McBain - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Winless Sabres mixing things up; Jhonas Enroth likely starting

BUFFALO – So, who’s starting in goal for the winless Sabres against the Tampa Bay Lightning?

“You’ll see tonight,” Sabres coach Ron Rolston said this morning inside the First Niagara Center.

Jhonas Enroth left the ice first following the morning skate, a sign the backup will likely receive his second straight nod with Ryan Miller nursing a sore groin.

Still, Miller participated fully in the skate and Matt Hackett, the organization’s No. 3 goalie... Read the full article

Ryan Miller’s ‘minor’ injury forces Sabres to recall goalie Matt Hackett

PITTSBURGH – Matt Hackett was home in Rochester, “about to pass out,” the goalie joked, when the phone rang around midnight Saturday.

Hackett had just been shelled in the Americans’ disastrous 8-1 season-opening loss to Grand Rapids, allowing six goals on 30 shots in just 36:35 before mercifully getting yanked.

The 23-year-old wasn’t expecting a recall to the Buffalo Sabres hours later.

“Never seen getting called up for six goals,” Hackett said Saturday afternoon prior ... Read the full article

Sabres goalie Ryan Miller questionable for tonight’s game against Penguins; Matt Hackett up from Amerks

PITTSBURGH – Matt Hackett was home in Rochester, “about to pass out,” the goalie joked, when the phone rang around midnight.

Hackett had just been shelled in the Americans’ disastrous 8-1 season-opening loss, allowing six goals on 30 shots in just 36:35 before mercifully getting yanked.

The 23-year-old wasn’t expecting a recall to the Buffalo Sabres.

“Never seen getting called up for six goals,” Hackett said this afternoon after participating in the Sabres’ optional skate ... Read the full article

Ron Rolston upset with Sabres’ poor effort in shutout loss to Senators

BUFFALO – Don’t let the close score, the Sabres’ bevy of prime scoring chances or Ryan Miller’s brilliant goaltending performance overshadow a pretty wretched effort.

“We didn’t play a very good hockey game at the end of the day,” a visibly agitated Ron Rolston said Friday following the Sabres’ exciting 1-0 loss to the Ottawa Senators in the home opener inside the First Niagara Center.

The coach acknowledged the obvious, saying Miller, whose scintillating 45-save ... Read the full article

Fight night in Toronto: Sabres and Leafs brawl in exhibition tilt

TORONTO – It was a not-so-subtle message: John Scott, the Buffalo Sabres’ 6-foot-8, 258-pound tough guy, lining up for a faceoff against slick Maple Leafs superstar Phil Kessel, who’s about eight inches shorter and 60 pounds lighter.

A minute earlier, 6-foot-5 Leafs fighter Jamie Devane had knocked Corey Tropp out briefly and bloodied him.

The Sabres didn’t like Devane fighting someone five inches smaller.

So Sabres coach Ron Rolston had Scott on the ice ... Read the full article

Sabres turn to Tyler Ennis for center help

BUFFALO – On Friday, coach Ron Rolston said the Sabres “would look at all options” to find another center, even if it meant moving someone over from the wing.

Sure enough, Tyler Ennis was centering Marcus Foligno and Drew Stafford this morning as the Sabres prepared for tonight’s preseason contest against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the First Niagara Center.

Where does Rolston see Ennis winding up eventually, center or wing? The 23-year-old has ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Joel Armia makes home debut memorable

BUFFALO – This wasn’t a three-minute YouTube package of European highlights or a summer development camp scrimmage. This was slick Sabres prospect Joel Armia finally skating in some NHL action.

The hype surrounding Armia has been building since the Sabres selected the Finnish winger 16^th overall in 2011. Yet few fans had seen the 20-year-old, who spent the last three seasons playing at home in SM-liiga, up close prior to Thursday’s exhibition home opener, ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Jamie McBain looking for fresh start after Hurricanes career fizzled

BUFFALO – Jamie McBain disputes his former general manager’s belief he reported to training camp out of shape last season.

The new Sabres defenseman acknowledged Tuesday that workouts “kind of slipped away from me a little bit” during the lockout. But McBain had played briefly in Finland and felt ready for an abbreviated season with the Carolina Hurricanes following the work stoppage.

“My on-ice conditioning was just fine,” said McBain, who could face the Hurricanes ... Read the full article

Last four Sabres No. 1 picks to play tonight; Rasmus Ristolainen set for debut

BUFFALO – Four No. 1 picks from the last two years, including both 2013 selections, defensemen Rasmus Ristolainen and Nikita Zadorov, will skate for the Sabres in tonight’s preseason opener in Montreal.

Expect to see the rebuilding Sabres showcase plenty of youth throughout the seven-game exhibition schedule, coach Ron Rolston said this morning inside the First Niagara Center.

“There’s going to be a lot of opportunity for those players, and they’re going to get a ... Read the full article

Sabres bring back Henrik Tallinder from Devils

BUFFALO – Three years ago, Henrik Tallinder sensed his Sabres career was ending. Despite a strong season helping then-rookie Tyler Myers develop into of the NHL’s top defensemen, the Swede knew the team had little interest in awarding him a long-term contract.

So when free agency opened, Tallinder signed a four-year, $13.5 million deal with the New Jersey Devils.

Had the Sabres offered even three years to Tallinder, he said he might’ve considered staying with ... Read the full article