Mittelstadt - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres’ youngsters stand out in overtime loss to Red Wings

BUFFALO – Rookie Victor Olofsson heard Jack Eichel calling for the puck, so he quickly spun around along the right boards and adroitly fed the Sabres captain as a zoomed down the slot.

A second later, an uncovered Eichel beat Detroit Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard, tying the game 15:42 into the third period Thursday.

“I was just trying to get it in there in the middle,” Olofsson said following his NHL debut, a 5-4 ... Read the full article

Sabres goalie Carter Hutton nearly steals show in loss to Maple Leafs

BUFFALO – For two periods, as the Toronto Maple Leafs kept pummeling the Sabres, it was reminiscent of tank-era games from several years back.

The Leafs pumped 11 shots on goal before the 10-minute mark Wednesday. At one point in the opening period, they held a 17-2 shot advantage.

Goalie Carter Hutton, meanwhile, turned away shot after shot, keeping the Sabres in a game they had no business being in.

Heck, thanks to center ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Jason Pominville odd man out again

BUFFALO – Jason Pominville understands why he is sitting out. Having played 1,052 NHL games, the Sabres know what the veteran winger offers them.

Nine contests remain in a miserable season. The Sabres, who have fallen from first overall to sixth in the Atlantic Division, want to evaluate other players.

So the Sabres scratched Pominville, 36, for the second straight game Wednesday.

“It’s just the situation we’re at,” Pominville said prior to the 4-2 loss ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Casey Nelson returns after one-game benching

BUFFALO – The night after Nikita Zadorov drilled Sabres captain Jack Eichel high after the whistle, Casey Nelson said he couldn’t sleep.

The defenseman said he was looking through three players Saturday afternoon in Colorado and didn’t see Zadorov hit Eichel into the boards and rip off his helmet.

That’s why Nelson glided up to Zadorov and never went after the Avalanche defenseman.

On Thursday morning, Nelson’s tepid reaction was still bothering him.... Read the full article

Sabres’ Jeff Skinner battling first slump of season

BUFFALO – Forget about Jeff Skinner scoring 50 times. Thanks to a four-week slump, the Sabres winger might fall short of the 40-goal mark.

Skinner, 26, showcased dynamic consistency over his first 57 outings, never going more than four games without a goal.

After scoring twice on Feb. 15, Skinner was producing at a 52-goal pace over a full season.

But Skinner been stuck on 36 goals for 27 days. The NHL All-Star has a ... Read the full article

Second-period outburst helps Oilers down Sabres

BUFFALO – Late in the second period Monday, barely two minutes after Zack Kassian’s goal ignited the Edmonton Oilers, Sabres winger Jason Pominville committed a rare defensive-zone gaffe.

Pominville sensed a battle coming along the left boards, so he zeroed in on the puck. As he followed the play, he lost track of his man, allowing Darnell Nurse to slip past him from the point into the left circle.

A second later, the Oilers defenseman ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Tage Thompson understands development takes time

TORONTO – Tage Thompson said he views his development as a marathon, not a sprint. Having played only 97 NHL games, the Buffalo Sabres winger understands he’s raw.

“Everyone’s got their own path,” Thompson said prior to Saturday’s 5-2 loss to the Maple Leafs. “It’s going to take a little bit of time. You never want to rush into things.”

So Thompson, 21, has embraced the Sabres’ plan for him. While they’ve kept him in ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Scott Wilson earning regular duty after stay with Amerks

BUFFALO – When the Sabres waived winger Scott Wilson and assigned him to the AHL in early January, it wasn’t a normal demotion to the minors.

Having won two Stanley Cups over nearly three years in the NHL, Wilson was already an established talent.

A season ago, Wilson earned regular duty with the Sabres, playing 49 games following his arrival from the Detroit Red Wings.

But Wilson, who faced his old team, the Pittsburgh Penguins, ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Nathan Beaulieu on trade deadline: ‘No one really likes this day’

TORONTO – Last month, during a stretch in which he sat out 21 of 25 games as a healthy scratch, Buffalo Sabres defenseman Nathan Beaulieu requested a trade.

But suddenly, Beaulieu, 26, has started earning regular action again, playing three straight games entering tonight’s contest against the Maple Leafs.

So perhaps the Sabres will keep Beaulieu past today’s 3 p.m. trade deadline.

Update: The Sabres have traded Beaulieu to the Winnipeg Jets for a ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Sam Reinhart enjoys first hat trick in Buffalo

BUFFALO – On the first of his three goals Saturday afternoon, Sabres winger Sam Reinhart showcased a little flash.

After grabbing center Evan Rodrigues’ nifty one-handed pass, Reinhart unleashed a wicked wrist shot from the right circle, beating Washington Capitals goalie Braden Holtby over the right shoulder 12:51 into the 5-2 win.

Later in the contest, Reinhart put the Sabres up two goals again, sealing the game by tipping defenseman Matt Hunwick’s shot in front ... Read the full article