WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage
Thanksgiving Edition
Craig Anderson made 40 saves Tuesday. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – At 41, Sabres goalie Craig Anderson hasn’t shown many signs of graying. In fact, the NHL’s oldest player can even make hockey’s toughest position look easy.
Take, for example, the 20-year veteran’s splendid 40-save performance in Tuesday’s 6-0 shellacking of the Los Angeles Kings, the 43rd shutout of his decorated career.
Anderson was the Sabres’ backbone as they struggled to generate offense early, making 16-first period stops and 30 saves through 40 minutes ... Read the full article
Rasmus Asplund recently sat out five straight games. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Late last month, Rasmus Asplund began what he called a “reset.” The Sabres winger felt the details slipping in his game, and he struggled so badly he sat out five straight games as a healthy scratch.
“I just needed to reset everything, start on a new page and get back to my game,” Asplund said prior to Tuesday’s 6-0 win over the Los Angeles Kings at KeyBank Center.
That game, the Swede said, ... Read the full article
Dylan Cozens has been on a tear over the past few weeks. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Forget about Dylan Cozens’ skill set for a moment. What makes the Sabres center such a unique talent and one of the NHL’s burgeoning young stars are the intangibles he possesses.
Cozens, 21, plays a mature, tenacious style that belies his limited experience.
“He competes for the right reason being in a team sport,” Sabres coach Don Granato said following Tuesday’s practice at KeyBank Center. “He brings guys in with him, he drags ... Read the full article
Tyson Jost as played four games for Buffalo. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – The struggles and other experiences Sabres center Tyson Jost has endured since entering the NHL as a teenager have helped him develop a unique perspective.
Jost has already played 358 NHL games, the fourth-highest total among Sabres skaters. Having been drafted 10th overall in 2016, the Colorado Avalanche initially cast him in a scoring role. When that didn’t work out, he fell down the lineup and was traded last season.
He lasted only ... Read the full article
Tampa Bay’s Nick Paul watches Steven Stamkos’ shot beat Buffalo goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in overtime Monday. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – With less than six minutes left in Monday’s 6-5 overtime loss, winger Jeff Skinner grabbed the puck near the goal line and beat goalie Brian Elliott short side, giving the Sabres what felt like a commanding two-goal lead.
After falling behind 2-0 early to the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Sabres roared back, tying the game before the first period ended and grabbing a second-period lead. When Brayden Point’s second-power play-goal knotted the game ... Read the full article
Kyle Okposo has played 15 games this season. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Peyton Krebs’ return to the lineup lasted one game.
Sabres captain Kyle Okposo, out six straight games recovering from a lower-body injury, played Friday against the New Jersey Devils, his first action since Nov. 10.
“Just some wear and tear I’ve been dealing with and had to give it some time to calm down,” Okposo said prior to the Sabres’ 3-1 loss at KeyBank Center. “But feeling better, ramped it up over ... Read the full article
Kyle Okposo has missed six games. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Sabres captain Kyle Okposo, out the last six games recovering from a lower-body injury, will play tonight against the New Jersey Devils, his first action since Nov. 10.
“Just some wear and tear I’ve been dealing with and had to give it some time to calm down,” Okposo said this morning at KeyBank Center. “But feeling better, ramped it up over the past few days.”
Okposo, 34, recently began skating on his ... Read the full article
Peyton Krebs has scored zero goals this season. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – The Sabres recently stopped their forward rotation, so anyone who sits out as a healthy scratch these days has likely been ineffective, not caught in a numbers game.
Down the stretch as a rookie last season, center Peyton Krebs, 21, established himself as one of the Sabres’ top young forwards. But through 17 outings this year, he has struggled, mustering zero goals, three assists and just 10 shots on goal. He has ... Read the full article
Don Granato instructs the Sabres during Monday’s practice. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Kevyn Adams constructed a roster filled with rookies and other neophytes in their early 20s knowing the Sabres would experience ups and downs. Still, the general manager never expected this: an eight-game losing streak following a torrid start.
Three weeks ago, it felt like the Sabres, the NHL’s youngest team, had established themselves as a legitimate playoff contender in the crowded Eastern Conference.
They throttled the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-3 on Nov. 2, improving ... Read the full article
Tyson Jost joined Buffalo on Saturday. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Tyson Jost couldn’t watch. The Sabres newcomer had spent almost six years in Colorado, growing from a teenage prospect and 10th overall pick into one of the Avalanche’s regular forwards.
As his old team roared to a Stanley Cup championship last season, Jost, who was traded to the Minnesota Wild on March 15, shut his television off.
“It was tough, it was hard,” said Jost, who was claimed off waivers by the Sabres ... Read the full article