Martin | Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres’ Linus Ullmark won’t play in finale; Sam Reinhart wins Martin Award

Buffalo Sabres goalie Linus Ullmark will miss Saturday afternoon’s season finale against the Pittsburgh Penguins, interim coach Don Granato said.

Granato said earlier this week that Ullmark, 27, likely wouldn’t be ready to return from his lower-body injury before the season ends. The Swede was injured April 13 and resumed skating with his teammates Monday.

So goalie Michael Houser, fresh off Thursday’s 8-4 loss to the Penguins, will start his fourth straight game. Houser, ... Read the full article

Five ‘Sabres Classics,’ including win after Flight 3407 crash, to air

Five more “Sabres Classics” – this time an array of regular-season and exhibition games from the franchise’s 50-year history – will be rebroadcast on MSG next week.

The games are being aired because the COVID-19 pandemic forced the NHL to suspend its season indefinitely March 12.... Read the full article

MVP-type season earns Sabres captain Jack Eichel spot in NHL All-Star Game

BUFFALO – A stellar season in which he has scored 24 goals and 52 points in 39 games and generated MVP talk has helped Sabres captain Jack Eichel earn a spot in the NHL All-Star Game for the third straight season, the league announced today.

Eichel, who will play for the Atlantic Division, was one of 37 players selected by the NHL’s Hockey Operations Department. The league previously announced the captains of the four divisions.... Read the full article

Sabres rookie Victor Olofsson quickly develops into all-around presence

BUFFALO – Victor Olofsson’s ability to quickly adapt and evolve has helped him morph from an unheralded Sabres prospect into one of the NHL’s top rookies.

Just weeks after beginning his North American career last season, Olofsson established himself as one of the AHL’s top scorers with the Rochester Americans.

Following his terrific 30-goal, 63-point campaign, the Swedish winger graduated to Buffalo, scoring six times in the first seven games this year.

But Olofsson, ... Read the full article

Sabres at 50: Danny Gare stole spotlight from Rick Martin to reach 50 goals

BUFFALO – More than 43 years later, Sabres legend Danny Gare still sounds surprised he hit the prestigious 50-goal mark in the grandest of fashions.

That night, after all, was supposed to be about Rick Martin’s pursuit of the milestone. The sniper needed to score just once to reach 50 goals for the third consecutive season.

Gare, meanwhile, had scored 47 times entering the season finale on April 4, 1976 against the Toronto Maple Leafs ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Sean Malone signs AHL contract with Amerks

BUFFALO – Center Sean Malone’s 2018-19 season started ominously. After some impressive performances early in his second NHL training camp, the West Seneca native injured his knee in the Sabres’ preseason opener.

So instead of competing for a spot on the big club, Malone, 24, didn’t play his first game until Nov. 7 with the Rochester Americans.

Injuries limited Malone to only 38 appearances during a frustrating campaign. The Harvard product never seemed to ... Read the full article

Sean Malone signs with Amerks; Sabres give qualifying offers to NHL regulars

BUFFALO – The Rochester Americans have signed West Seneca’s Sean Malone, who wasn’t given a qualifying offer by the parent Sabres, to a one-year AHL contract, the team announced today.

Injuries limited Malone, 24, to only 38 games during a frustrating 2018-19 campaign. The center hurt his knee in the Sabres’ preseason opener and never seemed to find a groove.

In two seasons with the Amerks, Malone has compiled 16 goals, 35 points and ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Jeff Skinner might’ve found long-term home in Buffalo

BUFFALO – Three-quarters into the season, Jeff Skinner hasn’t shown many signs of cooling off. Having scored a team-high 36 goals through 60 games, the slick winger could become the first Sabre to hit the prestigious 50-goal mark in 26 years.

Entering this afternoon’s home game against the Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals, Skinner is scoring at a torrid 49-goal pace over his first season with the Sabres.

While Skinner, 26, hasn’t scored in the ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Kyle Okposo showcasing more physicality

BUFFALO – Over the last week or two, Sabres winger Kyle Okposo has finally started showcasing signs of his old self, playing a heavier, straight-line game.

“He’s going to the net a lot better,” Sabres coach Phil Housley said prior to Saturday’s 5-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning inside KeyBank Center. “I think he’s attacking off the wing and he’s shooting a lot more.”

Not surprisingly, Okposo has started scoring a bit. After enduring ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Jeff Skinner ready for first meeting against Hurricanes

BUFFALO – Sabres winger Jeff Skinner knows returning to Carolina, where he became the face of the Hurricanes over eight seasons, will have special meaning.

Skinner, 26, was a star from the get-go in Raleigh, scoring 31 goals and winning the Calder Trophy as a rookie in 2010-11. He surpassed the 30-goal mark two other times.

During some lean seasons, Skinner, who has already scored 29 goals in 43 games, was usually the Hurricanes’ most ... Read the full article