WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage
Free Agency Edition
Tage Thompson has a season-long seven game goal drought. ©2026, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Almost four minutes into Friday’s third period, with the Sabres trailing 3-1 and furiously trying to score, center Tage Thompson grabbed the puck inside the Montreal blue line and lost his balance as he began stickhandling.
As Thompson fell and spun around, Canadiens defenseman Alexandre Carrier snagged the loose puck and zoomed down the ice on a two-on-one, beating Sabres goalie Alex Lyon from the left circle.
“Just fighting it tonight,” Thompson said ... Read the full article
Lindy Ruff’s team got off to a slow start at home last round. ©2026, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Looking back, coach Lindy Ruff believes a slew of factors contributed to the Sabres’ weak start at home in the first round against the Boston Bruins.
“The combination of anxiety, nerves, first time, too amped up, not focused on how we really need to play, versus kind of running around and wasting a lot of energy doing things that we don’t need to be doing in that first game,” he said Thursday in ... Read the full article
Alex Lyon won three games in the first round. ©2026, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – It can be easy to forget now. Goalie Alex Lyon just performed dynamically while winning three games and backstopping the Sabres to their first postseason series win in 19 years.
But a few weeks ago, Lyon, 33, was a bit of an afterthought as the Sabres entered the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2011.
In his last three starts of the regular season, he struggled mightily, posting a ghastly 6.24 ... Read the full article
Rasmus Dahlin said what Buffalo did in its first-round playoff series was “special.” ©2026, Micheline Veluvolu
BOSTON – Fifty wins, 109 points and an Atlantic Division title are nice, but months ago, the Buffalo Sabres’ season became about a lot more than simply making the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Early in the winter, it became evident they possessed a special group and could wreak havoc in the postseason.
Their opening-round series victory only strengthened the belief can play long into the spring.... Read the full article
Jason Zucker believes Buffalo is still confident. ©2026, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Since the Sabres morphed into an NHL heavyweight almost five months ago, they’ve lost three consecutive games just once.
Their ability to quickly put away games – good and bad – has helped them showcase remarkable consistency.
For the Sabres to lose their first-round playoff series, they would have to drop three straight games.
The postseason, of course, is a different animal. Still, since early December, the Sabres, who on Tuesday lost 2-1 ... Read the full article
Alex Lyon won both of his starts in Boston. ©2026, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Alex Lyon loves to talk. Off the ice, the loquacious Sabres goalie, an affable, down-to-earth personality, always seems to offer some thoughtful words.
On planes rides, winger Josh Doan often has discussions with Lyon, who attended Yale University, about hockey and other subjects.
“We negotiate pretty good,” Doan said in KeyBank Center, where if the Sabres beat the Boston Bruins tonight in Game 5, they will win their first series in the Stanley ... Read the full article
Peyton Krebs opened the scoring Sunday afternoon. ©2026, Micheline Velovolu
BOSTON – Just over four minutes into Sunday afternoon’s 6-1 annihilation of the Bruins, Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson hectored an opponent along the wall, freeing the puck for linemate Alex Tuch to grab in the offensive zone.
When Tuch reached the right circle, he fed winger Peyton Krebs in the slot, and the winger quickly beat goalie Jeremy Swayman.
The goal at 4:17, the Sabres’ first in the opening 20 minutes during the Stanley Cup ... Read the full article
Noah Ostlund looked impressive in his postseason debut Thursday. ©2026, Micheline Veluvolu
BOSTON – Mattias Samuelsson, having broken his stick, was essentially helpless as he tried to get the puck out of his own zone. The Buffalo Sabres defenseman tried kicking it out, but that only made matters worse.
Viktor Arvidsson quickly grabbed the puck and made a beeline for Sabres goalie Alex Lyon. As the Swede roared in, captain Rasmus Dahlin slashed him, giving the Bruins a penalty shot as they enjoyed a 1-0 lead 9:50 ... Read the full article
Alex Lyon played four postseason games with Florida.
BOSTON – Buffalo Sabres goalie Alex Lyon has experienced this before. Three years ago, he started three games during the Florida Panthers’ stunning first-round upset of the Bruins in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He later had a relief appearance in the final.
Turning to Lyon on Thursday for Game 3 of the Sabres’ opening-round series felt inevitable after goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen allowed an 89-foot goal and later got pulled from Tuesday’s 4-2 home loss to ... Read the full article
Alex Lyon struggled late in the season. ©2026, Micheline Veluvolu
BOSTON – Goalie Alex Lyon is likely in for Game 3 of the Sabres’ first-round playoff series. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is likely out.
Lyon, 33, manned the net usually reserved for that night’s started during this morning’s pregame skate, meaning he’s expected to get the nod against the Bruins. The best-of-seven series is tied 1-1.
Sabres coach Lindy Ruff refused to name his starter for tonight’s game.
Lyon hasn’t started a game since allowing three goals ... Read the full article