WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage
February Edition
Zach Metsa played for Rochester twice last week. ©2026, Micheline Veluvolu, Rochester Americans
BUFFALO – The Sabres this morning recalled rookie defenseman Zach Metsa, who returned to the AHL during the Olympic break, from the Rochester Americans.
Metsa, 27, played two games during the break, his first appearances with the Amerks since early December. After being summoned that month, he enjoyed semi-regular duty with the Sabres, often skating short minutes on the third defense pair.
He practiced with the Sabres this morning in LECOM Harborcenter.... Read the full article
Konsta Helenius played nine games with Buffalo. ©2026, Micheline Veluvolu, Rochester Americans
ROCHESTER – In his last outing before the Buffalo Sabres assigned him to the Americans, rookie Konsta Helenius shared the ice with Pittsburgh Penguins superstars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, two hockey icons.
“I watched their highlight videos (growing up), so it was pretty cool,” Helenius said prior to Friday’s game against the Springfield Thunderbirds in Blue Cross Arena.
Earlier in his first trip to the NHL, Helenius, 19, faced Los Angeles Kings defenseman defenseman ... Read the full article
Tage Thompson (72) battles with Pittsburgh’s Kevin Hayes on Thursday.
BUFFALO – In the Sabres’ final outing before the Milano Cortina Games, center Tage Thompson showcased why he earned a coveted spot on Team USA’s stacked Olympic squad.
Thompson was often the best player on the ice in Thursday’s 5-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, scoring his 30th goal and narrowly missing a few more prime chances.
The American certainly outplayed the Penguins’ two biggest stars, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.
On most nights, that ... Read the full article
Michael Kesselring sat out Tuesday’s game. ©2026, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Instead of dressing defenseman Michael Kesselring for Tuesday’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, Sabres coach Lindy Ruff gave the newcomer a chance to reset.
Having battled injuries all year, Kesselring hasn’t found much of a groove. Since training camp, he has dealt with a knee injury and a high ankle sprain he re-injured.
In his first 23 outings, he showcased glimpses of what made him a coveted return in the ... Read the full article
Josh Norris has missed the last 11 games. ©2026, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Oft-injured Sabres center Josh Norris won’t return to the lineup before the Olympic break.
Coach Lindy Ruff said this morning that Norris, who has missed the last 11 games with an upper-body injury, will sit out tonight’s contest against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Norris began practicing again last week.... Read the full article
Zach Metsa began the season in Rochester. ©2026, Micheline Veluvolu
TORONTO – Zach Metsa’s first tour around the NHL has given him a special opportunity to visit come of hockey’s most hallowed rinks and soak in each unique experience.
“I’ve been fired up for it,” the Buffalo Sabres rookie told the Times Herald prior to Tuesday’s game against the Maple Leafs. “I’m lucky.”
Metsa, 27, made his big league debut in Montreal’s Bell Centre and earlier this month played his first game at New York’s ... Read the full article
Michael Kesselring has played just 17 times this season. ©2026, Micheline Veluvolu
MONTREAL – Buffalo Sabres defenseman Michael Kesselring said it three times.
“I’m starving,” he said this afternoon following the Sabres’ pregame skate in the Bell Centre. “I’m starving. I’m starving.”
The oft-injured Kesselring, having played just 17 games this season, is starving for some action and to make an impact. More than three months into his first campaign with Buffalo, he’s starving to simply record his first point.
Following a two-game absence, Kesselring, 25, could ... Read the full article
Minnesota celebrates Mats Zuccarello’s overtime goal on Buffalo goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen on Saturday afternoon. ©2026, Micheline Velvolu
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
Jacob Bryson smiles after scoring Monday. ©2026, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – From his spot on the bench, Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said he could see the puck would hit the top right corner of the net past the screened goalie as soon as it left defenseman Jacob Bryson’s stick.
“Basically, he had eyes up, he saw his mark and hit it,” Ruff said of Bryson’s wrist shot from the left point early in Monday’s 4-3 loss to the Florida Panthers.
Bryson’s goal, just his ... Read the full article
Alex Tuch scored in Tuesday’s win. ©2026, Micheline Veluvolu
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