Montreal Canadiens - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres’ No. 1 scoring line providing little offense

BUFFALO – Just under eight minutes into the Sabres’ 3-1 loss Sunday, winger Drew Stafford created one of the struggling team’s few highlight-reel goals this season by stealing the puck from Detroit’s Darren Helm above the left circle and dishing to an open Cody Hodgson in the slot.

The center then waited for Jonas Gustavsson to go down before tucking the puck past the outstretched goalie.

It was only the Sabres’ 41^st goal in ... Read the full article

Last four Sabres No. 1 picks to play tonight; Rasmus Ristolainen set for debut

BUFFALO – Four No. 1 picks from the last two years, including both 2013 selections, defensemen Rasmus Ristolainen and Nikita Zadorov, will skate for the Sabres in tonight’s preseason opener in Montreal.

Expect to see the rebuilding Sabres showcase plenty of youth throughout the seven-game exhibition schedule, coach Ron Rolston said this morning inside the First Niagara Center.

“There’s going to be a lot of opportunity for those players, and they’re going to get a ... Read the full article

Michael Zigomanis back with Sabres 12 years after ‘fax issues’ took him away

BUFFALO – Michael Zigomanis still sees familiar faces everywhere around the Sabres. There’s Darcy Regier, the general manager who drafted him 14 years ago. There’s Doug McKenney, the strength coach who began shaping his teenage frame into a man’s body.

Zigomanis credits both men with teaching him how to be a professional.

“It’s an honor to be part of their organization again,” the 32-year-old said Friday after practicing inside the First Niagara Center.

Zigomanis, the ... Read the full article

Sabres’ season all but over after awful loss to Canadiens

BUFFALO – Fifteen minutes after a wretched, season-killing 5-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens, the door to the Sabres dressing room swung open.

Inside, players had just finished discussing their embarrassing play and the path for the final seven games of this lost season.

Where do the hapless Sabres go following one of the worst efforts in recent memory?

“We talked amongst ourselves, obviously, what attitude are we going to have going forward here?” Sabres ... Read the full article

Amerks captain Matt Ellis transitioning from Sabres back to AHL

BUFFALO – Reminders of the Sabres’ recent roster overhaul are all over Matt Ellis’ Clarence neighborhood.

Each day, the hardworking forward drives by “For Sale” signs in front of the homes Jordan Leopold and Jason Pominville recently left. When Ellis picks up neighbor Cody McCormick, instead of going downtown, the teammates drive 75 miles down the thruway to Rochester, their new playing home.

“The only one left in our neighborhood is (Thomas Vanek),” Ellis, ... Read the full article

Desperate Sabres have played Canadiens well

BUFFALO – The clock is ticking loudly again on the Sabres’ lost season. With eight games left, the 11^th-place club, which hosts the Montreal Canadiens tonight, is six points behind the eighth-place New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference playoff chase.

After three straight wins, the Sabres fell 4-1 Tuesday in Winnipeg. Incredibly, they’re 2-9-2 against the feeble Southeast Division, by far the NHL’s worst group of teams.

The Sabres have beaten the ... Read the full article

After early struggles, Amerks improving under new coach Cassidy

BUFFALO – Under normal circumstances, Chadd Cassidy’s transition to becoming the Rochester Americans’ bench boss would’ve been “a lot easier,” the interim coach said.

On Feb. 20, Cassidy, then Ron Rolston’s top assistant, was going through his regular routine inside the Blue Cross War Memorial, preparing for a game against the Texas Stars that night.

Hours later, Cassidy was the Amerks’ new coach.

In summoning Rolston to replace Lindy Ruff on an interim basis, ... Read the full article

Tight win over Canadiens has Sabres back in playoff chase

MONTREAL – This one could’ve gotten ugly early as the Buffalo Sabres bumbled around their own zone and the Canadiens kept relentlessly applying pressure.

Somehow, though, the Habs missed a slew of prime chances during the first period Saturday.

If they didn’t misfire in front of Ryan Miller, the franchise goalie gobbled it up. His play and a little luck kept the Sabres in the game.

Just a few weeks ago, the struggling team might’ve ... Read the full article

Slumping Stafford benched as Gerbe returns for Sabres

MONTREAL – In just 32 days on the job, interim coach Ron Rolston has quickly put his mark on the Buffalo Sabres, scratching five regular forwards.

Prior to Saturday, struggling winger Drew Stafford had escaped a benching, only receiving some fourth-line duty for his poor play. With a two-goal effort last Saturday and the shootout-tying score Thursday, it appeared the assistant captain would keep dressing.

But Stafford, who has only four goals and a ... Read the full article

Struggling Stafford to sit tonight as Gerbe returns for Sabres

MONTREAL – Naturally, getting benched for tonight’s game against the Canadiens is disappointing, Drew Stafford said. The struggling Buffalo Sabres winger, who has only four goals in 31 games this season, hasn’t been a healthy scratch in years.

But the 27-year-old veteran, an assistant captain, understands why interim coach Ron Rolston will sit him.

“I mean, it’s no secret I haven’t been getting on the score sheet,” Stafford said this afternoon following Buffalo’s skate ... Read the full article