Lyon - Buffalo Hockey Beat

After odd few weeks, Sabres begin new month in solid spot; Buffalo could turn to different goalie

BUFFALO – The Sabres will wake up ahead of tonight’s home game against the Washington Capitals in seventh place in the stacked Atlantic Division but just two points out of third.

Despite finishing October with 11 points, the division’s lowest total – the two-time defending Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs have the same number – the Sabres begin November in a solid spot following an odd few weeks.

They stumbled out ... Read the full article

Sabres blow late lead, lose in OT again; Josh Dunne, fourth-liners wreak havoc

BUFFALO – The Sabres’ recent run – after Tuesday’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets, they’ve earned points in six of their last seven games – illustrates the significant improvements they’ve made in the last two weeks.

Following their wretched 0-3-0 start, they’ve recovered and positioned themselves in the thick of things at 4-4-2.

Still, if they hope to surge up the standings, they must start closing out games and burying their scoring ... 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 goalies Colten Ellis, Alex Lyon and UPL all battling for starts

BUFFALO – After just one game, carrying an extra goalie paid off for the Sabres.

On Saturday morning, rookie Colten Ellis, who had traveled to Toronto ahead of his teammates to be ready for his scheduled start, woke up with a stiff back.

Ellis, 25, tested the injury before the Sabres decided he couldn’t play against the Maple Leafs.

No problem. They still had goalies Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, 26, and Alex Lyon, 32, on their roster. ... Read the full article

After UPL’s recall, Sabres plan to keep three goalies: ‘A good problem’

BUFFALO – Right now, the Sabres want to err on the side of caution. Goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, having completed his AHL conditioning assignment, is healthy and ready to play.

But given Luukkonen’s injury history – he has already gone down twice this season – the Sabres must be careful. They plan to keep three goalies.

For the time being at least, the Sabres have Luukkonen, veteran Alex Lyon and rookie Colten Ellis, who ... Read the full article

Sabres recall Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen from conditioning assignment

The Buffalo Sabres on Thursday recalled Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen from his AHL conditioning assignment with the Rochester Americans, giving them three goalies.

Luukkonen stopped 21 shots in Wednesday’s 4-2 win over the Syracuse Crunch, his first outing since suffering a lower-body injury Oct. 1 and exiting an exhibition game after one period.

The Finn, who was expected to be the Sabres’ No. 1 goalie, also missed the first week of training camp after tweaking a different ... Read the full article

Goalie Colten Ellis dazzles in NHL debut, backstops Sabres to win

BUFFALO – In the opening minutes of a goalie’s NHL debut, facing a shot or two and simply feeling the puck can help him calm any nerves and settle into the game.

So as Sabres goalie Colten Ellis waited and waited for his first chance to make a save on Wednesday, it was fair to wonder how he would react.

Well, Ellis, a recent waiver claim who backed up veteran Alex Lyon in the Sabres’ ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Jiri Kulich knew he had to change; Buffalo makes roster move

BUFFALO – When Sabres center Jiri Kulich had the puck on his stick earlier this season, instead of carrying it and utilizing his speed, he quickly tried to make a play with it.

“It wasn’t my game I used to play, so I had to change something,” Kulich told the Times Herald prior to Wednesday’s game against the Detroit Red Wings in KeyBank Center.

Kulich, 21, struggled so badly Sabres coach Lindy Ruff briefly demoted ... Read the full article

Sabres goalie Colten Ellis to make first start; Buffalo to make lineup change after roster move

BUFFALO – Sixteen days and six games since the Sabres claimed Colten Ellis on waivers, the goalie will be starting his first NHL game tonight against the Detroit Red Wings.

“There’s been a lot of emotions the last couple days since finding out,” Ellis said this morning in KeyBank Center. “Something I worked my whole life for, and just super grateful and happy for the opportunity.”

So far, Ellis, 25, has backed up veteran ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen starts important season with conditioning assignment in Rochester: ‘I feel great’

ROCHESTER – On Tuesday, Buffalo Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen walked into Blue Cross Arena, donned a gray Americans practice jersey and touched the ice in the 70-year-old rink for the first time since early in the 2022-23 season.

“It’s a weird but cool feeling,” a smiling Luukkonen, who will begin an AHL conditioning assignment tonight, told the Times Herald following Tuesday’s practice. “I have so many good memories here. It’s kind of like you haven’t ... Read the full article