Jokiharju - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Craig Anderson backstops Sabres past Coyotes to cap ‘chaotic day’

By 7 p.m. Saturday, the chaos the Buffalo Sabres had experienced earlier in the day became an afterthought. They could forget about COVID-19 and finally play their game.

As Sabres goalie Craig Anderson, 40, settled into his crease for the first time in 88 days following the national anthem, the energy he felt inside the rink brought back a special feeling.

“That’s kind of the moment where you’re like, ‘All right, this is still enjoyable, ... Read the full article

Sabres awaiting retest results following several positive COVID-19 tests

Several members of the Buffalo Sabres tested positive for COVID-19 prior to tonight’s road game against the Arizona Coyotes, coach Don Granato said.

“Every one of those is retesting, and the only one that we’ve gotten back has returned negative,” Granato said on a Zoom call this afternoon following the Sabres’ pregame skate. “So obviously a pretty active situation. I can tell you all of these test that have gone through, everybody feels normal.”

Sabres ... Read the full article

Halfway through season, Sabres feel progress, excited about future

BUFFALO – When Don Granato took over the Sabres on interim basis 10 months ago, he said he treated the job like it would be his in the future.

So in his first days, Granato thrust some young players who had been getting scratched or skating short minutes down the lineup – centers Casey Mittelstadt and Tage Thompson, for example – into prominent roles.

Granato, of course, knew the Sabres would be trading or losing ... Read the full article

Sabres blow late lead, lose in OT to Red Wings: ‘We let our goalie down’

Not only did the Buffalo Sabres go up 2-0 when winger Jeff Skinner scored almost halfway through Monday afternoon’s third period, the Detroit Red Wings received a bench minor for their failed goalie interference challenge.

And that’s when the Sabres, who have lost an NHL-high seven games this season when leading after two periods, began to unravel.

“We just scored a goal to go up 2-0, you’re on a power play and we didn’t manage ... Read the full article

Sabres have healthy, intriguing defense corps with Jacob Bryson, Robert Hagg

BUFFALO – Of the seven defensemen the Sabres have kept all season, only two, Rasmus Dahlin and Mark Pysyk, have played more than 30 games.

Defensemen, of course, are often at a premium. The rugged nature of the position makes them susceptible to damage.

As injuries and COVID-19 cases recently mounted, Sabres coach Don Granato cobbled together a defense corps. He utilized two rookies, giving Casey Fitzgerald and Ethan Prow their first NHL action.

But ... Read the full article

Sabres fall in early hole, lose to Sharks: ‘It was not good’

BUFFALO – Thursday’s 3-2 loss to the San Jose Sharks was just the Sabres’ fourth game in 20 days. Right now, they have six players sidelined by COVID-19 and another five out injured.

They’re rusty, having lost the rhythm of a season that rarely let up before COVID started wreaking havoc on the schedule again. And the rebuilding team was fielding one of the NHL’s weaker lineups before injuries and illness started decimating it.

The ... Read the full article

Sabres relieved as no one enters NHL’s COVID-19 protocol

BUFFALO – Coach Don Granato breathed a sigh of relief Wednesday, as zero Sabres entered the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol.

Henri Jokiharju, who was held out of Tuesday’s practice as the team awaited test results, skated in Wednesday’s session, giving the Sabres a full defense corps.

“It was a relief on many fronts, just even to run a better practice with six full D,” Granato said of no one entering protocol. “But … they go into ... Read the full article

Sabres add three more players to NHL’s COVID-19 protocol

BUFFALO – Coach Don Granato said dealing with COVID-19 and the chaos it creates has become “almost a new normal.” For two weeks, the virus has been ravaging the Sabres, forcing players and staff members into the NHL’s protocol and five games to be postponed.

On Tuesday, three more players – forward Anders Bjork, Peyton Krebs and Alex Tuch – went into protocol. Granato said the Sabres also held defenseman Henri Jokiharju out of practice ... Read the full article

COVID-19 keeps hitting Sabres; Ethan Prow could make NHL debut

BUFFALO – Make that four. In addition to forwards Peyton Krebs, JJ Peterka and Alex Tuch, it appears another player, defenseman Ethan Prow, will be making his Sabres debut tonight.

Like Peterka, Prow, 29, has never played in the NHL. Ironically, Peterka and Prow were teammates last season with Red Bull Munich, a Deutsche Eishockey Liga team.

The Sabres this morning recalled Prow to the taxi squad and Casey Fitzgerald to the active roster because ... Read the full article

Sabres being careful with two players sidelined by non-COVID illness

PITTSBURGH – The concern over the growing number of positive COVID-19 cases forced the NHL on Friday to postpone games involving the Colorado Avalanche and Florida Panthers through Dec. 26.

So Wednesday’s Buffalo Sabres home game against the Avalanche has been shelved. No makeup date has been announced for the Sabres’ first COVID-related postponement this season.

The NHL on Friday also extended the Calgary Flames’ postponements through Thursday.

COVID is tearing through the NHL. The ... Read the full article