Mittelstadt - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Tyson Jost finding home with Sabres: ‘He brings an awful lot’

BUFFALO – The struggles and other experiences Sabres center Tyson Jost has endured since entering the NHL as a teenager have helped him develop a unique perspective.

Jost has already played 358 NHL games, the fourth-highest total among Sabres skaters. Having been drafted 10th overall in 2016, the Colorado Avalanche initially cast him in a scoring role. When that didn’t work out, he fell down the lineup and was traded last season.

He lasted only ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Struggling Peyton Krebs returns from healthy scratch

BUFFALO – The Sabres recently stopped their forward rotation, so anyone who sits out as a healthy scratch these days has likely been ineffective, not caught in a numbers game.

Down the stretch as a rookie last season, center Peyton Krebs, 21, established himself as one of the Sabres’ top young forwards. But through 17 outings this year, he has struggled, mustering zero goals, three assists and just 10 shots on goal. He has ... Read the full article

Sabres fall to Maple Leafs, losing skid hits eight: ‘It boils down to compete’

TORONTO – A frustrated Don Granato kept talking, expounding for two and a half minutes on the Buffalo Sabres’ recent lack of competitiveness following their eighth consecutive loss.

“It’s pretty simple,” the coach said after Saturday’s uninspired 5-2 setback to the Maple Leafs. “You compete, you play with energy and you’ll feel better about your game. And I think right now, you don’t feel good about your game because you’re just not going hard enough, ... Read the full article

Sabres searching for answers after loss to lowly Canucks: ‘It has to change’

BUFFALO – This long Sabres losing streak felt a bit different than previous ones prior to Tuesday’s 5-4 loss to the hapless Vancouver Canucks.

The Sabres dropped four games to legitimate Stanley Cup contenders, playing each of them tough. Even their one loss to a non-playoff team, Arizona, didn’t look so bad after the Coyotes defeated some formidable opponents following their visit.

But losing to the Canucks, who limped into town having lost 12 of ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Casey Mittelstadt producing despite struggles at even strength

BUFFALO – Late in the second period of Thursday’s 7-4 loss, Casey Mittelstadt grabbed a short pass in the left circle and darted to the net. When the Sabres center approached the crease on his forehand, it briefly appeared he would shoot.

But Mittelstadt held the puck and, a split second later, he lifted a quick backhander past Vegas Golden Knights goalie Logan Thompson, tying the game at 2.

The slick goal, his second power-play ... Read the full article

Golden Knights’ Jack Eichel hears boos, has hat trick against Sabres: ‘Felt good’

BUFFALO – Sabres fans didn’t even wait for Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel to touch the puck Thursday. As soon as his skates hit the ice, they began booing loudly. When he gained possession, the jeering intensified.

The season-high crowd of 15,757 fans at KeyBank Center booed when the ex-Sabres captain lost a faceoff and again when goalie Eric Comrie stymied him on two breakaways. When the video boards showed replays of the saves, ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Rasmus Dahlin set to play after one-game absence

BUFFALO – Rasmus Dahlin’s absence last game wasn’t just related to getting sucker punched in the face by the Carolina Hurricanes’ Jesperi Kotkaniemi.

“It was an accident after,” the Sabres defenseman said this morning of the upper-body injury that sidelined him Saturday. “I was hit kind of late. My neck was a little bit off. I don’t know, it was a mix of everything. So it wasn’t that situation.”

Dahlin, 22, will return for tonight’s ... Read the full article

With Rasmus Dahlin, other Sabres hurt, Owen Power displaying star qualities

BUFFALO – Sooner than later, Sabres rookie Owen Power was expected to play mega minutes and emerge as a workhorse on the blue line.

But just 20 games into his NHL career? Well, Power skated a personal-high 28 minutes, 14 seconds in Saturday’s 5-3 road loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Through 12 outings this season entering tonight’s contest against the Arizona Coyotes at KeyBank Center, he has averaged 23 minutes, 9 seconds of ice ... Read the full article

Sabres expect ‘angry’ Penguins team; Eric Comrie starts again

BUFFALO – The Pittsburgh Penguins limped into town this morning in the midst of one of their worst stretches in recent memory.

In Tuesday’s 6-5 home loss to the Boston Bruins, they blew three-goal second-period lead before falling in overtime. At least the Penguins earned a point, ending their four-game regulation losing streak.

They lost every game of their western road trip late last month, scoring just six goals.... Read the full article

Ilya Lyubushkin out again; Sabres plan to add new defenseman

BUFFALO – After forward Riley Sheahan clears waivers or is claimed this afternoon, the Sabres plan to recall a defenseman from the Rochester Americans.

“We’re banged up on the back end and that’s the need, pressing need right now,” Sabres coach Don Granato said this morning.

Right now, having lost three defensemen – Henri Jokiharju, Ilya Lyubushkin and Mattias Samuelsson are all injured – the Sabres sorely help.

Their options, however, are limited. They’ve already ... Read the full article