the best shot I’ve ever seen in my whole life,” the defenseman said of Olofsson, who will make his NHL debut tonight against the Detroit Red Wings. “It’s unbelievable.”

Dahlin, of course, knows Olofsson well. The rookies spent last season together starring at home in Sweden for Frolunda HC. Their time as teammates ... Read the full article

Sabres recall Lawrence Pilut from Amerks

The Buffalo Sabres recalled rookie defenseman Lawrence Pilut, who played 25 NHL games earlier this season, from the Rochester Americans this afternoon.

Pilut, 23, compiled one goal, six points and a minus-3 rating in nearly three months with the Sabres.

Sabres defenseman Zach Bogosian is missing from today’s practice, according to reports from Newark. Defenseman Matt Hunwick (upper body) is also injured.

Pilut has been dynamic at times in his first American Hockey League ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Matt Hunwick day-to-day; Zach Bogosian practices

BUFFALO – Sabres defenseman Matt Hunwick is day-to-day with an upper-body injury, coach Phil Housley said this afternoon.

Hunwick missed his second straight practice this morning inside HarborCenter.

Meanwhile, defenseman Zach Bogosian, who missed Thursday’s session, practiced today and will play Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens, the start of a three-game road trip.... Read the full article

Swedish Sabres excited about playing games in Stockholm

BUFFALO – Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin grew up far away from the NHL in Trollhattan, Sweden, a city of 46,000 about a three- or four-hour car ride from Stockholm.

“Most of my friends have never seen an NHL game before,” the rookie said Thursday inside KeyBank Center.

So the thought of playing two regular-season games in front of his family and friends next season had Dahlin smiling Thursday. The Sabres will face the Tampa Bay ... Read the full article