Montour - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Expect Sabres to evaluate over final month; Jonas Johansson to start in goal

BUFFALO – Face it, the Sabres are playing for pride. Their four-game losing streak has kicked them out of the playoff chase.

So expect them to evaluate and even experiment a bit over the final 16 games, starting tonight against the Pittsburgh Penguins at KeyBank Center.

That means rookie goalie Jonas Johansson will start tonight, his second nod in three games.

Under normal circumstances, goalie Carter Hutton would likely face the Penguins. The veteran has ... Read the full article

Kyle Okposo’s goals help Sabres beat Jets, surge back into playoff race

BUFFALO – Suddenly, the Sabres have roared back into the playoff chase. A few dreadful losses over the past month seemed to extinguish their faint hope of playing meaningful games down the stretch.

But a perfect weekend moved the fifth-place Sabres to within six points – in these parts, that’s meaningful – of the sputtering Toronto Maple Leafs, who own the Atlantic Division’s final playoff spot.

The trade deadline hits at 3 p.m. today. Are ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Ryan Miller’s win in Buffalo special to goalie, Ducks

BUFFALO – On Thursday, the Sabres will celebrate “2000s Night,” bringing back Daniel Briere, Brian Campbell and some other key figures from their wildly successful 2005-06 and 2006-07 teams that reached the Eastern Conference final.

Ryan Miller, the star goalie those seasons, can’t make it. As the only active NHL player left from those popular clubs, he will be in Anaheim for the Ducks’ game against the Calgary Flames.

“I’m actually going to ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Brandon Montour gaining trust, earning big minutes

BUFFALO – Having piled up points throughout his career, Sabres defenseman Brandon Montour understands he has earned a reputation.

“People that see me as a player, I think, over the years, they think it was just offense,” Montour said prior to Tuesday’s 6-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche inside KeyBank Center.

Montour, 25, has averaged nine goals and 34 points in his two full NHL seasons. He put up 12 goals and 57 points in ... Read the full article

Sabres dealing with sickness, recall could be coming from Amerks

BUFFALO – In addition to what coach Ralph Krueger has termed some “light injuries,” the Sabres are dealing with some sickness going around the locker room.

So tonight’s lineup against the Colorado Avalanche isn’t set yet.

“I would love to be able to tell you the roster, but I have to be honest, we’re still assessing,” Krueger said this morning inside KeyBank Center.

Krueger said two defensemen are being assessed. Rasmus Dahlin, who had ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Rasmus Dahlin, Johan Larsson miss practice

BUFFALO – Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin and center Johan Larsson had maintenance days today and will be evaluated prior to Tuesday’s home game against the Colorado Avalanche, coach Ralph Krueger said.

Meanwhile, defenseman Brandon Montour, a late scratch with a lower-body injury for Saturday afternoon’s 2-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets, practiced today.

“Montour, we gave it a good shot today, and he’s just being assessed right now,” Krueger said inside KeyBank Center. “But ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Nathan Gerbe enjoying regular duty with Blue Jackets

BUFFALO – At first, learning the Columbus Blue Jackets had recalled him upset Nathan Gerbe a little. The former Sabres winger had just arrived home in Michigan for a short Christmas break from the Cleveland Monsters.

The affable Gerbe, 32, wanted to see his family. Instead, on Dec. 22 he hurried to Long Island for the Blue Jackets’ game the next day against the New York Islanders.

“I hadn’t seen them in a while,” Gerbe ... Read the full article

Upper-body injury to sideline Sabres Kyle Okposo ‘weeks’

BUFFALO – An upper-body injury will likely sideline Sabres winger Kyle Okposo “weeks,” coach Ralph Krueger said.

Krueger said while the Sabres don’t have an exact time period for Okposo, “we don’t expect him back here for a while.”

“I’d say it’s more in the weeks category,” Krueger said prior to this afternoon’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets inside KeyBank Center. “We’ll probably be confirming that later today after the game. I don’t just ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Kyle Okposo, Zach Bogosian out against Blue Jackets

BUFFALO – With winger Kyle Okposo out for this afternoon’s home game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Sabres recalled forward Jean-Sebastien Dea from the Rochester Americans on Friday.

Dea, 25, has compiled 13 goals and 30 points, both team highs, in 41 AHL games this season.

Okposo left Thursday’s 3-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens early with an upper-body injury.

Coach Ralph Krueger said Okposo was being evaluated Friday and the Sabres wouldn’t give ... Read the full article

With Kyle Okposo injured, Sabres recall Jean-Sebastien Dea from Amerks

BUFFALO – The Sabres recalled forward Jean-Sebastien Dea, the Rochester Americans’ leading scorer, this morning.

Dea, 25, has compiled 13 goals and 30 points in 41 AHL games this season.

The Sabres summoned Dea because winger Kyle Okposo left Thursday’s 3-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens early with an upper-body injury. Sabres coach Ralph Krueger said Okposo will likely miss Saturday afternoon’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.... Read the full article