Krebs - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres warned prior to Game 3 to stop rough stuff; Ryan McLeod relied upon in faceoff dot

BOSTON – Before Thursday’s 3-1 win over the Bruins, coach Lindy Ruff said officials warned the Buffalo Sabres they “weren’t gonna put up with the after-the-whistle stuff.”

“They’re gonna take one guy,” he said of the what the teams were told. “And the first guy that puts the fist in the other guy’s face is gonna get called.”

As the longtime rivals split the first two games of the opening-round playoff series, scrums and melees ... Read the full article

Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen allows long goal, gets replaced by Alex Lyon as Bruins tie series

BUFFALO – In the early going of Tuesday’s 4-2 loss to the Boston Bruins, Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen picked up where he left off in the series opener, stopping two breakaways to keep the game tied at 0.

For months, Luukkonen has stood tall in net, making him the easy choice to start the first-round series against the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

But the Finn’s struggles in Game 2 – he allowed ... Read the full article

Colten Ellis dynamic as Sabres shut out Blue Jackets, stay in first place

BUFFALO – When the Sabres claimed rookie goalie Colten Ellis off waivers six months ago, it felt like his first trip to the NHL might be fleeting.

After all, they grabbed Ellis to provide insurance after Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen suffered another injury late in the preseason. Carrying three goalies, of course, is a luxury, and that roster spot can often be better utilized on a forward or defenseman.

But Ellis, who dazzled Thursday in his first ... Read the full article

Years after trade, Sabres’ Peyton Krebs becomes first-liner and driver; Buffalo expected to change lineup

BUFFALO – Few envisioned the long and often arduous path Peyton Krebs would take to becoming what coach Lindy Ruff called one of the Sabres’ “drivers.”

Krebs, 25, needed more than three years to get here. He struggled for stretches, sometimes failing to meet the lofty expectations that accompany high-end prospects. He reinvented himself, earning his keep as a high-octane checking forward willing to showcase a rugged style and drop the gloves.

At times, it ... Read the full article

Shootout exploits by Jack Quinn, UPL, cap Sabres’ exciting come-from-behind win over Kraken

BUFFALO – A few years ago, Sabres winger Jack Quinn retired the slick shootout move – a nifty fake in the slot that freezes the goalie – he often utilized early in his pro career.

Goalies study their opponents and assemble a book on their tendencies, so Quinn has developed into one of the NHL’s premier shooters by evolving and showcasing other dazzling moves.

But a move that good shouldn’t be mothballed, right?

After dusting ... Read the full article

Rasmus Dahlin, Sabres win fight-filled thriller over Lightning, move into first place: ‘I’m so fired up’

BUFFALO – Early in the second period of the most intense, meaningful and entertaining Sabres game in close to a generation, Brandon Hagel began bullying captain Rasmus Dahlin in front of the Tampa Bay Lightning net.

At that point in Sunday’s thrilling 8-7 come-from-behind win, which moved the Sabres past the Lightning into sole possession of first place in the Atlantic Division, the rivals had already fought five times and amassed 92 penalty minutes.

In ... Read the full article

On Tage Thompson’s night, Sabres ride early emotion, continue torrid run by beating Vegas

BUFFALO – For the first 26 minutes of Tuesday’s tight 3-2 victory, the Sabres rode the energy created by an emotional pregame ceremony honoring Sabres center Tage Thompson and other members of Team USA’s gold medal-winning squad.

Winger Jason Zucker scored barely four minutes into the contest, igniting the capacity crowd of 19,070 fans in noisy KeyBank Center.

When Thompson’s wicked wrist shot from the right circle extended their lead to 3-0 5:44 into the ... Read the full article

Tage Thompson (72) battles with Pittsburgh’s Kevin Hayes on Thursday.

Sabres look sloppy in loss to Penguins; Buffalo makes roster moves

BUFFALO – In the Sabres’ final outing before the Milano Cortina Games, center Tage Thompson showcased why he earned a coveted spot on Team USA’s stacked Olympic squad.

Thompson was often the best player on the ice in Thursday’s 5-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, scoring his 30th goal and narrowly missing a few more prime chances.

The American certainly outplayed the Penguins’ two biggest stars, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

On most nights, that ... Read the full article

Beck Malenstyn scoring, paying price physically to help Sabres win

TORONTO – By coach Lindy Ruff’s estimation, it happens at least twice each Buffalo Sabres game. Inevitably, heavy winger Beck Malenstyn makes a couple of under-the-radar plays, often paying a price physically.

“Plays guys are looking at that are not plays that get glorified in a game like a goal does,” Ruff said following Monday’s practice in LECOM Harborcenter.

Of course, Malenstyn, having scored four times this season, chips in the occasional goal. In fact, ... Read the full article

In beating Canadiens, Sabres showcase maturity; Buffalo loses players to injury

MONTREAL – This torrid 17-3-1 stretch can no longer be classified as simply a hot streak. No, having consistently showcased an identity for 45 days and more than one-quarter of the schedule, it’s safe to say the Buffalo Sabres can be called a pretty darn good hockey team.

As hard as it might be to believe, the rapidly maturing team has finally arrived following nearly a decade and a half of futility.

Thursday’s 4-2 win ... Read the full article