McBain - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Former Sabres Nathan Gerbe, Andrej Sekera thriving with Hurricanes

BUFFALO – At first, Nathan Gerbe said, he didn’t understand why the Sabres waived and bought him out in early July. The diminutive winger had no inkling they had given up on him after five seasons.

“I didn’t know it was coming, that’s for sure,” Gerbe said Thursday prior to the Carolina Hurricanes’ 5-3 win inside the First Niagara Center. “No one spoke to me about it. So I think you get a little shocked. ... Read the full article

Sabres goalie Ryan Miller explains Saturday’s slick glove save

BUFFALO – A little more than halfway through the first period in Columbus’ 4-3 shootout victory Saturday, Sabres defenseman Jamie McBain pinched into the right circle was tripped by Nick Foligno, creating a two-on-one break.

With only defenseman Brayden McNabb defending, Foligno zoomed down the left wing into the circle and dished to RJ Umberger, who one-timed the feed.

Incredibly, Sabres goalie Ryan Miller got across his crease and snagged Umberger’s shot.

Here’s how Miller ... Read the full article

Sabres get rare score from John Scott, blow 2-goal lead before falling to Leafs in shootout

TORONTO – John Scott’s second career goal came early in his 200^th NHL game, 1,503 days after the hulking Buffalo Sabres tough guy scored his first one.

At 7:53 of first period in Friday’s 4-3 shootout loss to the Maple Leafs, Matt Ellis’ rebound trickled to Scott in the slot, and – much to the shock of the 19,405 fans watching – he beat Maple Leafs goalie Jonathan Bernier.

“I seem to do ... Read the full article

Sabres score 4 goals again, beat Bruins for second straight regulation win

BUFFALO – Break ‘em up. Not only have the Sabres won consecutive games in regulation for the first time all season, they’ve scored eight goals while wowing crowds again inside a lively First Niagara Center.

The Sabres had eight goals in their previous seven games before starting this mini-streak.

Thursday’s 4-2 triumph versus the Boston Bruins might’ve been the best of their nine victories this trying season.

Against the class of the Eastern Conference, Drew ... Read the full article

Ted Nolan still evaluating Sabres’ defense corps

BUFFALO – Ted Nolan wants healthy competition between his defensemen. So with seven or eight at his disposal, the interim Sabres coach plans to keep tinkering until he finds the six he can play regularly.

Nolan hasn’t stopped evaluating a month into his tenure. That’s one reason Mark Pysyk, one of the NHL’s better rookie defenders, was scratched Saturday.

“Sometimes you like to take them out whenever they play a great game versus a ... Read the full article

Sabres overcome blown call, adversity to beat Senators in shootout

BUFFALO – The best part of the Sabres’ 2-1 shootout win, interim coach Ted Nolan said, came 15:30 into the second period, when officials disallowed what appeared to be his team’s go-ahead goal.

Wait, what? Why would Nolan say that?

The Sabres have crumbled under adversity all season. But on Tuesday, after a delayed penalty possession whistle wiped out Jamie McBain’s score, they kept fighting against the Ottawa Senators inside the First Niagara Center.

“It ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Jamie McBain likes Ted Nolan’s straightforward approach

MONTREAL – Jamie McBain wanted to know why he was sitting so much. So the defenseman dissected the four games he had played under Ted Nolan, the Buffalo Sabres’ new interim coach.

“I couldn’t come to an answer myself,” McBain said Saturday prior to the Sabres’ 3-2 loss to the Canadiens inside the Bell Centre.

So the 25-year-old, a healthy scratch four straight games recently, approached Nolan.

“I wanted to kind of hear his opinion ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Mikhail Grigorenko excited for world junior championship

BUFFALO – Sabres prospect Mikhail Grigorenko knows watching NHL games as a spare forward is hurting his development.

“I can’t be sitting in the press box. I need to play,” Grigorenko said Thursday morning inside the First Niagara Center. “Everybody understands this.”

Luckily, the Sabres’ new regime understands how vital ice time is to Grigorenko’s maturation, so the team’s letting the 19-year-old center play for Russian at the upcoming world junior championship in Sweden.

“I ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Brayden McNabb to sit again, showcasing right attitude

BUFFALO – Attitude, Ted Nolan said, “is everything.”

“It’s like a flat tire,” the interim Sabres coach said this morning, “if you don’t change it, you ain’t going nowhere.”

Sabres defenseman Brayden McNabb’s great attitude about his one-day assignment to Rochester helped the 22-year-old compile one goal and three points in the Americans’ 6-1 win against the Utica Comets, Nolan said.

“He’s knows that he’s got a little ways to go before becoming a full-time ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Mikhail Grigorenko excited to represent Russia at world junior championship

BUFFALO – Sabres prospect Mikhail Grigorenko knows he can’t develop properly sitting in the press box regularly.

“I need to play,” Grigorenko said this morning inside the First Niagara Center. “Everybody understands this.”

Luckily, the Sabres’ new regime understands that, so the team’s letting the 19-year-old center play for Russian at the upcoming world junior championship in Sweden.

“I think it’s going to be great for me because I’m not getting enough ice time,” said ... Read the full article