Miller - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres’ sole focus on game in front of them; Vanek should practice again Monday

BUFFALO – Forget about the other seven or eight teams battling for that final Eastern Conference playoff berth. The 12^th-place Sabres simply need to keep winning games and mind their own business.

“We’ve been same story, focused on the game in front of us like a lot of teams are doing in our situation, where they got to get points out of every game to make the playoffs,” interim coach Ron Rolston said ... Read the full article

Sabres say playoffs still within sight after rallying to down Senators

BUFFALO – On Friday morning, hours before their 4-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators, new assistant captain Steve Ott promised the Sabres would keep fighting for that unlikely playoff berth until the bitter end.

Two days after management jettisoned captain Jason Pominville at the trade deadline with the message the Sabres’ plans have shifted to the future, players emphatically say they’re still focused on the present.

They want to win now.

Ten games ... Read the full article

Sabres know Jason Pominville’s departure could be first major move

BUFFALO – Darcy Regier’s strong words stuck with Thomas Vanek. Prior to Saturday, the general manager had never publicly made any of his Sabres available to other teams during his long tenure. At that point, four days before trade deadline, the slick winger knew major changes could hit the Sabres.

Sure enough, Regier dealt captain Jason Pominville to the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday for two prospects and two draft picks.

It could just be the ... Read the full article

Close friends sad to see Pominville leave Sabres; Vanek unsure about future

BUFFALO – After trading captain Jason Pominville to the Minnesota Wild, general manager Darcy Regier said the Sabres’ reconstruction could take some time.

Slick winger Thomas Vanek recently said he “would probably look in the other direction” if the Sabres had a two- or three-year plan.

So, did Wednesday’s deal, coupled with earlier trades of defensemen Jordan Leopold and Robyn Regehr, change Vanek’s mind?

“Probably, I mean, obviously we gave up three good players ... Read the full article

Sabres thinking long-term after trading captain Pominville to Wild

BUFFALO – Instead of trading captain Jason Pominville to the Minnesota Wild before the deadline Wednesday, the 13^th-place Sabres could’ve tried staying in the playoff chase and acquiring another player to make a run at eighth place, general manager Darcy Regier said.

But the Sabres, whose owner, Terry Pegula, has spent tens of millions of dollars pursuing his championship dream, no longer embrace that kind of philosophy.

They’ve started thinking long-term.

“The preference ... Read the full article

Sabres stun Penguins, end 15-game winning streak

PITTSBURGH – The stunning victory might serve as one final reminder of the potential the 2012-13 Buffalo Sabres possess.

On Tuesday, the reeling Sabres limped into Consol Energy Center losers of four straight, just hours away from a possible fire sale before the trade deadline hits at 3 p.m. today.

The mighty Penguins, winners of 15 straight, awaited them. The powerhouse club had blanked its last three opponents and stood just two victories from tying ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Adam thrilled to be back in NHL after long wait

PITTSBURGH – One day this winter, Luke Adam finally had enough. The 22-year-old cleared his head and stopped wondering about his future with the Buffalo Sabres.

In just a few months last season, Adam suffered a stunning decline, morphing from a first-line NHL scoring threat into a forgotten AHL player repeatedly bypassed for recalls.

But fretting wasn’t helping Adam’s career.

“That’s what got me in trouble,” Adam said Tuesday prior to the Sabres’ 4-1 win ... Read the full article

Sabres’ recent trade-deadline activity has yielded mixed results

PITTSBURGH – With the NHL trade deadline hitting at 3 p.m. Wednesday, here’s the Buffalo Sabres’ Eastern Conference standing and their activity since 2006:

2006, third place, 83 points

General manager Darcy Regier made no additions, only trading No. 3 goalie Mika Noronen to Vancouver for a second-round pick (current backup goalie Jhonas Enroth). Some argued the inactivity bit the surprising Sabres, who lost four defensemen to injury during their run to the Eastern Conference ... Read the full article

Sabres deal Regehr to Kings for draft picks, look to future

PITTSBURGH – Robyn Regehr’s absence from Buffalo Sabres practice Monday morning inside the First Niagara Center raised eyebrows.

With Wednesday’s deadline approaching, had the veteran defenseman waived his no-trade clause and been dealt?

The 32-year-old was just enjoying a maintenance day off the ice.

Shortly after practice ended around noon, Regehr walked into the dressing room and said he couldn’t “say yes or no right now” about ditching his no-trade clause again, which he ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Ron Rolston believes Steve Ott’s embellishment penalty wrong

PITTSBURGH – At the 12:01 mark of the first period in the Buffalo Sabres’ 2-0 loss to Boston on Sunday, hulking Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara cross-checked Steve Ott, sending the agitator flying into the boards.

Ott hit his head and skated off to the dressing room before returning. But in addition to Chara’s minor penalty, Ott received an unsportsmanlike conduct embellishment penalty.

Did interim Sabres coach Ron Rolston agree?

“No, unless you want to launch ... Read the full article