Lehner - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Hudson Fasching, Casey Nelson excited to join Sabres

BUFFALO – The Sabres rookies took different paths from college to the NHL.

Winger Hudson Fasching decided last year he would turn pro following his junior season. Meanwhile, defenseman Casey Nelson wasn’t sure a month ago if he would leave school after three seasons.

Of course, Fasching, 20, was supposed to here. The power forward’s stock steadily rose at the University of Minnesota after Los Angeles drafted him in 2013.

The undrafted Nelson, who called ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Jack Eichel ready to play; Tyler Ennis improving

BUFFALO – Center Jack Eichel, who missed Saturday’s 4-1 loss in Toronto with what the Sabres now believe was food poisoning, will likely play Tuesday in Carolina, coach Dan Bylsma said.

While Eichel missed practice this morning because of a doctor’s appointment, the rookie is improving from his “quick bug” and will accompany the Sabres to Raleigh this afternoon, Bylsma said.

Bylsma said Eichel got to the hotel in Toronto early Saturday morning and ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Nick Deslauriers savors each goal

TORONTO – As a third- or fourth-liner known more for his fists than his soft hands, gritty Buffalo Sabres winger Nick Deslauriers has endured some long goal droughts.

While the likable Deslauriers scored his career-high sixth goal in Friday’s 3-1 home win against the Ottawa Senators, he has only 12 in his 160-game career. After scoring three times in the first 11 games this season, the former defenseman went 41 appearances before finally scoring again ... Read the full article

Sabres rookie Jack Eichel out with flu

TORONTO – The flu will force Buffalo Sabres rookie Jack Eichel to miss his first NHL game tonight, coach Dan Bylsma said.

To replace the center against the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight, the Sabres have recalled rookie winger Dan Catenacci from the Rochester Americans. Cal O’Reilly will move to center, Bylsma said.

Eichel, 19, finished Friday’s 3-1 home win against the Ottawa Senators, recording as assist, his 49^th point.

“It didn’t come on until ... Read the full article

Sabres goalie Chad Johnson temporary starter again

BUFFALO – In the span of six months, Sabres goalie Chad Johnson has been a backup, a starter, part of a platoon with rookie Linus Ullmark and a backup again.

For this weekend at least, with Robin Lehner sidelined, Johnson is the Sabres’ top netminder again.

Johnson started Friday’s 3-1 win over the Ottawa Senators inside the First Niagara Center, his fifth straight victory, and will get another nod tonight in Toronto against the Maple ... Read the full article

Sabres goalie Robin Lehner will miss weekend games

BUFFALO – Robin Lehner could play again this season. The Sabres will allow their starting goalie to rest and rehab the ankle injury he just aggravated twice in a week, coach Dan Bylsma said.

Lehner suffered a high right ankle sprain opening night and has been dealing with it since returning in January.

Right now, shutting the Swede down isn’t in the team’s thought process, Bylsma said.

“(A) high ankle sprain is just one you ... Read the full article

Ankle hurting Sabres goalie Robin Lehner

BUFFALO – When Sabres goalie Robin Lehner returned from a high ankle sprain in January, he knew the injury that shelved him more than three months would linger the rest of the season.

That right ankle, Lehner has recently learned, is still very tender.

The Swede has jammed it into the post twice in the last week, Sabres coach Dan Bylsma said, including in Wednesday’s 3-2 overtime loss to Montreal.

Lehner missed today’s practice inside ... Read the full article

Sabres lose cool in overtime loss to Canadiens

BUFFALO – Thirty minutes before the Sabres’ feisty 3-2 overtime loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday, goalies Robin Lehner and Ben Scrivens chatted amicably at center ice during pregame warm-ups.

But by about 9 p.m., as chaos enveloped his crease at the end of a penalty-filled second period, the fiery Sabres goalie wanted to see Scrivens, someone he called “a good guy off the ice,” again.

Seconds after Montreal’s Michael McCarron punched Lehner after ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Robin Lehner likes idea of smaller goalie equipment

BUFFALO – At 6-foot-5 and 240 pounds, Robin Lehner’s the NHL’s biggest goalie.

Sure, a few are taller than the Sabres’ new starter. Tampa Bay’s Ben Bishop, for example, is 6-foot-7 but weighs 31 fewer pounds than his former AHL teammate.

Lehner, of course, looks huge in his net. But so do a lot of other goalies much smaller than the Swede.

“There’s guys out there that weigh 160 pounds (who are) not that tall ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Ryan O’Reilly might have ice time limited in return

BUFFALO – Since a broken right foot has sidelined Ryan O’Reilly the last 11 games, Sabres coach Dan Bylsma wants to ease his No. 1 center and most versatile asset back into the lineup tonight after a 26-day absence.

So O’Reilly, who plays more than any NHL forward at 21 minutes, 51 seconds a game, might see a little less action against the Montreal Canadiens inside the First Niagara Center.

“I think you do ease ... Read the full article