WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage
Offseason Edition
Oskari Laaksonen is an offensive defenseman. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu, Rochester Americans
ROCHESTER – Buffalo Sabres defense prospect Oskari Laaksonen learned last month his offensive abilities will only take him so far.
When the Calder Cup Playoffs began, Laaksonen, a regular for the Americans all season, sat out the first eight games as a healthy scratch, watching until Game 2 of the North Division final.
The 6-foot-2, 185-pound Laaksonen, 22, compiled 34 points in 71 regular-season games during his second AHL campaign, numbers that ranked second among ... Read the full article
Rochester’s Brett Murray stands in front of Laval goalie Cayden Primeau on Wednesday. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu, Rochester Americans
ROCHESTER – The Americans battled adversity and beat long odds for weeks, eking into the Calder Cup Playoffs on the last day of the regular season before beginning their deepest and most memorable postseason run in 18 years.
They rallied to win games, earned four overtime victories and triumphed in a do-or-die Game 5 against a top seed.
So when the Amerks dropped the first two games on the road against the Laval Rocket in ... Read the full article
Utica’s Nolan Foote scores a first-period goal on Rochester goalie Aaron Dell on Tuesday.
ROCHESTER – In opening up a series lead and putting the Utica Comets on the brink of elimination from the Calder Cup Playoffs, the Americans hadn’t seen the best out of the AHL powerhouse.
The top-seeded Comets only showcased flashes of their slick regular-season form throughout the first three games of best-of-five AHL North Division semifinal. In a do-or-die scenario Tuesday, you figured they would come out roaring.
Well, in Game 4, the Comets gave ... Read the full article
Peyton Krebs was a difference-maker for Rochester on Wednesday. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu, Rochester Americans
ROCHESTER – When the Sabres assigned Peyton Krebs to the AHL following a successful 48-game stint in Buffalo, they probably hoped the center would be an offensive catalyst for the Americans in his first taste of playoff hockey.
Sure enough, after a slow start, Krebs helped the Amerks complete a furious three-goal, third-period comeback in Wednesday’s dramatic 4-3 win overtime win against the Belleville Senators before a raucous crowd of 6,044 fans at Blue Cross ... Read the full article
Michael Houser played two games last month after the Sabres signed him. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
The Buffalo Sabres this afternoon waived goalie Michael Houser and assigned nine players to the Rochester Americans, including center Peyton Krebs and defenseman Mattias Samuelsson.
The Sabres also reassigned defensemen Oskari Laaksonen and Jimmy Schuldt and forwards Brandon Biro, Brett Murray, JJ Peterka and Arttu Ruotsalainen from the taxi squad to the Amerks.
In addition, the Sabres sent goalie Aaron Dell, who cleared waivers Sunday, to their AHL affiliate. Dell just completed his three-game ... Read the full article
Casey Mittelstadt has played just seven games this season. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
Buffalo Sabres center Casey Mittelstadt will miss tonight’s road game against the Vegas Golden Knights and plans to talk to the surgeon who repaired his upper-body injury, coach Don Granato said.
Mittelstadt left Sunday’s 4-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche, just his third outing since undergoing surgery Dec. 10, with soreness in his upper body after playing just 4 minutes, 59 seconds.
“We want to make sure we’re doing the right things with that,” Granato ... Read the full article
Sean Malone has recorded 22 points in 23 games this season for Rochester.
Rochester Americans center Sean Malone has undergone surgery to repair a lower-body injury and will be sidelined six weeks, coach Seth Appert said.
Malone, having scored nine goals and 22 points in 23 games, is enjoying a career-best season.
“You feel for him,” Appert said on a Zoom call this morning. “I mean, it hurts us because he was a go-to guy, he was a real leader not only in his attitude and his character, ... Read the full article
Don Granato missed two games. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
Buffalo Sabres coach Don Granato has left the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol and will be behind the bench for this afternoon’s road game against the Boston Bruins.
In addition, wingers Vinnie Hinostroza and Jeff Skinner will return to the lineup after leaving protocol Friday and practicing.
Granato, who missed two games after testing positive Sunday, said he feels “really good.”
Ryan MacInnis has played 26 NHL games. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
The Buffalo Sabres this morning reassigned defenseman Oskari Laaksonen and forwards Ryan MacInnis and Brandon Biro to the taxi squad.
All three players have spent this season with the Rochester Americans.
The Sabres, who begin a two-game road trip tonight against the New York Islanders, need reinforcements. Right now, they have six players in the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol. They’ve recalled five players to the active roster this week.
Oskari Laaksonen is an offensive defenseman. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu, Rochester Americans
Oskari Laaksonen’s start this season, the defenseman and his coach acknowledged, wasn’t very good. The Sabres prospect struggled during his time in Buffalo, failing to make an impact in rookie camp or the preseason.
When Laaksonen returned to the Rochester Americans to begin his second AHL season – he played just one NHL exhibition game – it took him a bit to get going.
“My first couple games were not at the level I want ... Read the full article
