Kesselring - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres notes: Zach Benson happy to be back after injury; Jason Zucker can play Friday following illness

BUFFALO – The oddest stretch of Zach Benson’s young career is likely over. The diminutive Sabres winger rejoined his teammates for Wednesday’s pregame skate and hopes he can play in the coming days.

Two injuries – a seemingly innocent cut that forced him to be hospitalized the day before the season opener and a lower-body ailment – have kept him out of 12 of the Sabres’ first 20 games, including the last nine after a ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Michael Kesselring out ‘weeks’ with injury; Zach Benson ‘doing well’

BUFFALO – Sabres defenseman Michael Kesselring, who left Saturday’s game after suffering a lower-body injury, will be sidelined “an extended period of time,” coach Lindy Ruff said.

“On the longer side,” Ruff said following Tuesday’s practice in KeyBank Center. “Weeks.”

Kesselring, 25, left the Sabres’ 5-4 overtime win in Detroit after he hit Red Wings forward Emmitt Finnie about halfway through the game. He took another shift later in the second period and one early ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Josh Norris, Jason Zucker skate with teammates; Michael Kesselring out injured

BUFFALO – Among the 1,300 or so players who participated in NHL preseason games, Sabres center Josh Norris stood out as perhaps the most dynamic performer.

It can be hard to put much stock in exhibition contests, but the oft-injured Norris, who participated in Monday’s pregame skate, looked ready to seize his role as the Sabres’ top pivot following a full summer of training.

Then late in the season opener Oct. 9, he suffered an ... Read the full article

Sabres, Tage Thompson impose will in OT win; Michael Kesselring injured

BUFFALO – Early in Saturday’s overtime, Sabres center Tage Thompson used his 10-inch, 40-pound size advantage to knock Alex DeBrincat to the ice after the Detroit Red Wings star blocked his shot in the right circle.

The 6-foot-6, 220-pound Thompson grabbed the puck and backhanded it to defenseman Mattias Samuelsson, who beat goalie John Gibson to secure the Sabres’ unlikely 5-4 win in Detroit.

Three-on-three overtime, of course, rarely features much physicality. But Thompson, whose ... Read the full article

Rasmus Dahlin taking temporary leave of absence from Sabres

BUFFALO – Captain Rasmus Dahlin is taking a temporary leave of absence from the Sabres to deal with a personal matter in Sweden, coach Lindy Ruff said Friday.

In September, Dahlin revealed his fiancée, Carolina Matovac, was rehabbing in Sweden after experiencing major heart failure and undergoing a heart transplant in the summer.

Matovac, who underwent life-saving CPR and spent weeks on life support before the transplant, is doing well.... Read the full article

JJ Peterka won’t say if he wanted to be traded from Sabres: ‘Focus is on Utah’

BUFFALO – Utah Mammoth winger JJ Peterka wanted no part of the questions and revisiting that part of his past here.

Before the Sabres traded him on June 26, did he request to be dealt? Did he want out of Buffalo?

“I met so many great people in the organization,” Peterka replied prior to Tuesday’s game, his first at KeyBank Center as a visitor. “I made so many good friends. But, yeah, I think ... Read the full article

After trade from Mammoth, Josh Doan, Michael Kesselring happy with Sabres

BUFFALO – Sabres newcomers Josh Doan and Michael Kesselring clearly had a blast last season helping the Utah Mammoth establish roots in the franchise’s first year in Salt Lake City following 28 years in Arizona.

Tonight’s game at KeyBank Center, their first meeting against their former team since being traded to the Sabres, has likely been circled on the schedule for months.

On Sunday night, Kesselring said he and Doan texted with Utah center ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Noah Ostlund looking for first point; Michael Kesselring debuts

BUFFALO – So far, the scoring prowess center Noah Ostlund developed in the AHL – he recorded 18 goals and 34 points over a torrid 32-game stretch before the Sabres summoned him late last season – hasn’t translated to the NHL.

Ostlund began Tuesday’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets in KeyBank Center, his 12th outing with the Sabres, having registered zero points.

Why has the Swede, 21, struggled to produce offense? A couple of ... Read the full article

Sabres to have healthy defense corps for first time all season

For the first time all season, the Sabres will have the six defensemen they envisioned playing together when they retooled their blue line during the offseason.

Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said this morning Michael Kesselring, who missed the first nine games with an undisclosed injury, will play tonight against the Columbus Blue Jackets at KeyBank Center.

Injuries have ravaged the Sabres from the get-go this season. Since the beginning of training camp, 13 players ... Read the full article

Sabres could have four injured players back by end of week

BUFFALO – By the end of the week, the Sabres could have four injured players back in their lineup.

Defensemen Michael Kesselring and Jacob Bryson, goalie Colten Ellis and winger Jordan Greenway all practiced in contact jerseys Monday in KeyBank Center, where the Sabres host the Columbus Blue Jackets tonight.

Coach Lindy Ruff said Kesselring, who has missed the first nine games with an undisclosed injury, could make his Sabres debut against Columbus.... Read the full article