McLeod - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres notes: Goalie Alex Lyon could be sidelined into playoffs; Josh Doan makes ‘selfless’ play

BUFFALO – Injured Sabres goalie Alex Lyon could be sidelined for the start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, coach Lindy Ruff said prior to Thursday’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

“Right now, (he’ll be out) a week, and we’ll go from there,” Ruff said of the strained muscle Lyon recently suffered during practice.

The postseason begins April 18 and 19. A schedule won’t be released until next week.... Read the full article

Sabres beat Penguins to move into first place; Buffalo makes trades

PITTSBURGH – Thirty-eight seconds into Thursday’s second period, as Buffalo Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin and Evgeni Malkin began battling at the net and cross-checking each other, the Penguins star slashed his opponent on the neck.

Malkin’s ill-advised decision ended his night – he earned a match penalty and could have a suspension coming – and ignited the Sabres in a game that was tied at 1.

“After that we got it going pretty good,” coach ... Read the full article

Sabres roar back against Wild, lose in OT; Josh Norris misses second game

BUFFALO – It was about to be one heck of a penalty kill for the Sabres. Defenseman Mattias Samuelsson cleared the puck down down the ice, seemingly extinguishing the power play the Minnesota Wild carried into Saturday afternoon’s overtime.

But Wild goalie Filip Gustavsson skated out to the left circle and quickly flung the puck up to Kirill Kaprizov at the Buffalo blue line as the Sabres changed. Kaprizov skated in and fed Mats Zuccarello, ... Read the full article

Rasmus Dahlin stars in Sabres’ win over Flyers; Josh Norris leaves game injured

BUFFALO – Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin has always been his own worst critic, holding himself to the highest of standards.

Dahlin, one of the NHL’s most talented defensemen, has enjoyed a season that for just about anyone else would be considered pretty darn good.

But the Swede, 25, knows he can reach a much higher level.

Perhaps his two-goal outing in Wednesday’s 5-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers signals he’s ready to take off in ... Read the full article

In ending slump and scoring two goals, Sabres’ Jack Quinn displays talent

BUFFALO – Sabres winger Jack Quinn can be, shall we say, a bit streaky. Long goal droughts often follow productive stretches.

In October, Quinn, 24, scored three times in four outings before enduring a 13-game goalless stretch.

He briefly caught fire in late November, scoring in three straight contests. But two nine- game droughts followed, and before his slick two-goal performance in Saturday’s 5-3 win over the Anaheim Ducks, he hadn’t scored since Dec. 18.... Read the full article

Sabres respond after streak ends, beat Canucks before energetic crowd

BUFFALO – For about the first 50 minutes of Tuesday’s 5-3 victory, the Sabres showcased a near-perfect response following the end of their 10-game win streak, pouncing on the Vancouver Canucks and just about burying them.

A 4-0 lead well into the third period usually does the trick. But the Canucks mounted a ferocious comeback, scoring three times in a span of 5:38, including two goals 39 seconds apart to move them within one.

After ... Read the full article

With Rasmus Dahlin out against Bruins, Mattias Samuelsson steps up as Sabres extend win streak to eight games

BUFFALO – Early in the second period of the Sabres’ eighth consecutive win, Mattias Samuelsson, once the object of derision from a frustrated fan base, illustrated in a matter of seconds why he has quietly developed into one of the NHL’s top defensemen.

With the Sabres trailing the Boston Bruins 1-0 on Saturday, sniper Morgan Geekie carried the puck behind Buffalo’s net looking to make a play. But Samuelsson drove Geekie into the end boards, ... Read the full article

Bowen Byram dynamic in OT victory as Sabres extend streak to seven, move closer to playoff spot

OTTAWA – Coach Lindy Ruff hardly wanted to criticize defensemen Bowen Byram, the best player on the ice in the Sabres’ 3-2 overtime victory that extended their win streak to seven games and moved them within two points of a playoff spot.

Byram performed dynamically throughout the night in the Canadian Tire Centre, scoring twice and assisting on Buffalo’s other goal.

But when he released the puck from the top of the right circle – ... Read the full article

Sabres win fourth straight, rally to beat Flyers in Jarmo Kekalainen’s first game as GM; Conor Timmins breaks leg

BUFFALO – From his seat in the press box high above the KeyBank Center ice, Jarmo Kekalainen couldn’t have liked what he saw in the opening 30 or so minutes of his first game as Sabres general manager.

Early in Thursday’s 5-3 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers, the Sabres looked out of sync and sluggish, falling behind 2-1 in the second period.

But by late in that period, as they found their legs, the Sabres ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Bowen Byram scoring goals by playing aggressive style

BUFFALO – Three minutes into the first period of Monday’s 5-1 win, Sabres right wing Jack Quinn zoomed into the Winnipeg Jets zone alongside center Ryan McLeod and defenseman Bowen Byram, who pinched in down the opposite wing.

When Quinn quickly dished the puck, the pass just missed McLeod as he charged down the slot.

No problem. Byram grabbed it in the left circle and quickly beat goalie Eric Comrie, his fourth goal in ... Read the full article